People v. Trotter

A jury convicted defendant John Trotter of murder and armed robbery. The trial court sentenced him to an extended term of 70 years for murder and 10 years for armed robbery, the sentences to be served concurrently. On appeal, defendant complains of a medical examiner’s testimony regarding findings in a toxicologist’s report; failure to give involuntary manslaughter and theft jury instructions; and prosecutorial remarks in closing arguments.

On April 6, 1986, near midnight, 83-year-old Florence Fuller was murdered in her apartment. A neighbor, Michael Pierce, testified that the 46-year-old…