People v. Carmickle

Mr. PRESIDING JUSTICE STOUDER

delivered the opinion of the court:

This appeal is from the judgment of the circuit court of Peoria County, after trial by jury, finding defendant, Cornelius Carmickle, guilty of the offenses of arson and murder and sentencing him to concurrent terms of not less than 50 years nor more than 150 years for the offense of murder and not less than 6 2/3 years nor more than 20 years for the offense of arson.

The State presented evidence showing that at about 11 p.m. on November 26, 1974, the Stratton Hotel in Peoria was damaged as the result of a man-made fire. A disabled…