People v. Zoph

Following a jury trial in the circuit court of Lake County, defendant, James E. Zoph, appeals his conviction of first-degree murder of a person 60 years of age or over by exceptionally brutal or heinous behavior indicative of wanton cruelty (720 ILCS 5/9 — l(b)(16) (West 2004)). Defendant contends that he was deprived of a fair trial by a number of the prosecutor’s remarks during rebuttal closing argument and by the publication of certain prejudicially gruesome photographs of the victim. We affirm.

The record on appeal is moderately voluminous. We therefore summarize only those facts necessary…