People v. Neal

In May 1980 defendant, Robert Neal, was convicted of rape in a jury trial, and sentenced to a term of eight years’ imprisonment. He appealed from that conviction and we affirmed the trial court. (People v. Neal (1981), 92 Ill. App. 3d 1199, 423 N.E.2d 995 (Rule 23 order), appeal denied (1981), 85 Ill. 2d 560, cert. denied (1981), 454 U.S. 899, 70 L. Ed. 2d 216, 102 S. Ct. 402.) Neal filed a post-conviction petition in which he alleged that he had been incompetently represented at trial. After an evidentiary hearing, the petition was denied, and the defendant appeals. He contends on appeal…