People v. Williams

Illinois Appellate Court
Criminal Court
Ineffective Assistance of Counsel; Alibi Witness
Citation
Case Number: 
2017 IL App (1st) 152021
Decision Date: 
Friday, June 30, 2017
District: 
1st Dist.
Division/County: 
Cook Co.
Holding: 
Affirmed.
Justice: 
Lampkin

Defendant was convicted of murder. At his third-stage postconviction evidentiary hearing, Defendant argued that his counsel was ineffective, because his counsel failed to call, interview, or present his sisters as alibi witnesses at trial. At the close of Defendant’s evidence, State moved for a directed finding, and Court granted finding that the alibi witnesses were not credible and Defendant thus failed to show trial counsel rendered ineffective assistance. On appeal, Defendant argued, in part, that the alibi testimony was unimpeached and sufficient to raise doubts about the reliability of the original verdict and Court usurped the role of the jury by making ultimate determinations about witness credibility. Court did not err in finding that Defendant’s counsel was not ineffective. It was reasonable trial strategy to decide not to present the alibi testimony of Defendant’s sisters because their close relationship to him could have resulted in their testimony carrying little weight with the jury.