Another outburst on Friday punctuated an ongoing mental fitness hearing for a California man convicted of making terrorism threats in Lake County.
Daniel Pederson, of Calabasas, Cal., was convicted in May of making a terrorism threat, a felony that carries a potential sentence of 6 to 30 years in prison, after he threatened in 2014 to “light up” the Lake County Courthouse, according to authorities.
But he is currently the subject of a hearing to determine if he is fit for sentencing after spending several months in the secure Elgin Mental Health Center for evaluation and treatment.
The fitness hearing began in mid-December, but was abruptly halted after Pederson began loudly making obscenity-laced statements about a “circle of collusion” and corruption in the Lake County court system. He also repeatedly has criticized his defense attorneys.
On Friday, Pederson sat relatively quietly for most of the morning as a psychiatrist was testifying, but just before noon, as the hearing was winding down for the day, Pederson began talking loudly from the defense table, claiming that the testimony of the psychiatrist was inaccurate.
He also said “these two need to go,” referring to the public defenders representing him.
When Judge Mark Levitt asked Pederson to be quite so “we can continue,” Pederson responded “continue raping me?”
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Because testimony from the psychiatrist, Dr. Mirella Susnjar, who works at the Elgin facility, had been completed, Levitt continued the hearing to next Monday afternoon for testimony from a final witness.
Prior to Pederson’s comments, Susnjar had testified under questioning by Assistant State’s Attorney Ben Dillon that she believed, based on evaluations by his fitness team, that Pederson was able to understand the proceedings and players in his case and was fit for court at his sentencing hearing.
Under cross-examination by defense attorney Keith Grant, Susnjar testified that Pederson was prone to “inappropriate” comments and actions, and had at least borderline personality disorders.
Grant said Pederson’s outbursts in court demonstrated that even if he understands what going on, he is unable to control himself to the extent that he can assist in his defense, one of the factors used to determine fitness under Illinois statute.
The case against Pederson began on Sept. 12, 2014, when prosecutors said Pederson called the Illinois Department of Health Care and Family Services and said he was going to “kill people” and “light up” the Lake County Courthouse in Waukegan, as well as the Gurnee Police Department.
Authorities said they traced the call to Pederson, is a former Lake County resident.
Pederson has other active cases in Lake County as well. He has previous indictments for violating an order of protection in Vernon Hills in 2013, and five counts of telephone harassment involving a threat to kill in 2012 in Round Lake. He was extradited to Lake County from California in October 2014 due to the telephone threats to Gurnee police and the county.
Initially, Pederson had agreed to a plea deal, but then withdrew his guilty plea and was convicted of making a terrorism threat in a trial before Levitt last year.
Pederson is currently being held in Lake County Jail without bail until his hearing is completed, under Levitt’s direction.
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