A man suspected of a violent dormitory hold up at Illinois College before Christmas has been found unfit to stand trial.
The Journal Courier reports that 26-year old Devin C. Hall of Barrington Hills was found unfit to stand trial after a mental health examination. The mental fitness examination was entered and requested by Hall’s attorney, Michael Hankins back in early January, according to court records.
According to the report, a 402 Conference had been scheduled for Wednesday but was canceled. A 402 conference is one way a criminal case can be resolved without going to trial. The judge tells the attorneys the sentence that would be handed down if the defendant were to plead guilty, and the parties involved can accept or reject the agreement.
Morgan County State’s Attorney Gray Noll told the Journal Courier that Hall’s case is now on hold until he can attain mental fitness for court proceedings. The report says that Morgan County Circuit Judge Chris Reif signed transmittal papers on April 6th for Hall to be placed in the custody of the Illinois Department of Human Services. Hall is still awaiting placement into a IDHS facility. Once admitted, it will be at least 30 days until the local circuit court will receive a report on Hall’s long-term prognosis.
Charging documents allege Hall used bladed weapons, and threatened to use them, to steal cellphones from two occupants of a dorm room in IC’s Mundinger Hall around 4:45 a.m. on December 14th. Hall was a former student of the college at the time of the incident. Hall has been held at the Morgan County Jail since December 14th after his arrest by Jacksonville Police.