People v. Bitakis

Defendant was charged with murder. A jury found him guilty. He was sentenced to serve 15 to 25 years. The issue dispositive of this appeal is whether he was deprived of a fair trial by the closing argument an assistant State’s Attorney made to the jury.

On March 4, 1969, because they were estranged, defendant’s wife, Eugenia Bitakis, and their two children were living with her mother in Chicago. At about 5:00 A.M., according to the mother, Matani Lalagos, defendant telephoned the home and told Mrs. Lalagos, “You took her [referring to his wife, Eugenia], T shall kill her.” Eugenia came to the…