People v. Pickett

The defendant, Henry Pickett, was indicted by the grand jury of St. Clair County for attempted armed robbery and for aggravated battery. Following a jury trial he was found guilty of attempted armed robbery and not guilty of aggravated battery. He was sentenced to a term of from 9 to 14 years in the penitentiary. The Appellate Court for the Fifth District affirmed the conviction with one justice dissenting. (2 Ill. App. 3d 560.) We granted leave to appeal.

It appears from the record that the case was submitted to the jury with instructions to return sealed verdicts. The sealed verdicts were…