People v. Urdiales

Chief Justice Thomas and Justices Freeman, Fitzgerald, Garman, and Burke concurred in the judgment and opinion.

Justice Kilbride concurred in part and dissented in part, with opinion.

OPINION

Defendant, Andrew Urdíales, was indicted in the circuit court of Livingston County for the first degree murder of Cassandra Corum. See 720 ILCS 5/9 — 1(a) (West 2004). The State subsequently filed notice of intent to seek the death penalty. Defendant tendered a plea of guilty but mentally ill; however, the State disputed the existence of mental illness. The parties subsequently agreed to an evidentiary…