People v. Davis

On February 2, 2001, following a jury trial, defendant, Jackie Davis, also know as “Little Jack,” was convicted of second-degree murder. On April 6, 2001, after denying defendant’s motion for a new trial, the circuit court sentenced defendant to 18 years’ imprisonment in the Illinois Department of Corrections. After defendant’s motion to reconsider sentence was denied, he filed his timely notice of appeal on April 10, 2001.

On appeal, defendant contends that: (1) the State unconstitutionally exercised a peremptory challenge to exclude the only African-American venireperson in violation of the…