Former Farmington Principal Acquitted Due to Mental Illness
By: KNWA News
Updated: February 13, 2013
The former Farmington High School principal found bloody and naked in
his home last summer has been acquitted of criminal charges due to mental illness.
On Wednesday, Circuit Judge William Storey signed the order to acquit 43-year-old Christopher Webb "because of mental disease or defect."
Webb was arrested on July 19 after police responded to a disturbance call at his home. They later found that he had attacked a female relative and discovered a dead dog in the bath tub.
The former principal most recently turned himself in to police in January, more than a week after a new arrest warrant was issued for him on suspicion of contempt of court. The warrant stems from a violation of a protection order filed by a relative.
A judge acquitted Webb Wednesday based on a diagnosis from the Arkansas State Hospital, which concluded that he suffers from Bipolar 1 Disorder with psychotic tendencies.
The order stipulates Webb is to be committed to the custody of the state Department of Human Services "for further examination by a psychiatrist or licensed psychologist."
Even though the court finds that Webb committed the crimes he is charged with, at the time of the crimes, he "lacked the capacity, as a result of mental disease or defect, to conform his conduct to the requirements of the law or to appreciate the criminality of his conduct."
Deputy Prosecutor Dennis Dean says that as a result of the acquittal, Webb will not be convicted of any crime in the July incident.
Continuing Coverage:
On Wednesday, Circuit Judge William Storey signed the order to acquit 43-year-old Christopher Webb "because of mental disease or defect."
Webb was arrested on July 19 after police responded to a disturbance call at his home. They later found that he had attacked a female relative and discovered a dead dog in the bath tub.
The former principal most recently turned himself in to police in January, more than a week after a new arrest warrant was issued for him on suspicion of contempt of court. The warrant stems from a violation of a protection order filed by a relative.
A judge acquitted Webb Wednesday based on a diagnosis from the Arkansas State Hospital, which concluded that he suffers from Bipolar 1 Disorder with psychotic tendencies.
The order stipulates Webb is to be committed to the custody of the state Department of Human Services "for further examination by a psychiatrist or licensed psychologist."
Even though the court finds that Webb committed the crimes he is charged with, at the time of the crimes, he "lacked the capacity, as a result of mental disease or defect, to conform his conduct to the requirements of the law or to appreciate the criminality of his conduct."
Deputy Prosecutor Dennis Dean says that as a result of the acquittal, Webb will not be convicted of any crime in the July incident.
Continuing Coverage:
