day he saw defendant carry the body to the car was on February 18, 1984. Panisi also testified that on that same night he telephoned defendant at approximately 7:30 p.m. Upon defense counsel's questions, however, Panisi then acknowledged that at about 12:40 p.m., on February 18, 1984, he was arrested by the Chicago police for stealing a car stereo.
On cross-examination, Panisi also admitted that in February 1984 he had a habit of drinking and taking Valium pills which he stole from his grandmother. Panisi also acknowledged that he has been doing drugs for so long that he has no more veins and that he "can't do drugs no more." Panisi indicated that when he visited defendant's apartment in the 1980s he would mostly take LSD. He stated thathe did heroin a couple of times but did not like it because it made him "nod out." Panisi indicated that his veins were ruined by the pain medication he injected himself. Panisi stated that he used to steal prescriptions from his doctor and write his own prescriptions for diet pills and other medicines.
Panisi acknowledged that within the last 15 years he also began working as a federal informant. As part of his informant duties, Panisi was paid by handlers to make introductions for people who were trying to buy illegal things. Panisi acknowledged that he "learned that if you gave the government information and they acted on it, they would pay you for it."
On cross-examination, Panisi also admitted that in 2002, he was arrested and convicted for