People v. Witherspoon

Contemnor Ronald Witherspoon was found in contempt of court for failure to obey a subpoena ad testificandum in a criminal trial and was sentenced to a term of six months in prison. Witherspoon appeals, contending he was not proved guilty beyond reasonable doubt of wilfully failing to obey the subpoena.

At the hearing on the rule to show cause, Thomas Mauet, an assistant State’s Attorney, testified that on April 22, 1976, he went to 6235 South Ellis, Chicago, Illinois, with Dirk Lawry, an investigator for the State’s Attorney’s office. Mauet spoke to Witherspoon about the case of People v.…