Man to be re-sentenced; term won't change

Because of a procedural error at his original sentencing, a man convicted of raping and stabbing a Wildwood woman will be re-sentenced later this month.

Christopher Hanson, 32, will receive the same life-in-prison term he was given in 2006, when he appears before Circuit Judge Fred Foreman on May 22.

Hanson was convicted May 19, 2006 of aggravated criminal sexual assault, attempted murder and aggravated kidnapping.

He received the mandatory life sentence based on his prior criminal record, but the appellate court ordered a new sentencing hearing because a pre-sentence investigation was not done.

A jury deliberated for one hour and 15 minutes before finding Hanson guilty of the June 2005 attack on the woman on a jogging trail near Libertyville.

He ran up behind the woman, dragged her into some bushes, raped her repeatedly and stabbed her several times.

The woman testified she pretended to be dead until Hanson left the area, then ran to a nearby house for help.

Hanson was convicted of three earlier attacks on women in secluded areas -- two in 1993 and one in 2000.

Anyone being sentenced for a felony conviction has the right to a pre-sentence investigation report prepared for the judge to consider.

The report details a person's education, family background and other personal information, as well as their prior criminal history.

The report is designed to help guide a judge in determining what sentence best fits the crime and the person being sentenced.

No investigation was done in Hanson's case because the sentence was mandatory, but the appellate court ruled Hanson has the right to have one done.

Lake County Assistant State's Attorney Eric Kalata said the victim will not be forced to read her victim impact statement about the crime at the re-sentencing hearing.

Kalata said the lawyers on the case will simply agree to enter into the record a transcript of the statement she made at the original hearing.

Hanson is held without bail at the Lake County jail.