People v. Ransom

Defendant James Ransom was found guilty by a St. Clair County circuit court jury of the murder of Ernest Tiller and was subsequently sentenced to 14 to 30 years’ imprisonment. The trial judge directed a verdict of not guilty as to co-defendant Freddie Macklin at the close of the State’s evidence. Ransom appealed, the Appellate Court for the Fifth District, with one judge dissenting, reversed and remanded for a new trial (33 Ill. App. 3d 503), and we allowed the State’s petition for leave to appeal.

The events upon which the murder charge was based occurred on the evening of March 5, 1973.…