Ex-police detective convicted of rape found dead in cell in San Bernardino jail

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. — A former police detective who blamed an antidepressant in an unsuccessful defense against a rape charge was found dead in his jail cell Friday, authorities said.

Anthony Orban, 33, was found unresponsive at 2:49 a.m. in his single-man cell at the Central Detention Center, said San Bernardino County sheriff's spokeswoman Cindy Bachman. Orban died on the day he was scheduled to be in court for a hearing.

"There is no foul play suspected, but they are going to wait until an autopsy has been completed to release any further details about the cause," she said.

Orban's attorney said his client hanged himself, the Los Angeles Times reported (http://lat.ms/RkOhIY ).

Orban, an Iraq War veteran, pleaded not guilty and not guilty by reason of insanity. The defense blamed his actions on use of prescription drugs, including the antidepressant Zoloft.

His sentencing had been delayed while the court looked into the possibility of misconduct involving a juror who allegedly talked loudly before the verdict about her experiences taking Zoloft. Orban faced up to life in prison.

The former Westminster detective was convicted earlier this year in an abduction and sexual assault of a woman. The victim was taken from an Ontario mall at gunpoint and raped in a car in Fontana in 2010.

She testified she escaped when Orban was distracted by a cellphone call.

Jurors found Orban guilty of kidnapping, rape and multiple counts of sexual assault that he was sane at the time.

anti-depressants, anti-anxiety pills and whatnot., you ever see the side-effects those advertisements say about the chemical-meds they try to get you to prescribe to? dissiness, headaches, nausea, sleeplyness, thoughts of suicide, loss of appetite; you name it., it all hits you differently according to your weight, gender or mind strength capacity., etc, etc, etc., factor in all the differences that each person has and bam! there you have it, the ole psycho excuse of the talking dog made me do it., or is it? just an excuse? .. the same argument can be made of the sherm made me trigger happy, right!?

man thats a hard one. Iraq war vet and taking antidepressants? Wolflocc that sounds like a recipe for something bad especially when you mention the side effects they warn you about. I'm not excusing his actions but hopefully the autopsy will be more a revelation of his chemical balances and what not. Rape is rape. But there have been proven cases of these drugs like you said having a variety of effects including some homicidal/suicidal shit. The dude was re-living some foul shit he'd been taught to do in the military and the cell phone call made him wake up and realize the nigg was back at home