Mercy Hospital Fort Smith lockdown suspect deemed fit to stand trial

FORT SMITH, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — A Fort Smith man arrested in connection with a multi-hour lockdown at Mercy Hospital in July has been found competent to stand trial, according to court documents.

John West, 34, was booked in the Sebastian County Detention Center on July 22 on commercial burglary, felony theft, and impairing the operation of a vital public facility charges. He has pleaded not guilty to those charges.

On July 25, West’s public defender filed a motion for fitness to proceed during his arraignment. The order to examine was filed on July 30.

West was examined on August 9 at the Sebastian County Detention Center, according to a report filed by Dr. Jason Beaman on September 19.

“It is my opinion, with a reasonable degree of medical certainty, that Mr. West currently has the capacity to understand the nature and objectives of the proceedings against him and assist his attorney in his own defense,” Beaman said in the report.

The forensic report showed West had a reported history of mental illness and drug use that included alcohol, marijuana, heroin, fentanyl and methamphetamine.

Beaman said West told him he had “been arrested ‘a lot’ of times in his life” and the current charge was his worst one.

West was first arrested at the age of 17 for drugs. He said he had been incarcerated twice in his life, once for burglary at the age of 22 and for drugs at 24, according to the report.

He had also been arrested on July 10 for an incident at Fort Smith’s other hospital, Baptist Health Fort Smith.

West said he was admitted to a psychiatric facility in Louisiana a year earlier and diagnosed as “schizophrenic, bipolar, ADHD.”

“Mr. West knew with what he was charged. He was able to state specifics of his case, including that he was alleged to have a gun. He believed that some charges had been dropped,” Beaman wrote. “When asked what would happen if he were found guilty, he provided a rational answer. He discussed his chances of success and the likely outcomes. This was rational and informed. He wanted the best outcome for his case.”

Beaman diagnosed West with an unspecified intellectual disability, along with alcohol use disorder, opioid use disorder and methamphetamine use disorder. However, Beaman said West was not feigning symptoms of mental illness and “has the capacity to disclose to his attorney pertinent facts, events, and state of mind; engage in a reasoned choice of legal strategies and options; understand the adversarial nature of criminal proceedings; exhibit appropriate courtroom behavior; and testify.”

West is being held at the Sebastian County Detention Center on a $50,000 bond. His trial date is set for December 9.

To read the full story about West’s arrest, click here .

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