Defence reveals causes of death for two Ole Miss students in kratom pill case
In Mississippi federal court, a defence attorney said one Ole Miss student died from mixed substances and the other from inhalation asphyxiation. Court filings show both had the same kratom-derived compounds in their systems.
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The story, neutrally told
Right · 2University of Mississippi students Aidan Hamilton, 18, and Robert Strang, 20, were found dead in Oxford on Sept. 21. New York PostR “the Sept. 21 deaths of Aidan Hamilton, 18, and Robert Strang, 20” Read at New York Post ↗ Fox NewsR “at the time of their Sept. 21 deaths in Oxford” Read at Fox News ↗ Right · 1At a hearing in Mississippi federal court on Friday, a defence attorney for one of the two men accused of selling the drugs said one student died from combined use of various substances, including cough syrup, and the other from inhalation asphyxiation, according to the New York Post, citing Action News 5. New York PostR “one Ole Miss student died from combined use of various substances, including cough syrup, and the other from inhalation asphyxiation, Action News 5 reported.” Read at New York Post ↗ Right · 2Toxicology results cited in court records show both students had mitragynine pseudoindoxyl, MGM-15 and 7-OH in their systems. Fox News Digital, which reviewed the filing, reported that the full toxicology report has not yet been released publicly. New York PostR “both victims had mitragynine pseudoindoxyl, MGM-15 and 7-OH in their systems when they died, according to court records.” Read at New York Post ↗ Fox NewsR “The revelations come ahead of the public release of the full toxicology report.” Read at Fox News ↗
Right · 2Investigators say these compounds are found in SMAX pills (Smax Mango Breeze MGM-15 in Fox News's account) recovered at both scenes. Fox News reported that packages at both sites carried a $39.99 price tag with a black smudge on the first 9. Fox NewsR “officers found packages of Smax Mango Breeze MGM-15 with price tags reading $39.99, each with a black smudge on the first 9, at both sites.” Read at Fox News ↗ New York PostR “found at the scene of both students’ deaths, investigators say.” Read at New York Post ↗ Right · 2Yahya Mosleh, 51, and his son Islam Mosleh, 18, face federal drug charges over sales at Puffs Vape, Tobacco and Beer store in Oxford. According to a criminal complaint, an undercover agent asked for 7-OH kratom pills on Sept. 24, and Yahya allegedly took pills from a locked drawer and warned that people were dying from them. New York PostR “were both working at Puffs when an undercover agent went into the store on Sept. 24 and requested 7-OH kratom pills” Read at New York Post ↗ Fox NewsR “Yahya Mosleh even told the informant that people were dying from similar products and to be careful.” Read at Fox News ↗ Right · 2Agents searched the store with a warrant. Fox News reported they found the same product with identical packaging and price tag. The New York Post reported they seized more than 500 units of kratom plus THC cartridges, gummies and pre-rolls. Lab tests found Schedule I substances. Fox NewsR “the same Smax Mango Breeze MGM-15 – with the exact same packaging, exact same ingredients and exact same price tag” Read at Fox News ↗ New York PostR “along with over 500 units of kratom, officials claim in court documents.” Read at New York Post ↗
Right · 1In August the Drug Enforcement Administration issued an emergency order classifying MGM-15 and mitragynine pseudoindoxyl as Schedule I controlled substances. New York PostR “the Drug Enforcement Administration issued an emergency order classifying MGM-15 and mitragynine pseudoindoxyl as Schedule I controlled substances” Read at New York Post ↗ Right · 2Yahya Mosleh remains in custody; a federal judge found him a flight risk with ties to another country, per the court documents Fox News cited. Islam Mosleh is to be released on a $20,000 bond with conditions including a curfew and location monitoring. The Moslehs' attorneys declined to comment to the New York Post. Fox NewsR “a flight risk with ties to another country”“Islam Mosleh will be released on a $20,000 unsecured bond with conditions that include a curfew and location monitoring” Read at Fox News ↗ New York PostR “Attorneys for the Moslehs declined to comment.” Read at New York Post ↗ Right · 2The store's owner, Amer Alowdi, was indicted for allegedly trafficking narcotics in 2022 but is accused of fleeing the US. Fox News reported investigators believe the owner is now running the store remotely from Egypt. New York PostR “was indicted for allegedly trafficking narcotics in 2022 but is accused of fleeing the US before he could be prosecuted.” Read at New York Post ↗ Fox NewsR “investigators believe he is now running the store remotely from Egypt” Read at Fox News ↗
