People v. Norwood

The defendant, Ronald L. Norwood, was convicted of murder after a bench trial in the circuit court of Cook County, and was sentenced to imprisonment for not less than 14 nor more than 20 years. The appellate court affirmed (People v. Norwood (1972), 5 Ill. App. 3d 130), and we allowed the defendant’s petition for leave to appeal.

The issues raised on this appeal concern allegedly improper and unconstitutional restrictions upon defense counsel’s efforts to impeach the State’s principal witness.

Shortly after 2 o’clock on Sunday afternoon, January 11, 1970, Jackson Jones was shot and killed in a…