People v. Ward

The defendant was convicted of the offense of obscenity after a bench trial in the circuit court of Peoria County. The court ruled that the defendant, the operator of a book store, had violated section 11 — 20(a)(1) of the Criminal Code of 1961 (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1971, ch. 38, par. 11 — 20(a)(1)) by selling two obscene publications. The defendant was sentenced to spend one day in the county jail and was fined $200 and costs.

The defendant presented no evidence in his own behalf at trial but did file a motion for a directed verdict at the close of the State’s case. After this motion was denied…