People v. James

After a January 2001 trial, a jury convicted defendant, Frank James, Sr., of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child (720 ILCS 5/12 — 14.1(a)(1) (West 1998)). In February 2001, the trial court sentenced him to 28 years’ imprisonment. Defendant appeals, arguing (1) plain error occurred when the trial court instructed the jury with a modified pattern jury instruction that stated “sexual penetration” means any contact, however slight, between the sex organ of one person “and an object or finger” (emphasis added) of another; (2) plain error occurred when the court instructed the jury that…