People v. Lewis

Defendant Andre Lewis (also known as Dary Lewis) entered an open plea of guilty to two counts of first degree murder for the beating death of the victim, EB., a five-year-old boy. The State sought imposition of the death penalty. At the death penalty hearing, the court found that defendant qualified for the death penalty because the crime was accompanied by exceptionally brutal or heinous behavior indicative of wanton cruelty under section 9 — 1(b)(7) of the Criminal Code of 1961 (Criminal Code) (720 ILCS 5/9 — 1(b)(7) (West 1998)). However, the trial judge did not impose the death penalty…