A California man previously convicted of threatening to “light up” the Lake County courthouse was again deemed unfit to be sentenced to prison by a judge.
Lake County Judge Mark Levitt determined Daniel Pederson, 35, of Calabasas, was mentally unable to assist in his defense and cooperate with the court process, Assistant State’s Attorney Ben Dillon said.
After the ruling, Pederson was returned to an Illinois Department of Health facility in Elgin. The time Pederson spends at the Elgin facility will go toward his time served on his prison sentence, Dillon said.
Pederson was found guilty in March of calling the Illinois Department of Health and Family Services on Sept. 12, 2014, after his California driver’s license was suspended for being behind on child support. Pederson told the operator who answered the phone, “I’m going to light up the Lake County courthouse and the Gurnee Police Department,” Dillon said.
The 37-second phone call was played in court and helped jurors find Pederson guilty of making a terrorist threat. He could be sentenced to 6 to 30 years in prison, and must serve 50 percent of the sentence before becoming eligible for parole.
The April sentencing hearing was halted because Levitt questioned whether Pederson was mentally fit to understand the court proceedings after he made an outburst in court. That led to a mental health screening and a fitness hearing, where Levitt deemed Pederson mentally unfit.
Pederson was transferred to Elgin for about six months, before mental health specialists declared him fit to continue court proceedings.
He returned to Lake County in December, where a fitness hearing was held to decide if he was able to continue. Pederson routinely interrupted the Levitt’s proceedings to argue with his attorneys, witnesses on the stand, and the judge about his mental fitness.
The hearing was continued to Thursday, where Levitt again determined Pederson was unfit.
Dillon said Pederson is due back in court May 3 for a status update. If specialists determine Pederson is ready to proceed, the fitness hearing will resume.
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