On September 7, 2001, the seventh circuit court of appeals affirmed the defendant's convictions for several drug-related possession and distribution charges and his prison sentence of 468 months.
When Gov. Ryan signed P.A. 91-871 (governing evidence retention) in June of 2000, he expressed concerns with a number of provisions in the law including overbroad application to all physical evidence, arbitrary time limits for retention of evidence and unclear guidelines for the court in granting requests for early disposition of evidence.
Gov. George H. Ryan approved legislation in August that will place ecstasy and other "club drugs" on par with controlled substances such as cocaine, heroin, morphine, methamphetamines, and LSD.
On June 1, 2001, the Illinois Supreme Court affirmed defendant Michael Wagener's convictions. Wagener appealed his convictions for murder and concealment of homicidal death on two grounds.
The General Assembly approved a new gun control measure that would require convicted felons to surrender their guns and Firearm Ownership Identification Cards before going to prison.
On March 2, 2001, the Illinois Supreme Court reversed the circuit court's dismissal of the defendant's post-conviction petition filed in a death penalty case.
Citing a recent Supreme Court opinion, Illinois criminal defendants have successfully argued for a reduction in court-imposed sentences where the length of sentence was based on certain factors not proven during their trial.
On February 16, 2001, the Illinois Supreme Court reversed the appellate court's finding that § 21-6 of the Criminal Code of 1961, 720 ILCS 5/21-6, was unconstitutional.
Under legislation proposed by State Representative Jay Hoffman (D-Collinsville), police officers would have to record the race of every driver stopped or ticketed.
On January 19, 2001, the Illinois Supreme Court reversed the appellate court's finding that the defendant, Anthony Crane, had his constitutional right to a speedy trial violated.
