People v. Jerome

The defendant, Sean A. Jerome, was charged by indictment with first-degree murder (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1987, ch. 38, par. 9 — 1(a)). Following a jury trial, he was convicted of the offense and sentenced to 22 years’ imprisonment. On appeal, the defendant contends that (1) the trial court erred in refusing to instruct the jury on self-defense and second-degree murder, and (2) the second-degree murder statute is unconstitutional.

The evidence adduced at trial showed that in the early morning hours of June 18, 1988, the victim, Eugene Budnik, was on duty as desk clerk at the Grand Hotel in Rockford.…