People v. Washington

In a jury trial in the circuit court of Winnebago County, defendant, Walter Washington, Jr., was convicted of the offenses of murder and armed robbery. The appellate court reversed and remanded (41 Ill. App. 3d 475), and we granted the People’s petition for leave to appeal. The facts are adequately stated in the appellate court opinion and will be repeated here only to the extent necessary to discuss the issues.

On March 22, 1974, shortly before 9 p.m., the Pacemaker Grocery Store in Rockford was robbed by an armed man wearing a woman’s plaid cape with a hood, and a ski mask over his face. The…