Prosecutors appeal ruling in Ill. church shooting

[March 01, 2012]  EDWARDSVILLE (AP) -- Madison County prosecutors have appealed a ruling that a man accused of gunning down a southwestern Illinois pastor is mentally unfit to stand trial.

Circuit Judge Richard Tognarelli decided Feb. 10 that Terry Sedlacek is still not fit to face first-degree murder charges in court and likely will not be in the coming year.

Sedlacek is accused of fatally shooting the Rev. Fred Winters during a March 2009 church service. He is confined to mental health treatment.

State's Attorney Tom Gibbons says the ruling "sets a bad precedent" about how such cases should be handled. Gibbons says Winters' family supports the decision to appeal.

The Belleville News-Democrat reports (http://bit.ly/zuGRpX ) that prosecutors are also challenging the judge's order that a psychological evaluation of Sedlacek must be recorded.

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Information from: Belleville News-Democrat, http://www.bnd.com/

[Associated Press]

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