Illinois Supreme Court
Criminal Court
Post-Conviction Petitions
Defendant was convicted, after jury trial, of two murders. Court summarily dismissed his pro se postconviction petition. Circuit court may not dismiss a postconviction petition at first stage solely on basis that it lacked a verification affidavit, as court at first stage considers petition's substantive virtue rather than its procedural compliance. (GARMAN, THOMAS, KILBRIDE, KARMEIER, BURKE, and THEIS, concurring.)