CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The Charleston Police Department doesn’t dispute a decision made by a Kanawha County circuit judge this week to dismiss attempted murder and shooting charges against former attorney Mark Bramble.
Three psychiatrists told Judge Carrie Webster Bramble was not “criminally responsible” when he opened fire from his South Hills neighborhood home last Aug. 12.
Charleston PD Chief of Detectives Lt. Steve Cooper said it was a scary incident but the decision makes sense.
“It’s one (the incident) I’ll never forget but as far as the decisions and the opinions of these psychiatrists–there’s nothing that leaves us to believe that they’re not exactly right,” Cooper said on MetroNews Talkline Wednesday.
Bramble, 50, was bipolar at the time. He’s been in jail and spent some time at a state mental hospital.
Lt. Cooper said one of the psychiatrists who said Bramble was not criminally responsible was the prosecution’s own witness, Dr. David Clayman.
“I consider him to be the best in the business. We don’t disagree with anything the doctors have said. That’s their area of expertise,” Cooper said.
The charges were dismissed prejudice which means they cannot be filed again.