People v. Sims

PRESIDING JUSTICE CAHILL

delivered the opinion of the court:

Following a jury trial, defendant Octavis Sims was convicted of first degree murder under section 9 — 1(a)(1) of the Criminal Code of 1961 (720 ILCS 5/9 — 1(a)(1) (West 2000)) and sentenced to 23 years in prison. He appeals, claiming that the trial court: (1) improperly admitted evidence in a pretrial hearing that he failed a polygraph examination; (2) allowed improper closing arguments by the prosecutor; and (3) misread the jury instructions on eyewitness identification. Defendant also claims, and the State concedes, that the…