Judge - Longtime mental patient not denied speedy trial

CHESTER, Ill. -- A Randolph County judge has ruled longtime mental patient and criminal defendant Rodney Yoder has not been denied a speedy trial, even though the crimes he's accused of occurred three years ago.

Yoder, 44, had been held in the Chester Mental Health Center, a state mental hospital, since 1991 after a contentious stint in jail for hitting his ex-wife.

The Illinois Department of Human Services, which runs the state's mental hospitals, transferred him to a facility near Elgin in April.

But the department didn't attempt to persuade a judge to recommit Yoder involuntarily when his last six-month term expired June 2, instead transporting him to Randolph County to face criminal charges from the 2000 incident.

Randolph County assistant state's attorney Michael Burke says state law prohibits the department from attempting to recommit a mental patient charged with a felony.

Yoder is accused of stuffing a sock with batteries and beating a fellow patient, Antwon Mitchell, over the head with it in April 2000.

Mitchell, who is now a prisoner at Menard Correctional Center, was not seriously injured and Yoder claimed self-defense.

On Wednesday, Yoder's lawyer argued his constitutional right to a speedy trial has been violated. Yoder has been in jail without bond since May 7, after being charged in April.

But Circuit Judge Dennis Doyle said Yoder's right to a speedy trial didn't start until after criminal charges were filed. Doyle set a July 14 trial date.

Burke has not said why he waited three years to file charges in the case. He was not at his office Thursday to respond to a telephone call from The Associated Press.