People v. Stamps

The defendant, John William Stamps, appeals his convictions for six counts of murder in violation of section 9 — 1 of the Criminal Code of 1961 (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1965, ch. 38, par. 9—1), and the three concurrent 100- to 200-year sentences of imprisonment imposed thereon which were to begin at the expiration of a prior 25-year sentence for murder.

On November 23,1965, the defendant allegedly participated in a prison riot at the Menard Penitentiary in which three prison guards were stabbed to death. Murder charges against the defendant and three other prisoners were filed in Randolph County, but…