The PEOPLE v. Sephus

An indictment returned by the grand jury of Adams County charged the defendant, Floyd Sephus, with murder. He pleaded not guilty, but on the second day of his trial, during the process of jury selection, he was permitted to withdraw that plea, and to enter a plea of guilty to the lesser included offense of voluntary manslaughter. He was sentenced to imprisonment for not less than 13 nor more than 20 years. Upon appeal the appellate court declined to reduce the sentence. (109 Ill. App. 2d 240.) The defendant’s post-conviction petition was dismissed on motion of the State without an evidentiary…