People v. Logan

Defendant was convicted, after jury trial, of first-degree murder. Court properly denied Defendant's petition for postconviction relief after evidentiary hearing. Court did not err in admitting polygraph evidence for limited purpose of rebutting witness' allegations of coercion, and thus appellate counsel was not ineffective in failing to raise the issue on direct appeal. Taken together, court's oral limiting instruction and IPI 1.01 (Criminal) sufficiently informed jury that it was not to speculate as to results of polygraph examinations. Defense trial counsel had numerous specific strategic reasons for changing his mind about calling alibi witnesses, and thus no ineffective assistance of counsel in not calling alibi witnesses even though he had, in opening statement, promised to jury that he would do so. (HALL and HOFFMAN, concurring.)