People v. Diamond

PRESIDING JUSTICE GREIMAN

delivered the opinion of the court:

In a bench trial, defendant Anthony Diamond (Diamond) was convicted of the stabbing murder of Michael Joyce (Joyce) and sentenced to an extended term of 80 years.

On appeal, defendant contends: (1) that the prosecution’s closing argument suggesting two of its witnesses had great credibility because they had made prior consistent statements denied him a fair trial, although no consistent statements were in evidence; (2) that the evidence at trial was insufficient to prove him guilty of murder beyond a reasonable doubt; and (3) that a…