People v. Sanders

Petitioner, James Sanders, and his codefendants, Clarence Underwood and James Talbert, were convicted of murder (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1981, ch. 38, pars. 9 — 1(a)(1), (a)(2)) following a jury trial in the circuit court of Cook County. The trial judge sentenced Sanders to the penitentiary for a term of 20 years. On direct appeal, this court affirmed the conviction and sentence in a Rule 23 order (107 Ill. 2d R. 23). People v. Underwood (1985), 137 Ill. App. 3d 1156.

Sanders subsequently petitioned for relief pursuant to the Post-Conviction Hearing Act (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1985, ch. 38, par. 122 — 1 et…