People v. Smith

Defendant, Norris Lee Smith, was convicted of the offense of forgery by a jury in the circuit court of Madison County and was sentenced to a five-year term of imprisonment. Defendant contends on appeal: (1) that venue was not proved beyond a reasonable doubt; and (2) that the trial court erred in denying his motion to suppress an alleged post-arrest statement and in compelling defendant to provide handwriting exemplars.

At approximately 1:30 on the afternoon of December 20, 1978, a woman presented a prescription to Joseph Kube at the pharmacy counter in Reese’s Drug Store in Granite City,…