Brett Hooghkirk also will be charged with aggravated battery as pretrial motions in the Lisa Garretson murder case continued Friday.

Because Hooghkirk admitted during his video-taped confession to hitting Garretson’s head with a clothes iron, DeKalb County State’s Attorney Mike Coghlan said he wants to add two counts of aggravated battery to the charges.

Hooghkirk, his hair now reaching past his shoulders, stood before the judge as the new charges were filed.

ooghkirk originally was charged with three counts of first degree murder, aggravated criminal sexual assault, aggravated arson and concealing a homicide in connection with Garretson’s strangulation death. He pleaded not guilty.

A preliminary hearing on the battery charges is scheduled for Nov. 8.

The state’s attorney’s office would not explain why the charges were added 10 months after the original charges were filed.

“It would be remiss on my part to comment now on trial strategy and why the battery charges were filed now,” Coghlan said.

Circuit Judge John L. Nickels ruled Friday that Coghlan cannot be called as a witness when the trial begins Dec. 3. But, Nickels said the judge who presides over the actual case can rule differently if he wants.

Nickels is running on an uncontested ballot Nov. 6 for a seat on the Elgin appelate court. Either Judge Phillip Di Marzio, Robert Jenkins or John Countryman will preside over the case, Nickels said.

Defense attorney Bill Brady said he wanted to call Coghlan as a witness because Coghlan was at the DeKalb Police station when Hooghkirk was arrested Jan. 22.

Brady said Coghlan told police what to ask the defendant Jan. 22 so Hooghkirk would confess to first degree murder.

“I do not agree with Brady’s supposition,” Coghlan said. “It’s routine for the prosecution to be present at the police station during an important case.”

Hooghkirk has been held without bond since Jan. 22 at the DeKalb County jail.