People v. Gaston

Mr. PRESIDING JUSTICE MILLS

delivered the opinion of the court:

Before a consecutive sentence is imposed, must the trial judge state on the record his reason for such sentence?

Y es — mandatory.

We reverse and remand.

Gaston was convicted at a bench trial of three counts of battery and one of aggravated battery and was sentenced to 4 years for the aggravated battery and 364 days on each of two counts of battery. The sentences were ordered to be served concurrently with each other and concurrently with a 3-year sentence defendant was then serving for a prior felony conviction for unlawful…