Defendant was found guilty of first-degree murder and unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon and was sentenced to 80 years and 14 years in prison, respectively. On appeal, defendant argued that his trial counsel provided ineffective assistance, his post-trial counsel was ineffective for failing to raise his claims of his trial counsel’s ineffectiveness, that the trial court erred in admitting prior bad act evidence, and that the court violated SCR 431(b). The appellate court reversed and remanded for a new trial, finding that trial counsel fell below an objective standard of reasonableness and that defendant was prejudiced as a result based on trial counsel’s failure to object to improper evidence and argument. (STEIGMANN and DeARMOND, concurring and STEIGMANN, specially concurring)
Illinois Appellate Court
Criminal Court
Effective Assistance of Counsel