BUCYRUS — David Chatman of Crestline was back in Crawford County Common Pleas Court on Monday for a hearing to seek expert testimony in his upcoming rape trial.
Chatman, 32, was scheduled to stand trial starting March 12. He is charged with one count of rape, a first-degree felony. Because the alleged victim was five years old at the time of the reported rape, Chatman faces a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Chatman was accompanied in court by his court-appointed Columbus attorney, Carlos Crawford. Crawford had filed a motion with the court to secure an expert to testify regarding false confession. It is alleged that Chatman confessed to the crime three different times.
Common Pleas Court Judge Sean Leuthold allowed the defense to seek out an expert because of the extreme sentence Chatman faces if convicted.
On Monday, Crawford notified the court that he had secured an expert in false confessions. He told the court he needed approximately $5000 to secure the review of the case and potential testimony of Dr. Richard Ofshe, Ph.D. in Sociology at the University of California at Berkley.
Leuthold told Crawford that he expected a report from Dr. Ofshe within the next 60 days and that the state may well want to question Ofshe regarding his expertise.
“This trial will not happen quickly. This is a very serious matter and I want to make sure Mr. Chatman receives a fair trial,” Leuthold said. “With all the issues regarding the pandemic, I want to make sure this has passed before I seat a jury in this case. I want any jury to be 100 percent focused on the evidence. I don’t want them sidetracked with concerns about this virus and social distancing. Mr. Chatman waived his right to a speedy trial some time ago so that is not an issue. If he decided to change that, then we will have to make the necessary adjustments.”
Leuthold approved the $5000 expenditure for Dr. Ofshe. According to Crawford, Ofshe will bill the court in increments of $1000.
In other court action, after less than a month on community control, a Bucyrus man found himself back in court. Brent Stidham, 22, of Bucyrus was accused of violating the terms and conditions of his community control.
Stidham was placed on community control on March 9 after he pleaded guilty to one count of having weapons under disability, a third-degree felony punishable with up to three years in prison.
According to probation officer Kylie Sinclair, on March 31, Stidham failed to report for a required office visit. On the same date, he associated with a known felon without permission of his supervising officer and on April 1, he refused to submit to a drug test.
Leuthold found probable cause to hold Stidham for a full hearing on the matter. Leuthold reappointed attorney Brad Starkey to represent Stidham and bond was set at $50,000.