The PEOPLE v. Thigpen

Defendant was convicted of armed robbery after a 1959 jury trial in the circuit court of St. Clair County and sentenced to 15 to 50 years imprisonment. On this writ of error defendant contends that failure of the trial court to conduct, sua sponte, a hearing outside the presence of the jury concerning the admissibility of an oral confession denied him due process of law under both the Illinois and United States constitutions and that he is therefore entitled to a new trial.

While the State contends that objection to the admission of the alleged oral statement was merely as to form and…