Appellate Court of Illinois March 5, 2002, No. 3—01—0073 (People v. Brooks)

JUSTICE SLATER

delivered the opinion of the court:

The defendant, William Brooks, pled guilty to first degree murder (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1991, ch. 38, par. 9—1(a)) and was sentenced to natural life in prison. He appeals from the dismissal of his second postconviction petition, arguing that his sentence violates the constitutional rule set forth in Apprendi v. New Jersey, 530 U.S. 466, 147 L. Ed.