A Nelsonville hostel operator could have his mental health evaluated as a part of the next step in his burglary case.
Chad Kister, 4592 Bessemer Road, was indicted on one count of trespassing in a habitation after he allegedly forced his way into the room of Alicia Barnes — who was renting a room in the hostel he operates on the second floor of his house — and shoved her.
Athens County Prosecutor Keller Blackburn filed a motion for mental evaluation in the Athens County Court of Common Pleas on Friday.
Blackburn is requesting the court to order Kister be evaluated by the Forensic Diagnostic Center of District Nine in Byesville. The center would examine Kister and determine if he is sane and/or competent to stand trial.
The center will make a suggestion to the court but Judge Michael Ward will make the final decision regarding his mental health.
Blackburn could not be reached for comment.
Kister is representing himself and said he filed a response Tuesday stating he does not need to be evaluated.
“I am not insane. I am a victim of brain-implant terrorism,” he said, adding that the U.S. Government put in the implants as part of the Patriot Act.
The trespassing incident occurred April 15 while Barnes was five months into a high-risk pregnancy, according to court documents.
Kister testified at his preliminary hearing in the Athens County Municipal Court on April 25 that he knocked on Barnes' door because he wanted to evict Barnes after she allegedly committed “daily criminal damage” to the bamboo plants around his hostel.
Barnes testified that Kister called her multiple times a day about the bamboo.
She said she moved out after the incident because she felt threatened. She paid $300 to rent the room for a month, but left after six days.
Kister denies the occurrence of the events and said he is the victim of economic terrorism committed by Barnes because only two people have stayed at his hostel since the incident.
“I am not (not) guilty by reason of insanity; I am not guilty because I didn’t commit the charge,” he said.
Kister also accused Athens County Sheriff Pat Kelly of economic terrorism after alleged repeated attempts by Kelly to interrupt Kister’s business.
“My stance is not that Chad needs to go to jail; my stance is that Chad has issues and he needs some serious guidance,” said Kelly in a previous interview.
Kister could be sentenced to a maximum of 18 months in prison and a maximum fine of $5,000 if convicted at a trial, according to the Ohio Revised Code.
Kister’s arraignment hearing is set for May 15.
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