People v. Dunmore

On November 7, 2004, Alvin Thomas was fatally stabbed during a late-night brawl outside a nightclub. A jury found defendant, James E Dunmore, guilty of first-degree murder, and the trial court imposed a 30-year prison term. See 720 ILCS 5/9 — 1(a)(2) (West 2006). The State’s theory was that defendant used a metal blade concealed in his walking stick to inflict the wound that killed Alvin. Defendant’s theory was that Horace Joiner, or any person in the fight other than defendant, could have inflicted the fatal wound, and therefore defendant could not be found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.…