People v. Atkins

Mr. PRESIDING JUSTICE EARNS

delivered the opinion of the court:

Defendant-appellant Albert Atkins was convicted of two counts of murder after a jury trial in St. Clair County and was sentenced to serve concurrent terms of from 100 to 300 years. On appeal he contends that he was not proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, that he was denied a fair trial by the prejudicial closing argument of the prosecutor and that the sentences are excessive.

Sometime between 10 and 10:30 p.m. on March 8,1974, Lulu Mannings and Bonnie (Buddy) Doby were brutally murdered in front of Mannings' apartment. An…