People v. Branham

PRESIDING JUSTICE NASH

delivered the opinion of the court:

After trial by jury defendant, Kimberly Branham, was convicted of murder (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1983, ch. 38, par. 9 — 1) and sentenced to a term of 30 years’ imprisonment. Defendant appeals, contending the trial court erred in denying her pretrial motion to suppress evidence and that the sentence was excessive.

Evidence at trial disclosed that at the time of the offense on January 2, 1984, defendant was a 17-year-old high school senior who had been engaged in a close lesbian relationship with her classmate, Betsy Lou, for about two years. In…