People v. Richardson

The sole issue on this appeal is the constitutionality of section 14 — 2 of the Criminal Code of 1961 (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1973, ch. 38, par. 14 — 2), which permits eavesdropping if it is done with the consent of any one party to a conversation and at the request of a State’s Attorney. The circuit court of Cook County declared section 14 — 2 unconstitutional, and the State has appealed directly to this court under Supreme Court Rule 603 (50 Ill.2d R. 603).

The statute makes eavesdropping a Class A misdemeanor (section 14 — 4) and provides that evidence obtained through violation of the challenged…