People v. Trotter

PRESIDING JUSTICE CAHILL

delivered the opinion of the court:

After a jury trial, defendant Willie Trotter was convicted of first degree murder and sentenced to 36 years in prison. On appeal defendant argues: (1) that the trial court erred by refusing to instruct the jury on battery as a lesser included offense of murder; and (2) defendant’s counsel was ineffective because he did not tender jury instructions on withdrawal from the crime. We affirm.

The evidence at trial established the following. At about 8:15 p.m. on August 25, 1995, gunshots were heard near Percy Julian Junior High School in…