June trial set for former Geneva doctor accused of sexual assault
A former Geneva doctor charged with a 2012 sexual assault at his former St. Charles house had his trial set for June 17, the latest delay in the case.
Mark G. Lewis, 59, faces three counts of aggravated criminal sexual assault and one count of criminal sexual assault stemming from a reported attack in November 2012.
Lewis was charged in 2014, posted bond and, while free, was arrested in May 2015 on charges he operated a sophisticated indoor marijuana-growing operation at his house and also possessed a firearm, which was a violation of his bond.
Lewis' bond was revoked, and he eventually pleaded guilty to felony marijuana trafficking in March 2018 and was sentenced to eight years in prison by Judge John Barsanti.
At the time, Lewis was allowed to serve his sentence, which could be cut in half for good behavior, at the Kane County jail so he could be in close contact with his private defense attorney to prepare for a rape trial in July 2018.
However, defense attorney Tim Mahoney withdrew from the case, and the trial has been delayed several times.
Thursday, Barsanti and attorneys agreed on the new date for the trial, which previously had been March 18.
Prosecutors say Lewis has likely finished his marijuana sentence because of the time served at the county jail. Lewis was ordered Thursday to be taken to prison to be processed and put on mandatory supervised release, or parole. He eventually will be returned to the Kane County jail to be held until his trial.
Court documents have shed some light on his defense.
According to a motion filed by Kane County public defender's office in late 2018, the defense wants to compel Lewis' former wife, who now lives in Arizona, to testify.
If called to the witness stand, Linnea McDonald would testify that she and Lewis hosted a party Nov. 16, 2012, and Lewis' accuser arrived about 9 p.m., had three glasses of white wine and later asked for whiskey.
By midnight or 12:30 a.m., only those three remained in the house and the woman was "speaking to Lewis is a flirty way," McDonald would testify, according to the motion.
The woman appeared to be "very intoxicated" and needed to sit in a chair or she would fall, McDonald would testify, according to the motion. McDonald helped the woman upstairs and Lewis told McDonald he went to check on the woman as it appeared she had hit her head and then returned to bed with McDonald, McDonald would testify, according to the motion.
The next morning, the woman "seemed fine" and had coffee with Lewis. McDonald said the woman was "immature for a 26-year-old and believed she was desperate for money," according to the motion.
The woman sued Lewis in 2013, arguing she was attacked while she was sleeping at Lewis' house, and she reached an out-of-court settlement. Lewis later was charged with sexual assault.
If convicted of the most severe charge, Lewis faces a punishment of six to 30 years in prison with no chance of probation. He also would have to register as a sex offender.