William Thomas “Tommy” Chisholm of Kosciusko has been ruled competent to stand trial for the capital murder of Dr. Shauna Witt, who was shot and killed at her optometry practice in the Starkville Walmart on Highway 12 January 13, 2018.
Circuit Court Judge Lee Howard has set a tentative trial date of November 4, 2019, but a delay related to the mental competency evaluation of the accused may be forthcoming.
Circuit Judge Lee Howard paraphrased a sealed psychological evaluation of Chisholm conducted by a licensed psychologist, indicating that Chisholm is mentally able to understand right from wrong and able to assist in his defense. The psychologist also reportedly indicated that he believes Chisholm was sane at the time of the incident, but because the accused refused to answer questions specific to that day, the psychologist was unable to make that determination definitive.
While Howard ruled that Chisholm is mentally competent to stand trial and later set the November 4, 2019, trial date, he said the case may be pushed back if the defense filed an expected motion requesting further psychological evaluation of Chisholm by a licensed psychiatrist at the state hospital.
“(The psychologist) could not make a definitive determination of sanity at the time of the incident since the defendant would not answer questions regarding the events of that day,” said Howard. “That may necessitate an actual medical doctor specializing in psychiatry to further examine him (Chisholm) at the state hospital.”
Pending that motion being filed and heard, Howard ruled that the psychological evaluation would remain sealed, though it may be unsealed during any hearing on a further motion.
Chisholm was charged with capital murder immediately following the shooting death of Witt. The two had reportedly been in an “on-again, off-again” dating relationship at the time of the shooting. Chisholm was also charged with aggravated assault related to a bystander shot and injured in the incident.
Shortly after the shooting, a Walmart shopper from Eupora posted video online of Starkville police apprehending Chisholm in the store parking lot. He is heard imploring police to kill him as he is handcuffed by officers.
The shooting death was not the first reported incident involving Chisholm and Witt. The accused was out on a felony bond related to malicious mischief charges involving Witt, according to Kosciusko Municipal Court records. He was due to appear in court on those charges January 23, 2018. The felony status in that case was due to the value of damage being above $1,000.
News reports from 2012 also indicated that Chisholm had previously been involved in a standoff with police in Madison County.
