Jury selection began Monday in the trial of a man who has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to attempted murder charges for allegedly stabbing and critically injuring a Vernon Hills woman outside of a Deer Park movie theater.
Daniel Dion, 20, of Des Plaines, is charged with attempted first-degree murder for the attack on the 24-year-old woman, who was stabbed more than 20 times, according to authorities.
He faces a mandatory sentencing range of 6 to 30 years if found guilty in a trial that Judge Daniel Shanes told a prospective jury pool Monday morning he expects to conclude by the end of the week.
Shanes said witnesses who could be called to testify in the case include the victim, family members of Dion, Lake County Sheriff’s and State’s Attorney’s investigators, psychiatrists, hospital personnel and police crime lab technicians.
Although the burden of proof of the crime is on the prosecutors as always, the burden of proving insanity rests with the defense.
Under Illinois statute, a jury or judge can reach a finding of not guilty by reason of insanity if the accused is not criminally responsible because he suffers from a disease or defect of the mind “such that he lacks the substantial capacity to appreciate the criminality of his conduct.”
Several local defense attorneys not connected to the case said Monday that a verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity is rare.
During a recent pretrial hearing, Assistant State’s Attorney Lauren Kalcheim Rothenberg said Lake County Jail telephone recordings had taped Dion telling family members that he is “pretending to be crazy,” because he doesn’t want to go to prison and instead hopes to go to a psychiatric hospital.
Those tapes are expected to be entered as evidence in the trial.
More Top Picks Magnesium Benefits For The Heart
Dion has pleaded not guilty to one count of attempted first-degree murder and three counts of aggravated battery for allegedly stabbing the woman, his date that evening, outside of the Century Theater in Deer Park on Jan. 8, 2015.
He was arrested shortly after officers arrived at the theater at 8:45 p.m. that evening.
The victim, who suffered punctured lungs as well as wounds to her face and neck, was taken to the intensive care unit at Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights.
She was listed in critical condition prior to and after surgery due to the stabbing, but has since recovered.
Authorities said Dion admitted to police that he attacked the woman and stabbed her multiple times while inside her vehicle. He told investigators “he woke up in the morning with the intent to kill her because she annoyed him,” according to a Lake County Sheriff’s news release following the incident.
Officials said Dion arranged to meet the victim “under the guise” of going on a date to the theater.
Dion, dressed in a suit Monday, has been held without bond in Lake County Jail since his arrest.
Prosecutors in the case include assistant state’s attorneys Rothenberg, Michael Ori and Kim Furrer. Dion is represented by defense attorney Ian Kasper.
In early October, Dion was also indicted on a new charge, harassing a witness, after allegedly writing a letter to the victim, whom prosecutors said he is not supposed to contact. He has entered a not guilty plea to that charge.
Twitter @jimnewton5