People v. Meredith

Mr. PRESIDING JUSTICE LINN

delivered the opinion of the court:

At the conclusion of a jury trial in the circuit court of Cook County, defendant, James Meredith, was convicted of two counts of murder. (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1975, ch. 38, par. 9 — 1(a)(1).) Defendant was sentenced to concurrent prison terms of 20 to 60 years.

On appeal, defendant contends: (1) plain error (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1975, ch. 110A, par. 615) occurred when, during closing argument, the prosecutor commented upon and urged an inference of guilt from the exercise of his sixth amendment (U.S. Const., amend. VI) right to assistance of…