People v. Ramirez

The defendant, Roberto E. Ramirez, 51 years of age, was found guilty of murder and attempted armed robbery following a bench trial in the circuit court of Cook County. The defendant was not sentenced on the attempted-armed-robbery conviction but, pursuant to the discretion granted it by the Illinois death penalty statute, the prosecution requested a death penalty hearing on the defendant’s murder conviction. (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1977, ch. 38, par. 9 — 1(d).) The defendant exercised his right to a bifurcated jury sentencing hearing. The jury found, in stage one of the bifurcated hearing, that the…