People v. Tenner

The defendant, James Tenner, appeals a Cook County circuit court order dismissing his second post-conviction petition without an evidentiary hearing. Because the defendant was sentenced to death, his appeal lies directly to this court. See 134 Ill. 2d R. 651(a).

On January 10, 2003, while the defendant’s petition for rehearing was pending, former Governor George Ryan commuted the sentences of all Illinois death row inmates, including the defendant, to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole or mandatory supervised release. The defendant’s appeal primarily concerns his competency at…