People v. Chatman

In 1965, the defendant, Melvin Chatman, pleaded guilty in the circuit court of Cook County to three indictments covering three separate incidents, and was sentenced to imprisonment of not less than seven nor more than thirteen years on each indictment, the sentences to run concurrently. His post-conviction petition was dismissed on motion of the prosecution without an evidentiary hearing, and he appealed to this court.

Two of the three indictments charged robbery with a knife. The third contained three counts that arose out of a single incident: (1) attempt robbery, (2) attempt murder, and (3)…