People v. Barker

PRESIDING JUSTICE SLATER

delivered the opinion of the court:

Defendant, Steven Barker, pleaded guilty and was convicted of the offense of residential burglary (720 ILCS 5/19 — 3 (West 1992)). Pursuant to plea negotiations, defendant was sentenced to an eight-year term of imprisonment. On March 29, 1993, defendant, through counsel, filed a petition for post-conviction relief in the circuit court of Tazewell County. The court dismissed the petition as "patently without merit,” and defendant appeals. For reasons that follow, we reverse.

According to the record on appeal, defendant’s petition…