Illinois Appellate Court
Criminal Court
Sentencing
Defendant's mandatory natural life sentence, without possibility of parole, did not violate proportionate penalties clause or eighth amendment. Defendant was convicted of distributing two pounds of cocaine, after having pled guilty to drug offenses in 1992 and 1999. Even though 1999 conviction was in federal court, it qualified as predicate offense under plain language of Habitual Criminal Act. (HOWSE and LAVIN, concurring.)