People v. Townsell

Dennis Townsell pled guilty to a charge of first degree murder (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1991, ch. 38, par. 9 — 1(a)(1)) and was sentenced to an extended prison term. On direct appeal to this court, he claimed that his extended term violated the rule announced in Apprendi v. New Jersey, 530 U.S. 466, 147 L. Ed. 2d 435, 120 S. Ct. 2348 (2000). We rejected the State’s argument that his guilty plea effected a waiver of the claim. Then we held that the extended portion of his sentence was unconstitutional under Apprendi.

The State petitioned the Illinois Supreme Court for leave to appeal. The supreme court…