Man pleads guilty but mentally ill to murdering his mother

A man who stabbed his mother to death in 2018 has pleaded guilty but mentally ill.

Kevin James, 30, formerly of Downers Grove, pleaded guilty Monday afternoon to one count of first-degree murder and was sentenced to 20 years in prison as part of the plea agreement.

On Jan. 9, 2018, sheriff’s deputies were called to a home in the 2100 block of 63rd Street in unincorporated Downers Grove.

They found James in the main doorway of the home, with blood on his body and clothing. His mother, Patricia James, was lying facedown in the living room with multiple stab wounds. Authorities said James began choking his mother earlier that afternoon, then stabbed her with a kitchen knife.

James has been in custody since his arrest. At his bail hearing, prosecutors said that after stabbing his mother, James ran into traffic on 63rd in an attempt to kill himself or be shot by police.

They also said James told a deputy that he saw green demons and dragons surrounding his mother and that he killed her so she could go to heaven.

He was supposed to have a trial starting Oct. 22.

At a September court hearing, a judge refused to let his lawyers argue that James believed he needed to defend himself but that the belief was unreasonable. If a jury believed that, it could have convicted him of a lesser offense of second-degree murder.

For a while during the case, James disagreed with his lawyers and represented himself.

James has to serve 100% of his sentence and will receive credit for the more than six years he has spent in jail awaiting trial.

While in prison, the Department of Corrections will have to provide mental health treatment for James as it deems necessary.