People v. Fluker

PRESIDING JUSTICE McNULTY

delivered the opinion of the court:

Once again we must decide whether a prosecutor’s closing argument requires reversal of a murder conviction. We find that the argument here improperly directed the jury’s attention away from the issues. Because we find the evidence closely balanced, we cannot consider the error harmless. Thus, we reverse and remand for a new trial.

Around 10 p.m. on November 15, 1995, Charinida Willford sat on the steps of a house near her home, talking with Tasha Stinson and some other friends from the neighborhood. A bullet from across the street…