People v. Smeathers

Mr. PRESIDING JUSTICE RECHENMACHER

delivered the opinion of the court:

The defendant pleaded guilty to a charge of theft of property worth over $150 and was sentenced to a term of not less than 2 nor more than 6 years in the penitentiary. In this appeal, the defendant contends he was not adequately admonished by the trial court as to the nature of the charge before his plea of guilty was accepted, as required by Supreme Court Rule 402(a)(1).

The facts developed by the testimony at the hearing on the guilty plea established that the defendant and several companions were riding around in an old…