People v. Van Winkle

In a jury trial in the circuit court of Henry County, defendant, Jerry Van Winkle, was convicted of the offenses of armed violence, attempted murder, aggravated battery and battery. He was sentenced to a term of six years in the Department of Corrections on the armed-violence conviction. The appellate court affirmed (86 Ill. App. 3d 289), and we allowed defendant’s petition for leave to appeal (73 Ill. 2d R. 315).

The facts are adequately stated in the appellate court opinion and will be reviewed here only to the extent necessary to discuss the issues. In a three-count information defendant…