Man charged with murder remains in hospital

By SUSAN TEBBEN Glasgow Daily Times

GLASGOW — The court appearance by a man accused of wanton endangerment and murder will have to wait, Barren County Circuit Judge Phil Patton said in court Monday.

Brandon Jessie, 24, of 214 Fancher Road in Knob Lick, is still in the Kentucky State Reformatory Hospital in La Grange with very serious injuries, according to court documents.

Jessie was hospitalized after a June 6 crash that killed one man and injured five others.

According to a report by the Kentucky State Police, at approximately 8 p.m. Hardin County Sheriff’s deputies started chasing a 2010 Mitsubishi Outlander driven by Jessie. They traveled north on Ky. 313 until the car, which was reportedly stolen from a Warren County dealership employee, entered the intersection of Ky. 313 and U.S. 31W and struck a 1995 Lincoln Town Car at more than 100 miles per hour, causing a collision with a third car.

Jessie was airlifted from the scene to the University of Louisville Hospital before he was transferred to the KSR with serious injuries. Charges of murder, assault for non-fatal injuries to the other passengers and drivers, receiving stolen property of more than $10,000, fleeing and evading police and traffic offenses have been leveled against Jessie, according to Hardin County Sheriff Charlie Williams.

Previous warrants, served on Jessie along with the charges involving the chase and crash, were for possession of a handgun by a convicted felon, two counts of wanton endangerment and being a persistent felony offender. Jessie’s arrest record dates back to June 2004, according to the Barren County Corrections Center website. His most recent arrest was in March for first-degree wanton endangerment and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, for which he was released on $10,000 approved surety bond.

Jessie’s previous charges stem from a Barren County Sheriff’s report in which witnesses claim he allegedly used a firearm to shoot at a home on South Morgan Street on Feb. 17.

No word on his current condition could be obtained from the KSR by press time. His next court date was tentatively set for Sept. 27.

In other business in Circuit Court on Monday, Attorney Johnny Bell made a motion to the court to place Stanley Chapman Sr., 61, in a rehabilitation unit and hospital in Scottsville.

“[Chapman] is having significant issues in jail and he has never had treatment for his alcoholism,” Bell said. “He’s getting quite a bit of age on him, he’s shot himself in his head, everyone is entitled to treatment.”

Commonwealth’s Attorney Karen Davis argued that his previous record and his record while he was out on bond before his most recent arrest do not make her confident in releasing him.

“He’s been arrested twice since he was out on bond, it’s clear that he has not abided by his bond conditions,” Davis said.

Patton took both Bell’s and the commonwealth’s arguments under advisement and said he would make a decision within the next few days.

Chapman’s charges for Monday’s court date were manufacturing methamphetamine, first offense; first-degree possession of anhydrous ammonia in an unapproved container to manufacture meth, unlawful possession of a meth precursor, first offense; possession of drug paraphernalia, second or greater offense, and first-degree possession of a controlled substance. He did not appear in court and is still being held at the Barren County Corrections Center.

Bell also represented Stanley Chapman Jr. in a rape case against him.

Bell requested that Stanley Chapman Jr. be evaluated by the Kentucky Correctional Psychiatric Center, to which assistant commonwealth’s attorney Traci Peppers had no objection. Patton approved the order.

Stanley Chapman Jr. is charged with second-degree assault, first-degree rape and kidnapping for which he was arrested for in June. He is custody at the Barren County jail.

His next court date is set for Sept. 20 if he is not still under evaluation at that time.

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