People v. Alexander

Defendant was convicted of first-degree murder 1 by a jury and now appeals by right.

The homicide occurred at Hazel Park Race Track, on June 13, 1975. Defendant went there to collect his pregnant wife, who had gone, unaccompanied, to watch the races. He spied her from a distance under the grandstand, where she was watching for the results of the last race, just as the victim, John Sweden, approached her and began talking to her. Defendant approached them, words were exchanged between defendant and Sweden, and the words led to blows. It is unclear who struck the first blow, but from all the…