People v. Kitch

Following an October 2005 trial, a jury convicted defendant, Richard D. Kitch, of nine counts of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child (720 ILCS 5/12 — 14.1(a)(1) (West 2000)) and one count of aggravated criminal sexual abuse (720 ILCS 5/12 — 16(c)(1)(i) (West 2002)). The trial court later sentenced him to (1) 9 consecutive natural-life prison terms for predatory criminal sexual assault of a child and (2) a concurrent 14-year extended-term sentence for aggravated criminal sexual abuse.

Defendant appealed, arguing that (1) the United States Supreme Court’s decision in Crawford v.…