People v. Pastorino

Following a jury trial in the circuit court of Cook County, the defendant, Pamela Pastorino, was found guilty of aggravated battery and murder. She was sentenced to serve not less than 20 nor more than 60 years in the penitentiary. The defendant appeals her conviction, alleging that: (1) the trial court erred in orally instructing the jury to consider the verdict of murder before considering the verdict of voluntary manslaughter; (2) the trial court erred in declaring two witnesses to be court’s witnesses; (3) the State improperly imparted substantive character to the prior inconsistent…