People v. Berlin

This is an appeal of a jury verdict and judgment by the circuit court of Cook County convicting the defendant, John Berlin, of the crime of theft. The defendant was sentenced to no less than three nor more than nine years imprisonment.

The issue presented for review is whether the defendant was denied a fair trial when the trial court permitted the prosecution to impeach the defendant with evidence of his use of an assumed name and barred the defense from attempting to rebut that impeaching testimony.

The prosecution presented three police officers as witnesses at trial. They testified that at…