People v. West

In February 1986, defendant, Paul West, was indicted in the circuit court of Cook County for murder pursuant to sections 9—1(a)(1) and (a)(2) of the Criminal Code of 1961 (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1985, ch. 38, pars. 9—1(a)(1), (a)(2)). A jury found defendant guilty after a trial. The circuit court, however, ordered a retrial after granting defendant’s motion for a new trial. Defendant waived his right to a jury, and the circuit court found defendant guilty as charged. Defendant elected to have a jury determine whether he should receive the death penalty, and the jury subsequently found defendant…