People v. Hall

Defendant alleges that his guilty plea was induced by his attorney’s representation that the prosecutor had promised to recommend a minimum sentence of ten years. Defendant and his attorney told the circuit judge at the plea proceeding that the plea was not the result of any promises. Defendant was in fact sentenced to a minimum term of 20 years.

A different circuit judge later conducted an evidentiary hearing on his claim. Defense counsel testified that the prosecutor and an assistant prosecutor had said they would probably not recommend more than a ten-year minimum. He relayed this exact…