People v. Williams

The defendant, Patrick Williams, was charged by information in the circuit court of Jackson County with the offenses of murder (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1981, ch. 38, pars. 9—1(a)(1), 9—1(a)(2)) and theft (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1981, ch. 38, par. 16 — 1). Prior to trial on the murder charge, defendant pleaded guilty to the offense of theft. Thereafter, following a jury trial, defendant was found guilty of murder. He was sentenced to concurrent terms of 25 years’ imprisonment for murder and 5 years’ imprisonment for theft. A codefendant, Edward Leroy Buchannan, entered into a negotiated plea agreement,…