People v. Charles

A jury found defendant James Charles guilty of the attempted armed robbery and the murder of Willie Rodgers, and the armed robbery of DeWanda Rodgers. The trial court sentenced defendant to concurrent prison terms of 60 years for murder, 30 years for armed robbery and 15 years for attempted armed robbery. On appeal, defendant contends that the trial court erred in denying his motion in limine to exclude evidence of a pending attempted murder charge; that the State exercised its peremptory challenges in a discriminatory manner; that prosecutorial closing argument shifted the burden of proof;…