People v. Smith

Following a jury trial in the circuit court of Cook County, the defendant was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1987, ch. 38, par. 9—3(a)) in the shooting death of his wife, Carolyn Smith. The appellate court, with one justice dissenting, reversed the conviction (208 Ill. App. 3d 538). We granted the State’s petition for leave to appeal (134 Ill. 2d R. 315).

On the afternoon of October 8, 1986, the defendant and his wife were at a bowling alley in Countryside, lilinois. Later, the couple joined a group of friends in the bar. At trial, police officers testified that the…