People v. Powell

Defendant, Monty Powell, was indicted for the attempted armed robbery and murder of an East Chicago Heights Police Department dispatcher, Oscar Brumfield. At his first trial in the circuit court of Cook County, the jury was unable to reach a verdict. Following a subsequent jury trial, he was convicted of both charges and judgments were entered. Upon the jury’s recommendation he was sentenced to death for the murder and now appeals to this court (50 Ill. 2d R. 603) contending that various errors, hereinafter enumerated, denied him a fair trial and that his sentence was improper.

John Gallano of…