People v. Hamilton

Following a bench trial, defendant Corey Hamilton was convicted of aggravated battery to a child, aggravated domestic battery, and aggravated battery and sentenced to 25 years in prison. Defendant appeals from both his convictions and sentence, contending that the State’s evidence was insufficient to support his convictions, that his sentence was excessive, that his trial counsel was ineffective, and that he was denied a fair trial when the circuit court relied on improper evidence in finding him guilty. For the reasons that follow, we affirm.

At trial, Luella Marie Maple, mother of the…