People v. Smith

721 N.E.2d 553 (1999)

188 Ill.2d 335

242 Ill.Dec. 274

The PEOPLE of the State of Illinois, Appellee,

v.

Ernestine SMITH, Appellant.

No. 86423.

Supreme Court of Illinois.

November 18, 1999.

Thomas A. Lilien, Asst. Appellate Defender, Elgin, for Ernestine Smith.

Adrian Barrio, Assistant Attorney General, Chicago, State's Attorney Lake County, Waukegan, and State's Attorneys Appellate Prosecutor, Elgin, for the People.

At issue in this case is whether the trial court abused its discretion by starting defendant's trial in her absence without first determining whether she was willfully absent. The defendant,…