People v. Thomas

Defendant was convicted by a Du Page County jury of murder, burglary, arson, and aggravated arson. That same jury found defendant eligible for the death penalty and sentenced him to death. This court affirmed defendant’s convictions and sentences on direct appeal (People v. Thomas (1991), 137 Ill. 2d 500) and the United States Supreme Court declined review (Thomas v. Illinois (1991), 498 U.S. 1127, 112 L. Ed. 2d 1196, 111 S. Ct. 1092). Defendant, with the assistance of counsel, then sought post-conviction relief in the circuit court of Du Page County. (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1991, ch. 38, par. 122 —…