People v. Hopkins

The question before us in this case is whether defendant’s extended-term sentence, pursuant to section 5 — 8—2(a)(1) of the Unified Code of Corrections (730 ILCS 5/5 — 8—2(a)(1) (West 1994)), complies with the rule announced in Apprendi v. New Jersey, 530 U.S. 466, 147 L. Ed. 2d 435, 120 S. Ct. 2348 (2000). We find that it does.

Defendant, Scott Hopkins, was convicted of first degree murder (720 ILCS 5/9 — 1 (West 1994)), armed robbery (720 ILCS 5/18 — 2(a) (West 1994)), aggravated battery (720 ILCS 5/12 — 4 (West 1994)), and home invasion (720 ILCS 5/12 — 11 (West 1994)). The circuit court of…