People v. Destiny P. (In Re Destiny P.)

¶ 1 This is a direct appeal by the State from an order of the Cook County circuit court finding sections 5-101(3) and 5-605(1) of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987 (Act) ( 705 ILCS 405/5-101(3), 5-605(1) (West 2016)) unconstitutional as applied to respondent, Destiny P. The trial court found that these sections, which do not provide jury trials for first-time juvenile offenders charged with first degree murder, violate the equal protection clauses of the United States and Illinois Constitutions. See U.S. Const., amend. XIV, § 1 ; Ill. Const. 1970, art. I, § 2. The trial court rejected…