Trial begins in home invasion case

A bench trial began Wednesday for the fourth suspect in a February 2013 Villa Park-area home invasion and robbery in which the homeowner also was beaten.

Artur Pawlina, 27, is accused of being the mastermind behind the attack on Dillon Lane in an unincorporated area near Villa Park. Court records show he lives less than a mile from the victim.

Pawlina is accused of recruiting three friends to enter the home and steal a large amount of marijuana he believed the victim's son had. In exchange, he would receive 10 percent of the proceeds, according to prosecutors.

Pawlina helped plan the crime, they say, by showing his accomplices the victim's house, pointing out which door to use, and discussing the best time to carry out the robbery,

The 50-year-old victim, Hassan Khan, testified Wednesday that he was beaten after answering a knock on his door shortly after midnight Sunday.

One of Pawlina's co-defendants, Andrew Cotton, 25, testified he was armed with a knife during the attack "for (his) protection."

Authorities said two of Pawlina's co-defendants, 25-year-olds Ryan Berry and Anthony Nutoni, were armed with shotguns.

Khan told Judge Blanche Hill Fawell that after being struck with the butt of the gun he retreated to his kitchen, armed himself with a knife, and tried to stab the intruders but "some armor" they wore just bent the blade.

Khan said he then grabbed a "thin glass pitcher" from the top of his refrigerator and struck Cotton in the head. When the shattered pitcher failed to stop Cotton, Khan said he ground the broken handle of the pitcher into Cotton's face and locked him in a bathroom. A second suspect, he said, was throwing dishes at him until he was able to subdue Cotton.

"He was waiting to attack me," Khan said. "But I gave him a little something, too."

All four men were charged after sheriff's detectives found Cotton at a hospital receiving treatment for head injuries matching those inflicted on one of the intruders. The suspects have all since confessed, according to prosecutors.

Each of the other three men have pleaded guilty to home invasion charges and accepted deals from prosecutors in exchange for their testimony against Pawlina. They will be sentenced to their respective terms at the conclusion of Pawlina's trial.

Both sides rested their cases Wednesday afternoon with Pawlina declining to testify and his attorney calling no witnesses.

Closing arguments are scheduled for 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 25 in courtroom 4012. If convicted, he faces up to 45 years in prison.