ILLINOIS COURTS ISSUES OPINIONS ON THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS V/S ANTHONY POWELL CASE

SPRINGFIELD, Ill., May 23 -- The Illinois Courts Office issued the following opinion April 25:

1. Held: (1) The trial court did not err in denying defendant's Batson challenge, (2) the improper arguments by the prosecution during closing argument did not amount to reversible error, and (3) the failure to request a certain jury instruction did not result in the ineffective assistance of counsel.

2. Defendant Anthony Powell appeals his conviction for the offense of possession of a weapon by a felon (720 ILCS 5/24-1.1(a) (West 2020)). Among the issues initially raised in this direct appeal is the denial of defendant's Batson challenge (see Batson v. Kentucky, 476 U.S. 79 (1986)), the State's alleged misrepresentations of the strength of fore...