Second fitness report on McHenry Co. murder suspect expected

A second psychological report into whether a Fox River Grove man is mentally fit to stand trial for his stepmother's slaying is expected in attorneys' hands next week, a lawyer on the case said Friday.

McHenry County prosecutors sought the second opinion on Martin N. Green earlier this month after a court-appointed psychiatrist issued a report saying the 26-year-old murder suspect was not fit to face trial on six counts of first-degree murder.

If the second expert agrees, Green likely will be sent to a state mental facility for up to a year while doctors try to make him fit. If the second opinion differs from the first, a judge likely will hold a hearing to take testimony from both sides then rule on Green's fitness.

Green, of the 100 block of Gladys Avenue, is accused of beating his stepmother, Patricia L. McNamara, to death with a hammer Feb. 11 in the family home. Authorities say the attack occurred after Green's father told him to either get help for his mental health problems or move out of the residence.

Green's family later issued a statement saying he had been battling mental illness for years, and his attorney, Henry Sugden, has said an insanity defense is possible.

Green is in custody at the McHenry County jail on $5 million bail. If found guilty, he could face anywhere between 20 years to life in prison.