People v. Tripp

On November 28, 1988, defendant, Stephen Paul Tripp, pleaded guilty to two counts of theft and four counts of murder in the deaths of two different victims. Defendant was subsequently sentenced to natural life imprisonment. Three years later, defendant filed a post-conviction petition alleging his pleas were involuntarily entered because he was never properly admonished that the minimum sentence for multiple murders was mandatory life imprisonment. Following an evidentiary hearing, defendant’s petition for post-conviction relief was denied. Defendant appeals and raises two issues for review:…