People v. Berland

Mr. PRESIDING JUSTICE DIERINGER

delivered the opinion of the court:

This is an appeal from the circuit court of Cook County. The defendants were convicted after a bench trial of violating section 20— 1(b) of the Criminal Code of 1961 (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1969, ch. 38, par. 20—1(b)). Section 20 — 1(b) provides: “A person commits arson when, by means of fire or explosive, he knowingly: 0 0 0 [w]ith intent to defraud an insurer, damages any property or any personal property having a value of *150 or more.” Both defendants were sentenced to terms of 1M to 4M years in the Illinois State Penitentiary and…