People v. Mendez

Petitioner, Rene Mendez, was convicted by a jury of murder and attempted murder (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1983, ch. 38, pars. 9 — 1(a), 8 — 4(a)) and sentenced to concurrent terms of 35 and 15 years in custody of the Department of Corrections. His conviction was affirmed on January 14, 1986, in an unpublished Rule 23 order. (See People v. Trinidad (1st Dist. 1986), No. 1 — 84—2255 (unpublished order under Supreme Court Rule 23)1.) On July 23, 1987, he filed a petition pursuant to the Post-Conviction Hearing Act (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1985, ch. 38, par. 122 — 1 et seq.), which sought an evidentiary hearing.…