People v. Cowan

A jury in the circuit court of Cook County found the defendant, Earl Cowan, guilty of attempted burglary and unlawful restraint (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1979, ch. 38, pars. 8 — 4, 10 — 3). The appellate court reversed the conviction and in a split decision remanded the cause to the circuit court for a new trial. (122 Ill. App. 3d 394.) We granted the State’s petition for leave to appeal under Rule 315 (87 Ill. 2d R. 315).

The defendant was charged in a nine-count criminal information with two counts of armed robbery, two counts of armed violence, and one count each of home invasion, burglary,…