People v. Fields

After a bench trial in the circuit court of Cook County, defendant, Nathson Fields, was found guilty of the murder of Larry Watkins (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1971, ch. 38, par. 9 — 1), and the aggravated battery of Charles Merriweather (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1971, ch. 38, par. 12 — 4). Defendant was sentenced to a term of 35 to 50 years in the penitentiary on the murder charge and 1 to 10 years on the charge of aggravated battery, the sentences to run concurrently.

Defendant presents five contentions for consideration on appeal: (1) the trial court erred in finding that defendant was accountable for the…