People v. Mikell

PRESIDING JUSTICE RAKOWSKI

delivered the opinion of the court:

Following a jury trial defendant was convicted of murder, aggravated battery and armed violence and sentenced to concurrent terms of 20 years for murder and six years for armed violence. No sentence was imposed for aggravated battery. The issues on appeal are: (1) whether defendant was denied his right to effective assistance of counsel; (2) whether the voluntary manslaughter instruction erroneously stated the burden of proof; (3) whether the jury was properly instructed on the armed violence charge; (4) whether defendant was proved…