With trial start date of July 10 looming, Yohn asks for continuance; says case could be one of ‘most complex cases in U.S. history’

QUINCY — Asking for more time to prepare for a case that “has the potential to be one of the most complex cases in U.S. history,” Bradley Yohn filed a motion Tuesday in Adams County Circuit Court asking for a continuance in his trial that is scheduled to begin July 10.

Yohn is charged with home invasion, aggravated kidnapping, aggravated vehicular hijacking and aggravated criminal sexual assault with a weapon — all Class X felonies. He allegedly committed the crimes on Nov. 9, 2021, at the home of Christine “Tina” Lohman Schmitt. Yohn could be sentenced to serve between six and 30 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections if he’s found guilty of any Class X felony.

Yohn asked during a June 16 motion hearing for his case to be continued for a fifth time. He explained he was waiting on a DNA review and a fingerprint analysis, waiting for Public Defender and co-counsel Todd Nelson to find more experts, and said a lack of office supplies makes it difficult for him to create his defense.

In denying the motion for a continuance, Judge Roger Thomson appeared to have had enough of what he called Yohn’s “delay tactics.”

Yohn’s motion filed Tuesday was a “request to reconsider prior motion to continue.” He is scheduled to be in court Friday morning for a pre-trial hearing.

“The defendant, as a pro se litigant, honestly and truly does not want to have to continue (the) trial, as he does not like the prejudiced treatment he receives in this county penal and judicial system,” Yohn wrote. “Due to such prejudiced treatment and denials to defendant, the defendant has been delayed and not by his own cause.”

Yohn claimed he has been denied “all naturally and automatically given” rights and privileges in the jail and hasn’t created any issues to be denied. He claims he has been denied his right to communicate with courts and others so he can prepare a proper defense.

He claims his inability to log on to a kiosk account to do research is not “accidental or an error.” Instead he believes the tactics are “intentional by those of this county” to delay his defense.

“The courts are forcing him to trial unprepared because of these tactics,” Yohn wrote.

Yohn also said he has not received items he has asked the court to provide and is being denied proper communication methods, despite having created “no disciplinary problems.”

“The defendant has addressed this issue again, and the courts simply disregarded the issue and acted as if it has no value and no impact on the defendant,” he wrote.

Yohn noted other “much less complex cases” in Adams County have been on the docket for five years or more.

He also said some of the decisions rendered by Thomson may be giving him the basis for “a good appeal.”

“However, (I don’t) wish to have to go through those stages,” Yohn wrote. “(I’m) already not qualified to represent (myself) in the here and now.”

He concluded by saying he prays that the court “not be so hard on him and force him into trial unprepared in a case of history-making complexity. This case has the potential to be one of the most complex cases in U.S. history.”