advertisement

Waukegan man who locked daughter in basement deemed unfit to stand trial

A Waukegan man accused of locking his 10-year-old daughter in the basement of his house because he said she was demonically possessed has been declared unfit to stand trial during a rare "fitness trial" in Lake County court Tuesday.

The one-day trial included testimony from psychologist Kimberly Loucks, who visited with Randy Swopes in Lake County jail and said Swopes told her current and former United States presidents and other politicians sneaked into his house at night and sexually assaulted him and his family when everyone was asleep.

Because of the fitness finding, Swopes, 48, will be transferred to an Illinois Department of Public Health facility until he is declared mentally fit to stand trial.

Technically, Tuesday's "fitness trial" was a fitness hearing, but it was set up to more closely resemble a jury trial. The biggest difference was there were six jurors instead of the standard 12.

However, the jury was not involved in the final decision. Instead, Judge Christopher Stride ruled on Swopes' fitness.

Assistant Lake County State's Attorney George Pappas was tasked to prove Swopes was mentally fit to stand trial, while defense attorneys Jason Powell and Sharmila Manak argued Swopes was unfit. When Pappas declared he had no evidence aside from Loucks who determined Swopes unfit, Stride ruled Pappas did not meet the burden of proof to determine Swopes was mentally fit.

Swopes routinely told Stride he was fit to stand trial. At the end of the hearing, Swopes ordered the hearing be appealed.

Swopes and his wife, Katherine, were charged July 17, with child endangerment and unlawful restraint for locking their daughter in the basement of their single-family house on the 200 block of Liberty Street, authorities said. Police officers discovered the girl was forced to live in the basement because the Swopes believed she was "possessed by a demon," police said.

Randy Swopes remains in Lake County jail on $750,000 bail, while Katherine Swopes, 49, has been released on $25,000 signature bond.

Questions about Randy Swopes' mental fitness surfaced during a previous courtroom rant where he claimed specific Lake County judges and lawyers were part of rituals that involved drinking blood and sexually assaulting children. Randy Swopes admitted during the rant that he previously spent time in a psychiatric health facility.

After Stride's ruling, Swopes told the judge his daughter "was not locked in the basement," but was held in "isolation." He added there was "no deadbolt" on the basement door, and he had evidence of "what they (politicians) did to us."

While out on bail, Katherine Swopes is ordered on 24-hour curfew, is prohibited from having drugs or alcohol and is not allowed to have contact with her husband, the victim or her three other children, ages 7, 13 and 15.

Police: Couple forced daughter to live in basement because she was 'possessed by a demon'

Psych tests ordered for Waukegan dad accused of locking daughter in basement

Waukegan man who locked up 'possessed' daughter deemed unfit to stand trial

Waukegan man charged with locking daughter in basement appeals bond hearing

Rare mental fitness trial granted for man charged with locking daughter in basement

Woman who locked a child in basement wants to visit children

Article Comments
Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.