July 6, 2023, Peoria, IL – A stipulated bench trial was held this afternoon for Cody A. Krause, 29, who was charged with killing his grandma with a hammer during a schizophrenic episode. A stipulated bench trial is similar to a regular trial, except the parties merely stipulate to the facts rather than calling witnesses. It is common in these types of cases.
In April 2022, Krause was found in a catatonic and non-verbal state with blood on his pants and a hammer in his hand. Krause admitted to Peoria County Sheriff’s Detectives that he heard voices telling him to kill his grandma. He believed she was an alien and needed to “kill her serpent brain” for him to be free. Krause is diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type.
After hearing the facts presented and based upon the stipulation of the parties, Chief Judge Katherine Gorman found Krause not guilty by reason of insanity. Not guilty by reason of insanity is a common outcome in these types of cases and does not mean “not guilty” in the traditional sense. It simply means that at the time of the crime, the defendant lacked substantial capacity to appreciate the criminality of his conduct. The outcome is that rather than being housed in jail, he will be detained in a mental health facility under the custody of the Department of Human Services to receive treatment.
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