The People v. Washington

Defendant, Milton Washington, who waived a jury, was tried by the criminal court of Cook County and found guilty of the murder of Melvin Partee. A sentence of life imprisonment was imposed and defendant now prosecutes this writ of error for review, contending that he was acting in self-defense or that, at most, the killing was only voluntary manslaughter provoked by the deceased.

The homicide occurred on the evening of April 15, 1961, in a dry-cleaning shop operated by defendant at 1509 N. Clybourn Street in Chicago. Eyewitnesses to the occurrence were Eloise Randall, a shop employee, and…