People v. Thomas

State: Illinois

Court: 4th District Appellate

Docket No: 4-98-0918

Case Date: 06/01/2000

1 June 2000

NO. 4-98-0918

IN THE APPELLATE COURT

OF ILLINOIS

FOURTH DISTRICT

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS
Plaintiff-Appellee,
v.
PATRICK LAMAR THOMAS,
Defendent-Appellant.

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Appeal from
Circuit Court of
Champaign County
No. 97CF474

Honorable
John G. Townsend,
Judge Presiding.

JUSTICE STEIGMANN delivered the opinion of the court:

In September 1998, a jury convicted defendant, Patrick Lamar Thomas, of first degree murder(720 ILCS 5/9-1(a)(1) (West 1998)). The trial court later sentenced him to 60 years in prisonwith credit for 252 days spent in custody while awaiting trial. Defendant appeals, arguing that (1)section 115-10.2 of the Illinois Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963 (Code) (725 ILCS 5/115-10.2 (West 1998)) is unconstitutional on its face and as applied to defendant; (2) Public Act 89-689 (Act) (Pub. Act 89-689, eff. December 31, 1996 (1996 Ill. Laws 3775)), which enactedsection 115-10.2 of the Code, violates the single subject rule of the Illinois Constitution (Ill.Const. 1970, art. IV,