People v. Robinson

── People v. Robinson ── Court: Appellate Court of Illinois Date: May 14, 2026 Category: General NOTICE 2026 IL App (5th) 240806-U NOTICE Decision filed 05/14/26. The This order was filed under text of this decision may be NO. 5-24-0806 Supreme Court Rule 23 and is changed or corrected prior to the filing of a Petition for not precedent except in the Rehearing or the disposition of IN THE limited circumstances allowed the same. under Rule 23(e)(1). APPELLATE COURT OF ILLINOIS FIFTH DISTRICT ______________________________________________________________________________ THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, ) Appeal from the ) Circuit Court of Plaintiff-Appellee, ) Vermilion County. ) v. ) No. 20-CF-58 ) CLOANGER ROBINSON, ) Honorable ) Derek J. Girton, Defendant-Appellant. ) Judge, presiding. ______________________________________________________________________________ JUSTICE McHANEY delivered the judgment of the court. Justices Moore ∗ and Boie concurred in the judgment. ORDER ¶1 Held: The evidence at trial was sufficient to support the jury’s verdicts finding the defendant guilty of three counts of first degree murder and that the defendant failed to establish that he acted in self-defense; the defendant’s claim that he was limited during cross-examination of an eyewitness was forfeited, because he failed to provide an offer of proof; the circuit court’s denial of the defendant’s request for a mistrial was not an abuse of discretion; the trial court’s decision to deny the defendant’s request for expert witness funds on matters of juvenile maturity and brain development was not an abuse of discretion. The case must be remanded to allow the defendant to seek a waiver of court pursuant to Illinois Supreme Court Rule 472 (eff. May 17, 2019). ¶2 Following a jury trial, the defendant, Cloanger Robinson, was convicted of first degree murder. The State charged the defendant with nine counts of first degree murder. The defendant’s ∗ Justice Moore fully participated in the decision prior to his retirement. See Cirro Wrecking Co. v. Roppolo, 153 Ill. 2d 6 (1992). 1 convictions resulted in some counts merging with others, and he was ultimately sentenced on three of the nine counts. The circuit court sentenced the defendant to three mandatory terms of life in prison and ordered the defendant to pay $799 in court costs. On appeal, the defendant contends that his convictions must be vacated because all were based on the “incredible” testimony of a witness who had a motive to falsely implicate him, the remaining evidence against him was insufficient, and the State failed to disprove the defendant’s claim of self-defense involving one victim. The defendant asserts that the circuit court improperly limited his cross-examination of a witness about the plea deal that witness reached with the State in exchange for testimony against the defendant. He also argues that the