Orland Park rape suspect deemed mentally fit to stand trial
By lauren FitzPatrick Sun-Times Media lfitzpatrick@suntimes.com January 26, 2012 4:16PM
Dennis D. Dodson Jr.
Updated: January 26, 2012 4:18PM
A homeless man accused of raping an elderly Orland Park woman has been deemed fit to stand trial, a Cook County judge said Thursday.
Dennis Dodson, 35, who is charged with attacking the woman in September behind the Home Depot store in Orland Park, was evaluated by Cook County at his attorney’s request, and was found capable of understanding his rights, Judge John Hynes said, reading from a letter from pre-trial services.
Dodson may stand trial in the Cook County courthouse in Bridgeview, Hynes continued.
Assistant Public Defender Camille Bachli said she would be seeking a second opinion on Dodson’s mental fitness.
The victim, who was 83 when she was assaulted, felt bad for Dodson and was trying to help him, she said during a preliminary hearing.
She took him money and food from her nearby home, and when she asked Dodson if she could call the police to have them check on him, he sexually assaulted her, she testified in October.
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