People v. Adams

In 1963 petitioner John Adams and two co-defendants, who are not involved in this appeal, were found guilty of murder by a Cook County circuit court jury and each was sentenced to a term of 35 to 70 years imprisonment. The convictions were affirmed on direct appeal. People v. Henderson (1967), 37 Ill.2d 489, cert, denied (1967), 389 U.S. 943, 19 L.Ed.2d 297, 88 S.Ct. 305.

In 1970 petitioner filed a pro se petition under the Post-Conviction Hearing Act (Ill.Rev.Stat. 1971, ch. 38, par. 122 — 1 et seq.), challenging the voluntariness of his confession which was admitted into evidence at his…