People v. Haywood

Defendant, Bennie D. Haywood, was found guilty of murder after a jury trial in the circuit court of Kankakee County. He was sentenced to the penitentiary for the term of 14 to 25 years. The conviction was affirmed by a majority of the appellate court. (79 Ill. App. 3d 303.) We granted defendant’s petition for leave to appeal.

Defendant relied upon intoxication as a defense to the charge of murder. The two issues raised on appeal relate to this defense. Defendant contends that (1) he was denied effective assistance of counsel, and (2) the jury was improperly instructed.

The relevant facts are…