Date: 07-05-2024

Case Style:

The People of the State of Illinois v. Angel M. Farmer

Case Number: 21-CM-129

Judge: H. Chris Ryan, Jr.

Court: Circuit Court, La Salle County, Illinois

Plaintiff's Attorney: La Salle County Illinois State's Attorney's Office

Defendant's Attorney:

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Description:

Ottawa, Illinois criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charge with knowingly initiated physical contact (battery) of an insulting or provoking nature with a sheriff's deputy by pushing past him to enter a public building despite being told that she was not allowed in the building with her cell phone.

Defendant, Angel M. Farmer, was charged with three counts of battery (720 ILCS 5/12-3(a)(1), (a)(2) (West 2020)) and one count of obstructing a peace officer (id. § 31-1(a)). [1] One of the battery counts (count III) alleged that defendant made physical contact of an insulting or provoking nature with La Salle County sheriff's deputy Kurt Pastirik on March 2, 2021. The two other battery counts concerned defendant's encounter with La Salle County sheriff's deputy James Knoblauch on March 8, 2021. Count I alleged that defendant caused bodily harm to Knoblauch, and count II alleged that defendant made physical contact of an insulting or provoking nature with him. Like counts I and II, the obstructing a peace officer count (count IV) involved defendant's March 8, 2021, encounter with Knoblauch. Following a jury trial, defendant was found guilty of counts II, III, and IV. She was sentenced to 24 months of conditional discharge and 48 hours in jail, followed by 6 weekends in jail. This timely appeal followed. On appeal, defendant argues that (1) she was not proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt of battering Pastirik (count III) and (2) her conviction of count II must be vacated based on a violation of the one-act, one-crime rule because the act that served as the basis for the battery of Knoblauch (count II) was the same act that formed the basis for obstructing a peace officer (count IV).

Outcome: Affirmed

Plaintiff's Experts:

Defendant's Experts:

Comments: