Chicago Criminal Lawyer Blog
Two teenagers are facing charges after a Chicago police officer’s son was shot during a robbery. An 18-year-old and a 17-year-old allegedly held up a 22-year-old man at gunpoint at 1:48 am. The 17-year-old is alleged to have shot the victim, who turned out to be the son of a Chicago police officer. The victim was seriously injured in the attack. He is now listed in fair condition after sustaining a gunshot wound to the chest. Both men have since been arrested and charged with two counts of attempted robbery with a firearm, one count of aggravated battery, and one count of attempted first-degree murder.
Robbery With a Firearm
Robbery is a theft crime but also a crime of violence. To prove robbery, the prosecution must establish that the defendant threatened the victim with force or actually used force in an attempt to take the victim’s belongings. In this case, the two used a gun to threaten and then shoot the victim. Robbery is considered a class-2 felony under Illinois and has a typical sentence of three to seven years.
Aggravated Battery
Aggravated battery with a deadly weapon is an extremely serious offense that is considered a Class-X felony under Illinois law. There are numerous factors that can elevate a simple battery charge, which is a misdemeanor, to a serious felony charge. One of those is the use of a deadly weapon, and another is causing serious bodily injury to the victim. Other aggravating factors include the type of victim. If the victim is elderly or handicapped, the charges can escalate. If the victim is an emergency worker, police officer, judge, or other public servant, the charges are enhanced. In the case mentioned above, the perpetrator is alleged to have used a firearm to cause great bodily injury to the victim. So, the crime will be charged as a Class-X felony under Illinois law. That means they will be facing a sentence between six and 30 years.
Attempted First-Degree Murder
Of the charges, attempted first-degree murder is the most serious. It is considered a Class-X felony under Illinois law and punishable by a minimum of 20 years in state prison. The fact that the defendant was armed with a weapon will also add years to the sentence. While only one of the teenagers pulled the trigger, both of them can be charged with attempted first-degree murder under Illinois’ felony murder rule. That is because they were in the midst of committing a forcible felony when the shot was fired. The felony murder rule allows even those who did not fire a weapon to be charged with murder in some cases. Those include cases in which the defendant does not die. In this case, both men are being charged with attempted first-degree murder even though only one man pulled the trigger.
Talk to a Chicago Criminal Defense Lawyer Today
David Freidberg represents the interests of Chicago residents who are charged with serious crimes. Call our office today at (312) 560-7100 to set up an appointment, and we can begin preparing your defense right away.
