Lawyers Question Murder Suspect's Mental Fitness

After a court psychologist deemed mentally fit to stand trial for murder back in May, the 23-year-old’s defense decided to conduct its own examination. 

In court Friday, Baker’s lawyers said they might be challenging the original court psychologist’s decision now that they’ve got new data. 

Earlier: . 

The Deerfield man is charged with first-degree murder in the death of Vernon Hills resident Marina Aksman in 2010. Authorities claim Baker beat Aksman to death with a baseball bat. At the time of the murder, he was dating her daughter Kristina. 

According to officials, he’s currently being held at the Lake County jail in an administrative segregation unit because of bad behavior.

On Friday, Baker’s defense told a judge that its own psychologist and psychiatrist had now worked with Baker and that the prosecution would receive a report with raw data within the next 14 days.  

According to the Daily Herald, if Baker’s found not fit to stand trial he could be committed to a state mental hospital for up to a year to see if his mental fitness improves.

Both sides are set to be back in court on Sept. 9 to schedule a fitness hearing trial date.