Jury still being selected in Darryl Roberts murder trial

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- In September 2023, a Baylor alum and Chattanooga businessman was murdered in front of Patten Towers.

Now, the man charged with first degree murder in that shooting is facing this trial.

On the night of September 28, 2023, Baylor alum and businessman Chris Wright was walking past Patten Towers.

Surveillance footage showed Wright getting into a confrontation with a man sitting on a stoop, identified as Darryl Roberts.

After several minutes of the back and forth exchange, Roberts walked up to Wright, and shot him in the head.

Roberts would be arrested the next day, and the incident sparked months of debate over safety in downtown Chattanooga.

Now, Roberts is facing his trial, which was scheduled to begin Tuesday morning.

However, his defense wanted to put a forensic psychologist, Dr. Kimberly Brown, on the stand.

The prosecution argued they were not properly notified of the nature of Dr. Brown’s testimony.

They questioned if the report on her findings of Roberts’ mental state would be relevant to the case.

Prosecutor Andrew Coyle said, “She’s going to testify to things that are relevant within the report, despite the fact that they’re saying that the report is irrelevant. So your honor put it on today because the State is not on notice of what this expert is going to testify to. We have no idea. Within the rules of this state we are entitled to know what this expert is going to say.”

The defense argued for the testimony’s relevance. 

Public defender Steve Smith said, “Most of the testimony that we’re going to be asking from Ms. Brown is lay testimony. The one thing I think that will require her opinion is if the defendant had PTSD.”

Dr. Brown testified that she diagnosed Roberts with PTSD after interviewing Roberts last October.

Coyle asked Dr. Brown, “Did you make a conclusion regarding his capacity regarding his ability to form those two mental states?”

She responded, “Yes.”

Coyle asked, “What were those conclusions?”

She responded, “I found that there was non-psychological evidence that he absolutely lacked capacity to do those two things.”

Judge Patterson ultimately will not allow Dr. Brown to serve as an expert witness.

One defense attorney told jurors during selection that close to 40 people have been subpoenaed in this trial.

That jury selection was still ongoing as of Tuesday evening.

We’ll keep you updated as this could become a lengthy trial.