People v. Thomas

Justices Murphy and Steele concurred in the judgment and opinion.

OPINION

Following a bench trial, the trial court found that Móntate Thomas violated the armed habitual criminal statute. 720 ILCS 5/24—1.7 (West 2006). On appeal, Thomas contends that: (1) the prosecution did not prove that he committed two prior forcible felonies, because the prosecution did not show that Thomas’s prior conviction for attempted murder qualified as a forcible felony; (2) his trial counsel did not provide effective assistance; and (3) the armed habitual criminal statute violates the ex post facto clauses of the…