People v. Buford

PRESIDING JUSTICE CAMPBELL

delivered the opinion of the court:

Following a severed bench trial, defendant, Jimmie Buford, and codefendants Xavier Young and Alfred Dismukes 1 were found guilty of murder and armed robbery. (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1987, ch. 38, pars. 9— 1(a)(1), 18 — 2, respectively.) Defendant was sentenced to consecutive prison terms of 80 years for murder and 10 years for armed robbery. On appeal, defendant contends that: (1) his counsel failed to act as his advocate, thereby denying him his right to effective assistance of counsel; (2) his counsel’s past friendship with the victim’s…