Crime & Safety

Judge Decides Baker's Fate Monday

Defense argues Daniel Baker was insane when he bludgeoned girlfriend's Vernon Hills mother to death with baseball bat.

A Lake County Criminal Court judge will decide Monday morning whether a Deerfield man understood he was committing a crime when he beat a Vernon Hills woman to death with a baseball bat more than two years ago, according to a report on ABC Chicago.

Lawyers for Daniel Baker of Deerfield argued during closing arguments Friday in Waukegan he did not believe he knew he was doing anything criminal when he struck Marina Aksman of Vernon Hills with a baseball bat killing her April 1, 2010, while her daughter and Baker’s then girlfriend, Kristina Aksman, watched, according to a Daily Herald story.

Earlier: Psychiatrist: Baker Was Insane During Attack

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“There is no reason this young man would have done what he did unless he was insane," Baker attorney Ed Genson said in a Chicago Tribune story. “He lacks the capacity to appreciate the criminality of his conduct. This case isn't a 'who done it.”

Marina Aksman was trying to end the relationship between Baker and her daughter, according to previous Patch articles.

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Speaking before Genson, Assistant Lake County State’s Attorney Stella Veytsel told Lake County Criminal Court Judge Daniel Shanes Baker knew exactly what he was doing, according to a report on WGN radio. She claimed he planned to punish the Aksman family when he drove his car into their home.

“Daniel Baker, bat in hand, followed her … struck her in the head over and over as Kristina (Aksman) watched,” Veytsel said on the WGN report.

After Genson finished, Assistant Lake County State’ Attorney Ari Fisz countered Genson’s arguments in his rebuttal claiming Baker would have to have a “mental illness that was literally so severe that he could not understand the criminality of his conduct while he was beating her brains out," according to the Tribune account.


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