People v. Bell

After a bench trial defendant was found guilty of attempted robbery, attempted murder and aggravated battery. He was sentenced to not less than ten nor more than twenty years in the Illinois State Penitentiary for the count of attempted murder and not less than five nor more than ten years for each of the other two counts, the sentences to run concurrently. On appeal his sole contention is that he did not knowingly and understandingly waive a jury trial.

Illinois has codified the constitutional right to a jury trial and the conditions under which it can be waived, providing in the Criminal…