People v. Colley

Following a jury trial, defendant was convicted of criminal trespass to property and residential burglary. Judgment was entered only on the residential burglary conviction and he was sentenced to a term of nine years. On appeal, he contends (1) that the State improperly used its peremptory challenges to exclude black citizens from the jury; (2) he was denied his right to effective assistance of counsel; and (3) he was denied a fair trial by improper prosecutorial comments during closing argument.

At trial, Helen Falkman testified that in September 1985 her son lived in her house at 1829 South…