People v. Williams

The Illinois Supreme Court considered whether the trial court committed plain error when it tendered Illinois Pattern Jury Instructions Nos. 11.49 and 11.50 to the jury during defendant’s trial for threatening a public official. Defendant argued that the jury instructions were conflicting and that it was plain error to tender them to the jury. The appellate court held that the instructions correctly set forth the applicable law, and it was not error for the trial court to tender them to the jury. The supreme court affirmed, finding that the instructions fully and accurately informed the jury of the applicable legal principles with IPI Criminal No. 11.49 providing a general definition and IPI Criminal No. 11.50 directing the jury as to what propositions had to be established to prove guilt. (NEVILLE, THEIS, OVERSTREET, HOLDER WHITE, ROCHFORD, and O’BRIEN, concurring)