Vernard Crockett v. Kim Butler

HAMILTON, Circuit Judge.

In 2004, sixteen-year-old Jazmine Robinson was shot and killed in her Chicago home. Her boyfriend, petitioner Vernard Crockett, was convicted of first-degree murder and attempted armed robbery for his role in her death. He appealed, asserting that the evidence did not support his attempted armed robbery conviction and that his rights under the Confrontation Clause of the Sixth Amendment had been violated. He prevailed on the first argument. The Illinois Appellate Court reversed his attempted armed robbery conviction and ordered re-sentencing on the murder conviction.

Aft…