Petersen faces life in state mental health center for parents’ murders

Posted on May 19, 2017

By Howard Packowitz

BLOOMINGTON – A rural Bloomington man, found not guilty by reason of insanity for killing his parents, might stay in a state mental health center for the rest of his life.

26-year old Brian Petersen will receive in-patient care indefinitely, according to an order signed Friday by McLean County Judge Robert Freitag.

A psychiatrist diagnosed Petersen with paranoid schizophrenia after it was determined he heard voices when he stabbed Bruce and Nancy Petersen multiple times at their home in July 2016. Judge Freitag found the younger Petersen did not understand the criminal consequences of his actions.

There’s no end date for Petersen’s treatment because had he been found guilty, he would have faced a mandatory life in prison sentence with no chance for parole.

The judge will continue to receive reports about Petersen’s condition every two months.

Howard Packowitz can be reached at [email protected]

Blogs

Labor Day – Expanding voting rights for all

By Mike Matejka Because of COVID, there is no Labor Day Parade this year. It’s always a great event for our everyday workers to march proudly down the street and enjoys the festive crowd. If there had been a parade, this year’s Labor Day theme was to be “150 years of struggle: your right to vote.” …

Is federal mobilization the answer?

By Mike Matejka As President Donald Trump threatens to send federal marshals into Chicago, over the objections of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, recall another Illinois Governor who protested the incursion of armed federal personnel into the city. Those federal troops, rather than calming, escalated the situation, leading to deaths and violence. Illinois poet Vachel Lindsay…

In these troubled times, to my fellow white Americans

By Mike Matejka Our nation is at a unique watershed in human relations. African-Americans have been killed too many times in the past before George Floyd, but the response to this man’s death is international and all-encompassing. I was a grade-schooler during the Civil Rights 1960s. I watched Birmingham demonstrators hosed and the Selma – Montgomery…

Workers’ Memorial Day – Remember those whose job took their life

Looking around our community, when we say employer, most will respond to State Farm, Country, or Illinois State University. We too often forget those who are building our roads, serving our food, or our public employees. COVID-19 has made us more aware of the risk. Going to work every day for some people means…