Judge Orders Psychological Exam For Man Charged With Molesting Pet Peacock
WHEATON, Ill. (STMW) -- A Roselle man charged with sexually molesting his pet peacock must undergo a psychological evaluation, a DuPage County judge ordered Wednesday.
David Beckmann, 64, also was taken into custody during the hearing when Judge Alex McGimpsey raised his bail to $20,000 for the misdemeanor animal cruelty charge he faces, the Chicago Sun-Times is reporting.
Beckmann, who briefly protested during the hearing that he was innocent, later was released from the DuPage County Jail after posting 10 percent of that amount.
Defense attorney Brian Telander didn't object to the psychological evaluation, saying Beckmann suffers from serious mental illness.
Beckmann was arrested on May 7 by police investigating a report that he tried to solicit sex from a teenager.
While being questioned, he allegedly told police he earlier had sexually molested his pet peacock, Phyl. Police found the bird's body in his garage.
Beckmann also was charged with misdemeanor indecent solicitation of a child.
Following his arrest, he was involuntarily committed for six days to a psychiatric center for treatment, authorities said.
(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2013. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
