People v. Miller

Defendant appeals from his conviction of the offense of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child (720 ILCS 5/12 — 14.1(a)(1) (West 1996)). Defendant contends that his right to a fair trial was violated (1) when the trial judge read a transcript of the complaining witness’s testimony to the jury during deliberations and (2) when the court admitted a highly prejudicial and irrelevant statement made by defendant. For reasons we will more fully explain, we reverse and remand.

FACTS

On New Year’s Day 1998, Tanya Harmon took her daughter, B.C., then six years old, to the emergency room of St.…