People v. Ervin

Defendant Rodney Ervin was charged by information with first-degree murder (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1989, ch. 38, pars. 9—1(a)(1), (a)(2), (a)(3)). Following a jury trial, he was convicted and sentenced to 25 years’ imprisonment. He now appeals, contending that (1) the trial court erred in admitting certain hearsay statements of two of his co-defendants into evidence; and (2) the prosecutor committed reversible error in making certain statements to the jury in his closing argument.

Defendant was charged with the murder of Charles George (George), along with codefendants Jimmy Brooks (Brooks), Anthony…