On Friday, a Mobile County Circuit Judge acquitted 43-year-old Robert Chapman of attempted murder, instead finding him not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect. The verdict stems from a June 24, 2018, stabbing incident at Callaghan’s Irish bar in Mobile’s Oakleigh Garden District, where Chapman stabbed Cedric Sutherland multiple times in the neck, shoulder, and chest. Surveillance footage captured the altercation, and bar patrons subdued Chapman before emergency responders arrived. Sutherland survived the attack.
Circuit Judge Ben H. Brooks based his decision on a five-page order citing testimony presented during the trial. Crucially, Dr. Anna Smith, a forensic examiner with the Alabama Department of Mental Health Forensic Outpatient Program, testified that Chapman, a military veteran, was unable to understand the nature and quality of his actions due to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Importantly, Dr. Smith was not called as an expert witness by the defense. While Chapman admitted to consuming several drinks over approximately three hours at the bar prior to the incident, Dr. Smith’s testimony focused on the debilitating impact of his PTSD. She stated, according to Judge Brooks’ order, that this was “one of the most clearcut cases I have ever seen of PTSD operation when something has occurred,” expressing 99% confidence in her diagnosis. The state offered no contradictory evidence.
As a condition of his release, Chapman is mandated to abstain from alcohol and illegal drugs, undergoing random testing by the Alabama Department of Mental Health or the Veterans’ Administration. He must also actively participate in VA-provided mental health treatment and adhere to any prescribed medication regimens. Judge Brooks further ordered that Chapman’s progress be reported every six months.