Jan 6, 2009 10:04 am US/Central
Suburban Arsonist Not Guilty By Reason Of Insanity
WAUKEGAN, Ill. (STNG) ―
A north suburban man who tried to burn down his parents' house because he believed they were trying to kill him was found not guilty by reason of insanity Monday.
Dean Sherman, 28, of the 600 block of Crescent Terrace in Wauconda stood quietly in court flanked by two officers as prosecutor Steven DeRue recounted the events of April, 4 2007.
On that day investigators say Sherman became upset with his parents and shaved his head, because he believed doctors had planted tracking devices in his brain.
"(Sherman) believed his parents did not care about the pain he was in," DeRue said. "He thought his family was trying to kill him."
Sherman then took a gas can, poured gasoline inside the kitchen and attempted to light it. However, the fuel did not ignite. He succeeded with a second can of fuel that he emptied in his bedroom.
He then left the house, intending to take his dog for a walk.
Wauconda firefighters arrived on the scene around 11:15 a.m. and found Sherman standing across the street, watching them put out the blaze.
He later admitted setting the fire, which caused $150 in smoke and fire damages to his room.
Sherman was taken to Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital in Lake Barrington for psychological evaluation. He was diagnosed as bipolar, suffering from depression and schizophrenia.
Sherman's attorney, Robin Goodstein, said her client had been dealing with mental issues since suffering serious head injuries in a 2004 car accident.
Since then, Sherman has been telling everyone that he had been hearing voices, that people were following him and that authorities were recording his thoughts and broadcasting them on TV and radio.
A few months after the fire, Sherman attempted to kill himself by ingesting a bottle of medication.
Judge John T. Phillips remanded Sherman to the Illinois Department of Human Services pending his next court appearance.
(Source: Sun-Times News Group Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2009. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
The Tattooed Ladies of Hollywood
Click to enlarge
Stumble It!
