People v. Jackson

Defendant, Thomas J. Jackson, was charged by information in Vermilion County case No. 90 — CF—155 with one count of unlawful communication with a witness and one count of bribery. (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1989, ch. 38, pars. 32 — 4(b), 33 — 1(a).) The trial court granted a directed verdict on the charge of communicating with a witness, based on People v. Robinson (1989), 186 Ill. App. 3d 1, 541 N.E.2d 1336. Robinson held that communicating with a witness requires an intent to deter a witness from testifying truthfully, and a request that the witness simply not appear at trial did not involve the…