People v. Camden

This is an appeal from an order of the circuit court of Crawford County sanctioning appellant Jon C. Anderson, the State’s Attorney of Crawford County, for ex parte communications with defendant’s physicians and fining him $1. For the reasons which follow, we vacate.

In July of 1983, Julia Camden was charged with aggravated battery, armed violence, and attempted murder as a result of a shooting that occurred in a Crawford County tavern. The defendant raised the defense of insanity. Ms. Camden’s trial ended when the trial court, sua sponte, declared a mistrial. Camden’s counsel subsequently…