People v. Downs

Defendant was convicted, after jury trial, of first degree murder. Appellate court erred in vacating conviction and remanding for new trial, concluding that trail court erred in response to jury questions. Circuit court correctly answered, "We cannot give you a definition; it is your duty to define it" when jury, during deliberations, sent note to court asking for definition of reasonable doubt. Term needs no definition because words themselves sufficiently convey its meaning. Defendant failed to show that a clear or obvious error occurred in response to jury's question.(THOMAS, KILBRIDE, KARMEIER, BURKE, and THEIS, concurring.)