Right · 1Accounts of the scenes differ in detail. The New York Post reported that Hamilton was in rigor mortis, with white foam around the mouth, when found. His roommate said he smoked a lot of marijuana and had a bad cough. Strang was found not breathing in an off-campus apartment with 20 to 30 nitrous oxide cans, and authorities said he also took a Xanax. New York PostR “Hamilton was already in “rigor mortis””“There were 20 to 30 Nitrous Oxide cans at the scene and his roommates said he often did “whippets.” He also took a Xanax, authorities said.” Read at New York Post ↗ Right · 2Federal prosecutors said the victims died of conditions consistent with overdoses. The court documents say there is probable cause that the lab-tested drugs the victims took were the same type seized from the Moslehs. The defence-stated causes of death are the attorney's account in court, and the coverage does not report an official determination. New York PostR “Evidence supports the detention… victims died of conditions consistent to overdoses.” Read at New York Post ↗ Fox NewsR “The Government proved that there was probable cause that the laboratory-tested drugs taken by the two overdose victims were the same type of drugs” Read at Fox News ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left0 outlets
No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Centre0 outlets
No centre outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Right2 outlets
- Framing
- Both outlets present the case as a drug-supply prosecution: the New York Post leads on the causes of death stated in court, and Fox News on the toxicology findings in court documents. Both stress that the store sold banned products.
- Emphasis
- The Post stresses the scene details and the defence's account of mixed-substance and asphyxiation deaths. Fox stresses the matching packaging, price tag and prosecutors' probable-cause language.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Fox does not report the defence attorney's cause-of-death statements or the other substances at the scenes. The Post does not report the packaging match, the bank-record link or the Egypt detail. The outlets differ on where Strang bought the pills.
- Charged language
- “deadly SMAX pills”“dangerous product”
- For example
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“These are all compounds found in the deadly SMAX Psuedo-DHM pills” — New York Post
“Toxicology reports reveal same controlled substances in 2 Ole Miss students found dead: court docs” — Fox News
What every side reports
- Aidan Hamilton, 18, and Robert Strang, 20, died on Sept. 21 in Oxford, Mississippi.
- Both had mitragynine pseudoindoxyl (MGPI) and MGM-15 in their systems, per court records.
- Yahya Mosleh, 51, and Islam Mosleh, 18, face federal drug charges tied to Puffs Vape, Tobacco and Beer store.
- Yahya remains jailed and Islam is to be released on a $20,000 bond.
- The store's owner was previously indicted and is accused of fleeing.
Where accounts differ
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Where Strang bought the pills
- Right
- The New York Post says investigators believe Strang bought the product from another smoke shop about 20 miles away. Fox News says bank records show both students made purchases at Puffs on the same date.
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Causes of death
- Right
- The New York Post reports a defence attorney's statement of mixed-substance use (including cough syrup) for one student and inhalation asphyxiation for the other. Prosecutors described the deaths as consistent with overdoses, and Fox reports the full toxicology report is not yet public.
Left0 articles
No coverage yet.
Centre0 articles
No coverage yet.
Right2 articles
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Cause of death for Ole Miss students found dead with illegal kratom pills revealed in court
Alarmist Leads on causes of death revealed by the defence, then sets out prosecution allegations and graphic scene details, calling the pills 'deadly'.
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Toxicology reports reveal same controlled substances in 2 Ole Miss students found dead: court docs
Neutral Document-based report on matching toxicology and packaging evidence and the prosecution's probable-cause case against the store.
- 10 Oct 19:31 First New York PostR Cause of death for Ole Miss students found dead with illegal kratom pills revealed in court
- 11 Oct 02:05 +6h 33m Fox NewsR Toxicology reports reveal same controlled substances in 2 Ole Miss students found dead: court docs
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.