Illinois Constitution — proportionate penalties clause

Posted June 9, 2020 10:23 AM

Where a defendant sentenced to natural life for a crime committed as a young adult seeks to file a postconviction petition alleging that his sentence violates the Illinois Constitution’s proportionate penalties clause, he only needs make a prima facie showing that the sentencing protections from the Miller v. Alabama line of cases apply to him.The 1st District Appellate Court reversed and remanded a decision from Cook County Associate Judge Gregory Ginex.Omar Johnson was convicted of murder, aggravated kidnapping, armed …

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