(a) If it appears that a defendant or the State is prejudiced by a joinder of related prosecutions or defendants in a single charge or by joinder of separate charges or defendants for trial the court may order separate trials, grant a severance of defendants, or provide any other relief as justice may require.
     (b) In the case of a prosecution of multiple defendants for criminal sexual assault, aggravated criminal sexual assault, predatory criminal sexual assault of a child, criminal sexual abuse, or aggravated criminal sexual abuse arising out of the same course of conduct, the court, in deciding a motion to sever the charges and try the defendants separately, must consider, subject to constitutional limitations, the impact upon the alleged victim of multiple trials requiring the victim’s testimony.

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Terms Used In Illinois Compiled Statutes 725 ILCS 5/114-8

  • Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
  • State: when applied to different parts of the United States, may be construed to include the District of Columbia and the several territories, and the words "United States" may be construed to include the said district and territories. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 5 ILCS 70/1.14
  • Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.
  • Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.