Defendant was convicted of armed violence, unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon, and unlawful possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver. Prosecutor's statement, that Defendant did not "continually deny having the gun", was a rebutting of defense counsel's statement that Defendant, during his police interview, "continually denied" knowing anything about the gun, which State contends was a mischaracterization of Defendant's interview responses. Defendant's 16-year sentence is not of the same or similar severity as those in U.S. Supreme Court decisions which were de facto life sentences. Evidence was sufficient to support an inference Defendant intended to deliver cocaine and cannabis, given that drugs were individually wrapped packages, and he was carrying more than he could consume himself.(STEIGMANN and DeARMOND, concurring.)
Illinois Appellate Court
Criminal Court
Possession of Weapons