Kane County wants man committed for repeated threats
Kane County prosecutors are exploring whether a man who has repeatedly violated his probation for threatening a female Aurora police department employee in 2008 should be involuntarily committed to a state mental facility.
Judge James Hallock ordered on Wednesday a full psychological evaluation and risk assessment for Brian Countryman, 50, of the 0-99 block of West Wood Drive, Indian Head Park.
“I think it would be helpful in shedding light on his particular circumstances,” Hallock said.
Countryman, who is currently serving a prison term for aggravated stalking and violation of a restraining order out of Cook County, admitted earlier this year that he violated his probation for making the felony phone threat in 2008.
He was set to be sentenced earlier this month and is due in court again Oct. 26.
If a psychologist concludes that Countryman needs mental health treatment, a hearing before Hallock will be scheduled at a future date.
Assistant Public Defender Kiran Vasireddy said he was surprised prosecutors are seeking involuntary commitment after Countryman did not fight allegations that he violated his probation.
“It’s something obviously we don’t agree to,” said Vasireddy, who declined to comment on what possible mental health issues his client has until the evaluation is done.
Countryman was charged in June 2008, according to court records, with calling the Aurora Police Department in February of that year and threatening to kill a female employee. He eventually pleaded guilty, was fined $1,715, given 30 months probation, spent seven days in jail and was ordered to take psychotropic medication.
He was arrested Feb. 14, 2010 by Cook County authorities on harassment charges, record show. He was resentenced to 24 months of intensive probation and six months electronic home monitoring in November 2010, records show.
He was arrested on March 17, 2011, charged with telephone harassment in DuPage County, and arrested April 29, 2011, and charged with aggravated stalking and harassment in Cook County, records show. He is serving a four-year prison term for the Cook County offense, but is due to be paroled in February 2013, according to the Illinois Department of Corrections.
In August 2001, he was charged with making a false police report, a felony, and received probation and 60 days in jail for that offense.
If Hallock rules that Countryman should not be sent to a mental health facility, he still faces up to three years in prison for violating probation on the 2008 charges.