Defendant appealed from his adjudication of delinquency after a guilty finding of first-degree murder and aggravated discharge of a firearm, arguing that the evidence was not sufficient where the evidence could lead to the conclusion that the decedent, a bystander, was just as likely to have been killed by return shots fired by the intended victim. The appellate court affirmed, explaining that a rational factfinder could have found that the fatal gunshot was fired by a group including the defendant which included evidence that defendant’s colleagues fired many more rounds than their intended victim. The appellate court also held that defendant was not denied the effective assistance of counsel and that there was no error with regard to the admission of evidence. (MITCHELL and NAVARRO, concurring)
Illinois Appellate Court
Criminal Court
Sufficiency of the Evidence