[DOWNLOAD] "People v. Collins" by Illinois Appellate Court — First District (5Th Division) Judgment Affirmed ~ eBook PDF Kindle ePub Free
eBook details
- Title: People v. Collins
- Author : Illinois Appellate Court — First District (5Th Division) Judgment Affirmed
- Release Date : January 07, 1984
- Genre: Law,Books,Professional & Technical,
- Pages : * pages
- Size : 60 KB
Description
Defendant, Wayon Collins, appeals from a judgment entered on a jury verdict finding him guilty of two counts of murder and from a sentence of natural life imprisonment. Defendant contends that the prosecutors made prejudicial closing arguments to the jury which require a new trial. Defendant also contends in his brief that the trial court erred in concluding that a life sentence was mandatory. For the reasons which follow, we affirm the judgment of the trial court. Defendant does not contend that the State failed to prove his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Accordingly, the facts related herein will be those required to address defendant's assertions of error. The prosecution's evidence included the testimony of an eyewitness, Lawrence Washington, that he saw defendant without provocation shoot two men to death in the parking lot of a Burger King restaurant. Assistant State's Attorney Francis J. Mahon, Jr., testified that he interviewed defendant at a police station. Mahon testified that he advised defendant of his rights and that defendant acknowledged his understanding thereof. Mahon testified that defendant stated that he shot both men in the parking lot after hearing what he believed to be gunshots. He stated that he did not see any guns and that he fired his shotgun after hearing one of the men say, There he is now. The prosecution also presented evidence that the two men, identified as Donald Johnson and Glen Johnson, died as a result of shotgun wounds. Evidence was introduced that shotgun shells recovered from the parking lot were fired from a shotgun found in defendant's residence. Defendant identified the weapon as his shotgun. His fingerprints thereon were identified by expert testimony. Defendant testified in his own behalf that he shot the two men after he heard gunshots and after one of the men said, There he is now. The jury was instructed, inter alia, on self-defense, voluntary manslaughter, and murder. The parties then made closing arguments.