Judge Acquits Former Principal

FAYETTEVILLE — Former Farmington High Principal Chris Webb was acquitted of criminal charges by court order last week because of mental disease or defect and committed to the Arkansas State Hospital for further treatment and evaluation.

Webb, 43, had been scheduled to stand trial Feb. 25 on criminal offenses of aggravated cruelty to a dog, domestic battery in the third degree, refusal to submit to arrest and a penalty enhancement that he allegedly killed the dog in front of a child.

The felony and misdemeanor charges stemmed from an incident at Webb’s home on July 19, 2012. Responding to a 911 call, Farmington police officers said they found Webb holding his then fiancee Shannon Shrum in a choke hold and that his thumb was in Shrum’s eye. Webb was not wearing any clothes at the time. A dead black dog with its throat cut was located in the bathtub and blood could be seen on the walls, floor and stairs of the Farmington house.

Following his arrest, Webb

stayed at Vista Health, a mental health facility in Fayetteville, for about a week before he was released and booked into the county detention facility.

Webb pleaded not guilty to the charges in August. In October, Webb’s attorney, John Everett, notified the court that he intended to raise the defense of mental disease or defect and Washington County Circuit Judge William A. Storey then ordered a forensic evaluation of Webb.

Storey’s order of acquittal was signed Feb. 12 and filed with the court Feb. 13.

The order states Webb was examined by Dr. Courtney Rocho with Arkansas State Hospital and that based on this evaluation, it was determined that at the time of the offense, Webb “lacked the capacity to appreciate the criminality of his conduct and lacked the capacity to conform his conduct to the requirements of the law.”

The order states that Webb suffered from bipolar I disorder, the most recent episode being manic and severe with psychotic features.

The order states, “That at the time of the offenses, the Defendant exhibited a mental disease which precluded and grossly impaired the Defendant’s judgment, behavior, ability to meet the ordinary demands of life, and capacity to recognize reality.”

Based on Rocho’s evaluations, the court found it was in the best interest of justice that Webb be acquitted of the charges. It directs the Washington County Sheriff ’s Office to deliver Webb to the care and custody of the Department of Human Services and the Arkansas State Hospital.

Denis Dean, deputy prosecuting attorney, on Thursday said the state hospital’s mental evaluation was filed with the court but sealed by the judge. Dean said the report contained historical health information that’s not public because of federal privacy laws.

Dean said he was not surprised by the judge’s decision after reviewing Rocho’s report.

“I can’t fight it. It is what it is,” Dean said.

He noted that to stand trial and be found guilty of the charges, a defendant must pass two tests: be able to understand the proceedings in trial and to have the mental ability to understand what happened at the time of the offense. Webb passed the first test but not the second one, Dean said.

The state hospital does not have any open bed space at this time and will notify the sheriff’s office when space becomes available. Dean said the sheriff’s office will pick up Webb and transport him to the hospital.

Dean disputed statements by people that Webb might be an immediate threat to society, noting that when Webb was released from Vista Health, it was deemed at that time that he did not present an immediate threat to himself or others.

Dean did not know how long Webb would be in the state hospital. However, when his treatment and evaluation are completed and he is released, he will continue to be monitored for five years through the Act 911 Program. Webb will be required to follow a treatment plan and if he does something he shouldn’t do during the five years, he could be incarcerated or returned to the state hospital for further treatment, Dean said.

In a separate matter, at the request of Shannon Shrum, Circuit Judge Cristi Beaumont issued a temporary order of protection on Feb. 8 against Webb. A hearing on the petition is scheduled for March 1, according to a spokeswoman with the circuit clerk’s office.

Webb