People v. Lawson

Following a jury trial, defendant was convicted of first degree murder (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1989, ch. 38, par. 9 — 1) in the circuit court of Macon County and sentenced to 50 years’ imprisonment. Defendant appeals his conviction and sentence as well as denial of his supplemental post-trial motion for a new trial based on newly discovered evidence. Defendant alleges (1) the victim’s dying declaration was improperly admitted; (2) evidence of a prior shooting was improperly admitted; (3) he was deprived of a fair trial by the prosecutor’s closing argument; (4) guilt was not proved beyond a…