By Adam Studzinski
BLOOMINGTON – Cases which result in not guilty by reason of insanity verdicts do happen quite a bit in the McLean County, although not necessarily in murder cases, according to State’s Attorney Jason Chambers.
Brian Peterson, of Bloomington, was found not guilty by reason of insanity Monday after murdering his parents in 2016. Chambers explained in Petersen’s case both the defense and prosecution agreed with psychiatric evaluations saying Petersen did not understand the criminal nature of his crimes at the time they were committed. However, Chambers said the two sides don’t also come to that agreement.
“We’ll then get an expert, who does an evaluation we think might be more objective and if they come up with a different opinion, well at that point now we have something that’s contested,” said Chambers. “It would have to go to either a judge or a jury trial.”
Chambers added it’s possible Petersen spends the rest of his life getting treatment through the Department of Human Services.
“It’s a situation where the focus is on treatment, rather than the punishment aspect of it, but they’re not free to go,” said Chambers. “They can be held for up to the maximum time that they could have been sentenced if found guilty, but sane.
“In this situation, the maximum penalty was life.”
Petersen will receive an evaluation from DHS, which will recommend a treatment.
Adam Studzinski can be reached at adam.studzinski@cumulus.com.
