(Court opinion corrected 3/10/16.) Defendant and a codefendant were convicted, after separate jury trials, of first degree murder and attempted first degree murder, for shooting of 16-year-old and 15-year-old cousins in front of their home. Potential problems with identifications of 3 State witnesses were presented to jury. Prior consistent statement of victim's brother to his father identifying Defendant and codefendant as the shooters was properly admitted when testified to by that witness as a statement of identification. Police officer's testimony as to the statement should not have been admitted, but any error was harmless. State's remarks in opening statements and closing arguments were questionable but do not rise ot level of clear and obvious error.(NEVILLE and SIMON, concurring.)
Illinois Appellate Court
Criminal Court
Witnesses