Pay for your own doctor, judge tells shooting suspect

A southwest suburban man must reimburse McHenry County for hiring a psychiatrist to gauge whether he was insane last year when authorities say he shot his ex-wife in a failed murder attempt during a car chase through Lake in the Hills, a judge ruled Thursday.

Dismissing Edward Johncours' claims he has no assets and no access to his money, Judge Sharon Prather ordered him to repay the county as much as $3,000 in fees for the psychiatrist who may later become a key witness at his trial.

The ruling came as Johncours' former wife, Gloria Johncours of Lake in the Hills, sat in court for the first time for one of ex-husband's appearances before Prather since the April 2 shooting.

She was joined in court by family members and friends, including Bull Valley resident Carolyn Cox, who survived an attempt on her life by her husband in a highly publicized 2004 case.

Gloria Johncours later declined comment on the case.

Johncours' right arm shook continuously throughout his 20-minute court appearance and he struggled to speak loudly enough for a nearby court reporter to hear him.

The 67-year-old Montgomery man is charged with attempted murder, armed violence, aggravated battery with a firearm and violating an order of protection stemming from allegations he shot his ex-wife in the head while pursuing her through a residential neighborhood near Miller and Haligus roads. Gloria Johncours was hospitalized in critical condition for more than two weeks.

After shooting his ex-wife, police said, he drove to an area about five minutes away and fired a bullet into his chest.

Authorities believe the shooting was prompted by ongoing fighting over the couple's divorce. Although the divorce became official in 2003, financial disputes lingered.

If found guilty of the charges, Johncours could face as much as 60 years in prison.

At issue Thursday was who should pay for Johncours' possible pursuit of an insanity defense.

McHenry County prosecutors were objecting to a defense request for up to $3,000 in county funds to pay a psychiatrist to evaluate Johncours and determine whether he was legally insane when the shooting occurred.

With a monthly income of $1,300 from Social Security and $1,600 from a state pension, Johncours can afford to pay for his own psychiatrist, Assistant McHenry County State's Attorney Donna Kelly said.

His court-appointed attorney, Senior Assistant Public Defender Richard Behof, said Johncours last year turned control over all his income and assets to a daughter and he has no ability to access them from the McHenry County jail, where he's been held without bail since April 2007.

Prather disagreed, ordering Johncours to reimburse the county for the doctor's fees and allowing prosecutors to call his daughter into court at a later date if that is what it takes to access his funds.

Johncours is next scheduled to appear in court May 2, at which time Prather may be asked to set a trial date.