People v. Heflin

Following a jury trial in the circuit court of Lake County, defendant, Ardice Heflin, was found guilty of murder and conspiracy to commit murder. The court entered judgment on the murder conviction and sentenced the defendant to a term of 30 to 60 years’ imprisonment. The appellate court affirmed (40 Ill. App. 3d 635), and we granted defendant’s petition for leave to appeal (58 Ill. 2d R. 315).

The charges against the defendant resulted from the death of Clifford Atkinson, who was shot and killed in his home on January 3, 1974. Atkinson’s widow, Karolyn, who was indicted on the same charges as…