People v. Lawler

After a jury trial, the defendant, Stanley K. Lawler, was convicted in the circuit court of Marion County of aggravated criminal sexual assault (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1987, ch. 38, par. 12 — 13(a)(1)) and was sentenced to 12 years’ imprisonment. The appellate court reversed and remanded the cause for a new trial. (194 Ill. App. 3d 547.) We granted the State’s petition for leave to appeal (107 Ill. 2d R. 315 (a)).

The issues raised on review are whether: (1) the appellate court erred in finding that the defendant was denied a fair trial because the jury was allowed to hear the content of a telephone…