Lawyer says Sliwinski fit to stand trial

BY MIKE ISAACS
STAFF WRITER

In contrast to the position of her previous lawyer, Jeanette Sliwinski this week acknowledged that she is fit to stand trial on homicide charges in the Skokie death of three musicians this summer.

"We are not going to contest her fitness," lawyer Thomas Breen Tuesday told Judge Garritt E. Howard before a courtroom that included Sliwinski's family and the family and friends of the victims.

Sliwinski is accused of deliberately killing three men in a Skokie car crash while trying to take her own life. She was 23 at the time of the crash.

Prosecutors say that Sliwinski of Morton Grove on July 14 "purposefully, intentionally and deliberately" plowed into a stopped vehicle in front of her at Skokie Boulevard and Niles Center Road, killing Michael Dahlquist, 39, Douglas Meis, 29, and John Glick, 35, all of Chicago.

A defense-hired mental health expert concluded that Sliwinski is not fit to stand trial while a Cook County mental health expert concluded she is fit to stand trial.

Fitness hearing

Despite Breen changing his client's position on the issue, Howard ruled that a fitness hearing still must take place.

"Once it's raised, it can't be undone," he said.

Assistant State's Attorney Michele Gemskie asked that documents from the defense-hired mental health expert be turned over to the prosecution. The expert has refused to do so unless authorized by Sliwinski or her lawyer, Howard said.

But Breen said the issue has been resolved since Sliwinski is not contesting her fitness to stand trial. In fact, Breen said he would withdraw the expert's report and has no plans to have him testify during the fitness hearing.

Breen said that if and when the defense raises the issue of sanity, Sliwinski would waive any doctor-patient privilege and agree that the prosecution is entitled to all information.

Ruling Dec. 12

Howard is scheduled to rule on the matter at 9:30 a.m. Dec. 12 in Skokie.

This was the first time Sliwinski appeared in court without the aid of a wheel chair or crutches. Dressed in blue prison clothes and wearing her hair in a braid, Sliwinski walked with a noticeable limp, hobbling to reach the position next to her lawyer. She did not speak during the brief hearing.

Breen said Sliwinski still has orthopedic problems with her foot and asked that the foot be examined again. Howard agreed to authorize a re-examination of the foot, which was injured in the July crash.

Breen is Sliwinski's third lawyer since she was charged in the deaths of the three men. Lawyer William Wise withdrew from the case last month without giving reason for the change.