People v. Shum

After a jury trial, defendant, Keith Shum, 1 was convicted of murder, feticide, attempted murder, and two counts of rape. Defendant waived a jury for the sentencing phase of trial, and he was sentenced to death for murder and to concurrent sentences of 60 years for feticide, 60 years for attempted murder, and 30 years for each rape. His convictions and sentences were affirmed on direct appeal. People v. Shum, 117 Ill. 2d 317 (1987). Defendant filed a pro se postconviction petition in 1988; he filed an amended petition through counsel on September 24, 1997. After oral argument, the circuit…