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720 ILCS 5/8-1 – Solicitation and Solicitation of Murder

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Posted by Christopher Combs on March 13, 2026

720 ILCS 5/8-1 – Solicitation and Solicitation of Murder

This law says it’s a crime to ask or encourage someone to commit a crime, especially murder.

This law explains that asking someone to do a crime is illegal. If the crime you ask them to do is murder, the punishment is much more serious.

(a) Solicitation. Someone breaks this law when they try to get another person to commit a crime (not murder), by asking, telling, or encouraging them to do it.

(b) Solicitation of murder. Someone breaks this part of the law when they try to get another person to commit first degree murder by asking or encouraging them.

(c) Sentence. A person found guilty of solicitation can be fined, sent to jail, or both, depending on the seriousness of the crime they asked for. If the crime is murder, it’s a very serious felony (Class X felony). The punishment is 15 to 30 years in prison. If the person asked to do the murder is under 17 years old, the punishment increases to 20 to 60 years in prison.

View the full statute here.

Contact us online or call (314) 900-HELP to talk with a Southern Illinois criminal defense lawyer.

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