People v. Bergeron

Mr. PRESIDING JUSTICE DEMPSEY

delivered the opinion of the court:

The defendant, Wilton Bergeron, was tried by a jury and convicted of the murder of Michael Elderedge. He was sentenced to the penitentiary for not less than 40 nor more than 80 years. His first contention is that he was not proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

In July 1969 ten young people held a drinking party in a motel room in Niles, Illinois. The participants ranged in age from 23, the age of the defendant, to 15, that of the deceased. The description by the State and defense witnesses of the occurrences at the party…