People v. Collins

Following a jury trial, defendant was convicted of murder (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1973, ch. 38, par. 9 — 1) and received a sentence of 50 to 100 years. On appeal, he contends he was denied a fair trial because (1) the prosecutor asked him questions on cross-examination which insinuated that the co-defendants had implicated him in the crime, but failed to prove such accusations on rebuttal, (2) the prosecutor’s closing argument shifted the burden of proof regarding missing witnesses to defendant, (3) during the trial, members of the jury read newspaper accounts of a co-defendant’s trial and…