Defendants were convicted, after joint jury trial, of attempted murders of victim and his his 15-year-old daughter, who they shot as victim was driving his daughter to school. Shooting left victim paralyzed from the waist down, and his daughter was not injured. State's evidence was sufficient such that a rational juror could have found that Defendant Thompson was one of the shooters beyond a reasonable doubt. Court did not abuse its discretion in admitting other-crimes evidence: statement from witness from prior shooting, and corroborating ballistics evidence showing that the same gun was used in a shooting 2 days earlier and 2 blocks away by 2 shooters, on a public street. Each Defendant was sentenced to 59 years, and Defendant Thompson's sentence was not excessive, as both defendants had similar criminal histories and similar backgrounds. (LAMPKIN and BURKE, concurring.)
Illinois Appellate Court
Criminal Court
Murder