Appellate Court of Illinois June 1, 1989, 4-88-0752 (People v. Newbern)

JUSTICE LUND

delivered the opinion of the court:

On July 25, 1988, defendant Carlos Newbern was tried in absentia and found guilty by a jury sitting in the circuit court of Macon County of the offenses of retail theft, battery, and criminal damage to property, in violation of sections 16A — 3, 12 — 3, and 21 — 1, respectively, of the Criminal Code of 1961 (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1987, ch. 38, pars.