Opinion ID: 2253001
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Pattern Instructions

Text: Defendant lastly contends that the trial judge used erroneous Illinois Pattern Jury Instructions concerning other-crimes evidence and out-of-court statements by the child-victim to his mother. The purpose of jury instructions is to provide to the jury the correct legal principles applicable to the evidence, so that the jury may reach a correct conclusion according to the law and the evidence. ( People v. Gambony (1948), 402 Ill. 74, 81-82, 83 N.E.2d 321.) In criminal cases, where Illinois Pattern Jury Instructions contain an applicable instruction, giving due consideration to the facts and the governing law, the IPI instruction is to be used, unless the court determines that it does not accurately state the law. (134 Ill.2d R. 451(a).) In determining the adequacy of instructions, a reviewing court will consider all of the instructions as a whole to ascertain if they fully and fairly cover the law. People v. Housby (1981), 84 Ill.2d 415, 433-34, 50 Ill.Dec. 834, 420 N.E.2d 151; People v. Stevens (1957), 11 Ill.2d 21, 29, 141 N.E.2d 33.