People v. Pedro Mercado

Home :: Significant Victories :: PR Mercado


May 12, 2008, Chicago.

The Illinois Appellate Court reversed the first-degree murder conviction of Pedro Mercado in the case of People v. Mercado, No. 1-06-3064 (2008). A jury found Pedro Mercado guilty of first-degree murder in the stabbing death of Angel Fernandez. Judge Timothy Chambers allowed the State to present testimony from two of Mr. Mercado’s co-defendants indicating that two separate codefendants, who did not testify at trial, made statements implicating Mr. Mercado as the perpetrator. Specifically, co-defendants and State witnesses Edgar Campos and Miguel Martinez both testified that two other co-defendants, Fermin Barron and Jamie Arreguil, informed them that Mr. Mercado had stabbed Mr. Fernandez.

On appeal, Attorney Robert M. Stephenson argued that the trial judge denied Mr. Mercado his sixth amendment right to confrontation by admitting the co-conspirator hearsay statements at trial. Specifically, Attorney Stephenson argued that the co-conspirator hearsay statements did not qualify for admission because the statements were solely a narrative of past events, and did not further the conspiracy.

The Appellate Court First District, in a unanimous opinion authored by Justice Gordon, agreed and reversed Mr. Mercado’s first-degree murder conviction and remanded the case for a new trial.

All documents relating to this case may be viewed by use of the links below.

Related Documents

Illinois Appellate Court's Opinion in People v. Mercado, No : Read the full test of the Illinois Appellate Court's unanimous opinion reversing Pedro Mercado's convictions and remanding the case for a new trial.

Pedro Mercado's Opening Brief: Read the full text of Pedro Mercado's Opening Brief in the Illinois Appellate Court

State's Brief: Read the full text of the State's Brief in People v. Pedro Mercado

Mercado's Reply Brief: Read the full text of the Pedro Mercado's Reply Brief in the Illinois Appellate Court.

Copyright 2004-2009 © R.M. Stephenson, LLC. All rights reserved.