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Capitol Shooting Suspect Has History of Mental Illness, Prosecutor Says

St. Louis Public Radio
Published Sept. 21, 2004 at 12:07 p.m. CDT

By AP/KWMU

Springfield, Ill – A state's attorney says a 24-year-old college dropout who was charged Tuesday with murder in the shooting of a Capitol guard has a history of mental illness.

In requesting $20 million in bond for Derek W. Potts, a Sangamon County State's attorney said he had information from the defendant's mother that Potts suffers from bipolar disorder and that he's currently not on medication.

The judge agreed to the bond request.

Potts is a former criminal justice student at the University of Illinois in Springfield. A university spokeswoman says Potts transferred to UIS from Olney Central Community College but dropped out recently after about a month.

Potts is accused of fatally shooting 51-year-old William Wozniak in the chest yesterday while Wozniak was working as a security guard in the state Capitol.

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