Two found guilty in brutal beating of 52-year-old homeless man

in

December 10

JOLIET – Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow announced today that two men were convicted of robbery and aggravated battery for the brutal beating of homeless man in Joliet in July.

Charles Campbell, 40, and Robert Hale, 45, who also are homeless, are scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 10. Hale faces between three and seven years in prison. Campbell faces between six and 30 years in prison with no option for probation because of a past criminal record that includes convictions for aggravated battery, robbery, residential burglary and unlawful possession of a controlled substance.

Charles Campbell

Charles CampbellCircuit Judge Amy Bertani-Tomczak found Campbell and Hale guilty Friday after hearing testimony in a bench trial.

The two defendants beat the 52-year-old victim and stole $88 from him on July 16 in downtown Joliet near the Joliet Central High School campus. Campbell and Hale began harassing the victim because he had just gotten paid from a temporary job.

The victim suffered a broken jaw in two places, a broken nose, missing teeth, cuts over both eyes and extensive bruising to his eyes and chest. When he awoke in the street from the beating the next morning, he was missing the cash and a cellular telephone.

State’s Attorney Glasgow credited Joliet Detective James Voudrie, who was the lead investigator, as well as Assistant State’s Attorneys Frank Byers and Kathryn Tinich and Victim Witness Advocate Nichole Pasteris for their handling of this difficult case.

“This brutal attack illustrates how incredibly vulnerable homeless people are when they are living on the streets in this era of widespread unemployment and foreclosures,” the state’s attorney said. “The homeless are entitled to protection and compassion from our justice system. The police, prosecutors and advocates involved in this case went beyond the call of duty to make certain that the homeless victim and other homeless witnesses were interviewed and available to testify so that justice could be served.”