People v. Heintz

Summary

The court held that Illinois Rule of Evidence 405(b)(2) permits evidence of an alleged victim's specific violent conduct only when it occurred before the charged offense, so the trial court properly excluded the victim's later conduct. The court also held that the trial court abused its discretion by excluding evidence of the defendant's acquittal on a prior domestic-battery charge, but concluded that the error was harmless because the evidence overwhelmingly undermined the defendant's self-defense claim. The court reversed the appellate judgment and remanded for consideration of the defendant's remaining claims.