Defendant was convicted, after jury trial, of 1st-degree murder from stabbings of 2 persons, one of whom died from the stabbing. Even if Defendant subjectively believed that 1 victim threatened imminent death or great bodily harm, the belief was not objectively reasonable; Defendant could have left the area and/or displayed his knife as a warning. Thus, a rational jury could have found beyond a reasonable doubt that Defendant was not justified in using deadly force by stabbing victim in the chest. Jury could have reasonably found that Defendant was escaping when the other victim caught up with him and Defendant then stabbed him, which would require jury to reject Defendant's claim of self-defense as to stabbing of that victim.(ZENOFF and JORGENSEN, concurring.)
Illinois Appellate Court
Criminal Court
Murder