People v. Phelps

Defendant, Kevin Phelps, was convicted by a jury of heinous battery (720 ILCS 5/12 — 4.1(a) (West 1996)) and aggravated kidnapping (720 ILCS 5/10 — 2(a)(3) (West 1996)). The circuit court of Cook County sentenced defendant to consecutive prison terms of 15 years for the aggravated kidnapping and 30 years for the heinous battery. The appellate court affirmed defendant’s convictions but modified the sentences to run concurrently. 329 Ill. App. 3d 1. We allowed the State’s petition for leave to appeal. 177 Ill. 2d R. 315(a).

BACKGROUND

EH., a high school student, testified that, in late 1996, she…