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92_SB1774 LRB9213184RCsb 1 AN ACT in relation to criminal law. 2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, 3 represented in the General Assembly: 4 Section 5. The Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963 is 5 amended by adding Section 115-21 as follows: 6 (725 ILCS 5/115-21 new) 7 Sec. 115-21. Rules of evidence for the trial of capital 8 cases. If a defendant is charged with an offense for which a 9 sentence of death is authorized and the State's Attorney has 10 not, at the time of trial, filed a certificate indicating he 11 or she will not seek the death penalty or stated on the 12 record in open court that the death penalty will not be 13 sought, then the following special rules of evidence shall 14 apply at the trial to determine the defendants' guilt: 15 (1) If the defendant chooses to testify, then, 16 notwithstanding any other rules of evidence to the 17 contrary, the following shall not be admissible, unless 18 the defendant offers evidence of his good character: 19 (A) evidence of a prior conviction of the 20 defendant; 21 (B) evidence of specific instances of conduct 22 of the defendant offered solely for the purpose of 23 attacking the defendant's credibility; and 24 (C) other evidence offered solely for the 25 purpose of showing the defendant's character for 26 untruthfulness. 27 (2) If the State introduces testimony from an 28 eyewitness for the purpose of establishing the 29 defendant's identity as the perpetrator of the offense, 30 the defendant shall be permitted to introduce expert 31 testimony regarding the possible fallibility of the -2- LRB9213184RCsb 1 testifying eyewitness' identification. 2 (3) The State is not permitted to introduce any 3 testimony from an accomplice of the defendant or an 4 informant against the defendant who has been granted or 5 promised immunity from prosecution, sentence reduction or 6 any other form of leniency or other favorable treatment 7 by the prosecution in exchange for his or her testimony. 8 (4) Unless it is corroborated by a tape recording, 9 the State is not permitted to introduce a statement 10 against interest made by the defendant while the 11 defendant was in the custody of a law enforcement agency, 12 a county department of corrections or detention, or the 13 Illinois Department of Corrections through the testimony 14 of a person who was in custody with the defendant at the 15 time the statement was made. 16 (5) To the extent not inconsistent with clauses (1) 17 through (4), the rules of evidence governing criminal 18 trials in the State of Illinois shall be fully 19 applicable.