People v. Adams 

Illinois Appellate Court
Criminal Court
Closing Argument
Citation
Case Number: 
No. 3-09-0004
Decision Date: 
Monday, August 30, 2010
District: 
3d Dist.
Division/County: 
Will Co.
Holding: 
Reversed and remanded.
Justice: 
CARTER
Defendant was convicted after jury trial of unlawful possession of a controlled substance. Prosecutor's comments on witness' status as police officers and the repercussions to officers if they were lying are impermissible as they seek to bolster the officers' credibility as witnesses solely because they are police officers; such statements wrongly suggest that officers are incapable, because of their profession, from lying. Prosecutor erred by referring to police report, when no evidence was presented that such a report was ever written. Defendant was prejudiced by both errors, as case hinged on officers' credibility. (LYTTON and O'BRIEN, concurring.)