People v. Boston

PRESIDING JUSTICE SCARIANO

delivered the opinion of the court:

On August 17, 1991, Roberto Velasquez, a 23-year-old medical student, was robbed and stabbed to death at a gas station on Roosevelt Road in the City of Chicago. Defendant Donald Boston and co-defendant Toney Washington were subsequently arrested and charged by indictment with first degree murder (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1991, ch. 38, par. 9 — 1 (now 720 ILCS 5/9 — 1 (West 1992))) and armed robbery (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1991, ch. 38, par. 18 — 2 (now 720 ILCS 5/18 — 2 (West 1992))).1 Defendants were tried in simultaneous jury trials.

During voir…