People v. Steward

FIFTH DIVISION December 3, 2010 No. 1-09-1006 THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, ) Appeal from the ) Circuit Court of Plaintiff-Appellee, ) Cook County. ) v. ) ) STEVEN STEWARD, ) ) Honorable Defendant-Appellant. ) Dennis Porter, ) Judge Presiding. ) JUSTICE HOWSE delivered the opinion of the court: Defendant, Steven Steward, filed a petition for post- conviction relief on February 9, 2009, asserting his actual innocence. The trial court summarily dismissed defendant’s petition, finding that it was frivolous and patently without merit. In doing so, the court determined that although…