Dr. Arnold Smith has been committed to the Mississippi State Hospital at Whitfield to undergo treatment for mental illness following a ruling by a chancellor today.
Specially appointed Chancellor Hollis McGehee ordered Smith to Whitfield after hearing testimony from four different mental health experts during a series of civil commitment hearings, the last of which was held today at the Leflore County Justice Center.
Smith, who attended the proceeding, had no visible reaction after hearing the judge’s order.
The mental health experts — including Dr. Reb McMichael, director of forensic services at Whitfield, and Dr. Gilbert Macvaugh III, a psychologist hired by the defense — all testified that the 72-year-old Greenwood oncologist suffers from a serious mental illness, which most diagnosed as a delusional disorder.
Smith’s case was referred to chancery court after specially appointed Circuit Court Judge Breland Hilburn ruled that the physician was unfit to stand trial on charges of capital murder and conspiracy to commit murder for his alleged role as the instigator of a failed murder-for-hire scheme against Greenwood attorney Lee Abraham.
The alleged plot culminated in a shooting on April 28, 2012 at Abraham’s Market Street law office between two alleged hitmen and agents from the state Attorney General’s Office.
One alleged hitman, Keaira Byrd, was killed in the shooting and another, Derrick Lacy, was left critically wounded. A law enforcement agent suffered minor injuries; Abraham was unhurt.
Smith was arrested the next day and has remained in custody ever since. He was held at Whitfield for a total of 15 months for mental evaluation prior to Hilburn’s ruling that Smith was not competent to stand trial. He was returned to the Leflore County Jail in early September.
At today’s hearing, McGehee said that, under state law, Smith would be initially committed to Whitfield for a period of several weeks before mental health experts there would report back on Smith’s condition and possible courses of treatment.
For complete coverage, see Wednesday’s Commonwealth.
• Contact Bryn Stole at 581-7235 or bstole@gwcommonwealth.com.
