People v. Lang

Nearly two decades have passed, yet the interesting as well as perplexing case of respondent Donald Lang, a visually impaired, 1 illiterate deaf-mute, endures — stubbornly evading efforts of finality on the part of the Illinois judiciary.

In November 1965, respondent was indicted for the murder of a woman. (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1965, ch. 38, par. 9—1.) He was civilly committed to the Department of Mental Health after being found unfit to stand trial. (People v. Lang (1967), 37 Ill. 2d 75, 80-81, 224 N.E.2d 838.) On appeal from the circuit court’s denial of respondent’s petition for a writ of habeas…