People v. Balfour

Following a bench trial, defendant, Lavin Balfour, was convicted of murder and sentenced to 30 years in the Department of Corrections. On appeal defendant argues (1) the evidence is insufficient to sustain a finding of guilty of murder; (2) the trial court improperly denied a request for a behavioral-clinic examination made by defendant at his sentencing hearing; (3) defendant was denied effective assistance of counsel; and (4) defendant was denied due process of law when the police ""misplaced"" photographs taken at the police station which showed defendant reenacting his encounter with the victim. We affirm. On June 4, 1981, around 3:30 p.m., the victim, Robert Rodgers, defendant and some other men were in the alley behind 15203 Wood Street in Harvey. Defendant and Rodgers became involved in an argument. The two men moved down the alley, where a fight erupted. When Rodgers fell to the ground, defendant kicked and stomped him repeatedly. Rodgers was taken to a hospital for treatment, but he died that evening as a result of the injuries inflicted by defendant.