Baker sentencing delayed while Deerfield man re-examined by psychiatrist
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Daniel Baker's sentencing will have to wait another six weeks while a court-appointed psychiatrist re-examines the Deerfield man to determine if he is capable of understanding his own potential prison sentence.
The decision to delay Baker's sentencing until March 20 was made after Baker penned a letter to Lake County Judge Daniel Shanes in January in which he explained that his ex-girlfriend, Kristina Aksman, killed her mother, Marina Aksman, in April 2010. In the letter, Baker said he covered up the murder to protect his mentally disabled former girlfriend.
On Tuesday, the day Baker was scheduled to be sentenced, he asked Shanes in court whether he read the letter. Shanes told Baker he would discuss the letter after the psychiatrist examines him.
"There are more meetings for you with some folks," Shanes explained. "I have read (the letter) and we'll take care of it after we take care of this other thing first."
In the letter obtained by the Daily Herald, Baker said he found the 50-year-old Marina Aksman murdered by her daughter, Kristina, in their Vernon Hills home and that he took the blame because he "felt bad" for the mentally disabled woman.
The letter, entitled "Not Guilty; Motion for Judgement of Acquittal", was penned by the 24-year-old man in November after being found guilty but mentally ill of murdering Marina Aksman.
During his trial, experts testified Baker suffers from multiple mental disorders, but Shanes rejected defense petitions that Baker was unfit to stand trial.
Police said Baker murdered Marina Aksman after he became enraged when she tried to end his relationship with Kristina. Kristina Aksman was never charged in the case.
