People v. Lusietto

State: Illinois

Court: 3rd District Appellate

Docket No: 3-99-0506 Rel

Case Date: 09/15/2000

15 September 2000

No. 3--99--0506
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IN THE

APPELLATE COURT OF ILLINOIS

THIRD DISTRICT

A.D., 2000

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE
OF ILLINOIS,

Plaintiff-Appellee,

JAMES LUSIETTO, JR.,

Defendant-Appellant.

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Appeal from the Circuit Court
of the 13th Judicial Circuit,
La Salle County, Illinois

No. 98--CF--288

Honorable
H. Chris Ryan
Judge, Presiding

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JUSTICE HOMER delivered the opinion of the court:
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A jury convicted the defendant, James Lusietto, Jr., ofcannabis trafficking. 720 ILCS 550/5.1 (West 1998). Thedefendant was sentenced to 15 years of imprisonment. On appeal,the defendant argues that: (1) the court erred in allowing the"mere fact" of his previous felony conviction into evidence; (2)his sentence was excessive; and (3) the cannabis traffickingprovision violates equal protection guarantees (U.S. Const.,amend. XIV; Ill. Const. 1970, art. I,