People v. Wales

PRESIDING JUSTICE FITZGERALD SMITH

delivered the opinion of the court:

After a jury found him guilty of first degree murder, defendant David Wales was sentenced to 40 years in prison. Defendant contends on appeal that (1) the trial court abused its discretion by not instructing the jury on Illinois Pattern Jury Instructions, Criminal, No. 7.02X (4th ed. 2000) (hereinafter IPI Criminal 4th No. 7.02X) regarding the felony-murder doctrine; and (2) the State’s closing arguments denied him a fair trial. For the reasons that follow, we affirm defendant’s conviction.

BACKGROUND

On February 17, 1999, the…