People v. Daniels

This is one of the first, if not the first, criminal cases in Illinois where a trial judge allowed the State to present DNA evidence against the accused. One of the defendant’s contentions is that his attorney was ill-equipped to challenge the evidence. We examine that contention, as well as the State’s claim that the DNA evidence did defendant no harm.

In this consolidated appeal Michael Daniels (Daniels) seeks review of his 1989 convictions for murder and aggravated criminal sexual assault, his sentence of natural life imprisonment, and the 1996 order denying his petition for postconviction…