OREGON – A lawyer for a Mount Morris man charged with attempted murder filed a motion Thursday with an Ogle County judge seeking a mental health evaluation of his client and asking the court to determine his fitness to stand trial. He said that there is a high possibility that he will submit the following.
Malachi M. Voight, 18, was asked by attorney Brandon Zeekan of Tess Krull & Arnquist in Rochelle to exempt him from court because he was receiving inpatient treatment at a Chicago-area clinic. , did not appear in court Thursday.
Ziekan said he just contacted Voight before Thursday’s hearing began. “Since he just started group sessions, he is asking that his attendance be excused for therapeutic purposes,” Gekan told Judge John “Ben” Roe.
Ogle County sheriff’s deputies say Voight allegedly hit a 62-year-old man in the head with a dumbbell, tried to strangle him and bit off part of a 60-year-old woman’s toe during the February assault. were arrested. 14 altercations at Mount Morris Estates, east of Mount Morris.
Deputies said the two alleged victims and Voight were treated at KSB Hospital in Dixon. Voight was arrested upon his release on February 27th. He is also charged with two counts of aggravated assault and two counts of aggravated assault on a person over the age of 60.
His detention hearing is Feb. 29, with prosecutors saying that attempted murder is a detainable crime, that there is ample evidence that he committed the crime, and that Voight poses a “real and present” threat. They advocated for Voight’s continued detention, arguing that he was inflicting harm on the nation. victims and the community if he is released.
The defense argued that a combination of conditions could allow Voight to be released. Law agreed. He must remain at his home in McChesney Park when not receiving treatment, wear a GPS monitoring bracelet, attend school, check in with the Ogle County Probation Department daily and follow recommendations from staff. Voight was released on the condition that he not take a break. He never breaks the law or takes alcohol or non-prescription drugs.
On Thursday, Zekan said he would request a mental health evaluation by Sycamore forensic scientist and clinical psychologist Jayne Braden, and requested a 30-day continuance.
Assistant State’s Attorney Heather Kruse did not object to the continuance, and Roe set the next hearing for April 11 at 3 p.m., reiterating that Voight will continue to comply with all conditions ordered on his release. Ogle County probation officers told Roe that Voight continues to be monitored electronically while receiving treatment at the facility.
“Unless he is in the hospital, he will be required to appear in person at his next court appearance,” Roe told Ziekan about Voight.
