Court Opinion

ID: 9743519
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 21:35:45.367825+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:24:41.726946
License: Public Domain

Mr. JUSTICE CRAVEN concurring in part and dissenting in part: The defendant in this case was found guilty of armed robbery and aggravated battery. He was granted probation for a period of three years with the first year to be served at the Illinois State Penal Farm. As I view this record and under the authority of People v. Whittington, 46 Ill.2d 405, 265 N.E.2d 679, and the authority of People v. Stewart, 45 Ill.2d 310, 259 N.E.2d 24, only one sentence could be imposed. In Stewart, the offense was aggravated battery and attempt to commit robbery. The court held there could be no sentence on the charge of aggravated battery since the acts which constituted the offense of aggravated battery were not independently motivated or otherwise separable from the conduct which constituted the offense of attempted robbery. The same is true here and there can be only one sentence. The action of the trial court was correct. For purposes of a final appealable order in a criminal case the grant of probation was the sentence. That sentence under Whittington would be only for armed robbery. There is nothing in this record that presents an appealable order as to aggravated battery. Thus, that portion of the opinion which purports to hold the indictment valid as to aggravated battery is a matter beyond the jurisdiction of this court on this record. This court should not decide issues not presented by the record, even if such decision is essentially only academic. I concur in the affirmance of the armed robbery conviction.