This lecture describes “unusual” or less commonly used defenses in Illinois, including necessity, mistake of fact, intoxication, and entrapment. Topics include: (1) case law and legal definitions, (2) relationships between the unusual defenses and others, (3) jury instructions, and (4) trial tactics and strategy.
Learning Objectives:
Areas of Practice
• Murder -- Homicide -- Death Penalty Cases
• Serious Felonies
• Drug / Weapons Cases
• Appeals -- Post-Convictions
• Sentencing -- Mitigation
• Civil Rights/1983
• Legal Education
• Legal Ethics
Litigation Percentage
• 100% of Practice Devoted to Litigation
Certified Legal Specialties
• Certified Lead Counsel, Capital Litigation Trial Bar, Illinois Supreme Court, 2001
Bar Admissions
• Illinois, 1985
• U.S. District Court Northern District of Illinois, 2008
Education
• Brooklyn Law School, Brooklyn, New York
o J.D. - 1983
o Honors: Order of Barristers, Moot Court
• University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
o B.A.
o Honors: With Honors
o Major: History
Published Works
• Reasonable Doubt Redux, 34 John Marshall L. Rev. 495, 2001
• The Admissibility of Expert Testimony, American Bar Association, 2003
Representative Cases
• People v. Terry Griggs, 152 Ill.2d 1, 604 N.E.2d 257 (Ill. S. Ct. 1992)
• People v. Arthur King, 154 Ill.2d 217, 608 N.E.2d 877 (Ill. S. Ct. 1993)
Classes/Seminars
• New Ideas for Jury Selection, Illinois Public Defender Association, 2007
• Capital Jury Selection, Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal, 2007
Honors and Awards
• Kutak-Dodds Award, Defender Prize, National Legal Aid and Defender Association, 2003
Professional Associations and Memberships
• Illinois Public Defender Association, President, 2006 - 2008
• Illinois Public Defender Association, Board Member, 2000 - Present
Past Employment Positions
• Office of the State Appellate Defender, Deputy Defender, 2000 - 2008
• Law Office of the Cook County Public Defender, Assistant Public Defender, 1989 - 2000
Well done.
Great knowledgeable speaker.
Good discussion and examples even if these defenses rarely crop up.
Learned a lot from him as an experienced criminal litigator. Very good and creative in criminal defense
Stephens was outstanding as usual.
Excellent lecture for the criminal defense practitioner
Thank you for presenting the law as well as giving multiple examples.