People v. Varela

Following a jury trial, the defendant, Joel Varela, was convicted of two counts of aggravated battery and one count of armed violence. The jury acquitted the defendant of an attempted murder charge. At the sentencing hearing, the trial court vacated one of the defendant’s aggravated battery convictions, finding it formed the predicate felony for the armed violence conviction. The trial court sentenced the defendant to concurrent terms of imprisonment of nine years for armed violence and five years for aggravated battery. The court also imposed a $25 fine. The defendant appeals.

This case…