Illinois Appellate Court
Criminal Court
Murder
Defendant, age 18 at time of offense, was convicted of 1st degree murder of his infant son.Defendant's statement to police was improperly coerced. Officers made several comments to Defendant what happens to "baby killers" in jail, which were threats of physical violence; and religious pleas, all are indicative of improper coercion. Considering multiple instances of coercive conduct by police, factors weighing in favor of a finding of involuntariness outweigh the factors indicating voluntariness of confession.(O'BRIEN, concurring; HOLDRIDGE, dissenting.)