Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Trial date set for Lisa Sandidge

Lisa White, also known as Lisa Sandidge, of Gurdon, will be going to trial Sept. 10, on hot check charges.

According to court records, White, using the name Sandidge, wrote checks totaling $253.24, from Sept. 21-26, 2000. With merchant fees of $120, and the prosecutor's fee of $60 added in, this brings the total she owes to $433.24.

However, because of her prior convictions on the same charge, Sandidge was charged as a habitual offender.

Under the state's new habitual offender law, she faces a sentence of 3-30 years in state prison on each count.

Records show her past criminal record spans Clark and Nevada counties.

Her prior charges include: forgery, hot checks, theft of property, felon in possession of a firearm, furnishing prohibited articles, fraudulent use of a credit card and making false statements.

Because of her prior criminal history, Sandidge was required to undergo psychiatric testing to see if she was competent to stand trial and act in her own behalf.

The testing was done April, 24, 2001, by the Arkansas Department of Human Services Division of Mental Health at the Arkansas State Hospital.

The end result showed Sandidge doesn't have any mental defect or disease, and has the capacity to appreciate the criminal acts committed, along with being able to conform to the requirements of law.

Basically, Sandidge, according to the test results, is mentally competent to stand trial and is able to aid in her own behalf.

The records show Sandidge was questioned about her work history during the mental evaluations.

She claimed to have worked at "a million different jobs," but stayed with none more than two years.

Sandidge also told the counselor she tried to commit suicide while living in Florida with her husband, who was in the Navy at the time.

According to the records, Dr. Peter Edwards saw Sandidge for a psychiatric evaluation, and diagnosed her as "a possible major depression, mild to moderate, possible generalized anxiety disorder, possible panic disorder and probable antisocial personality traits."

He prescribed Paxil, an antidepressant.

Because of the findings of the counselors, Ninth Judicial District Circuit Judge John Thomas set a trial date for Sandidge of Sept. 10.