People v. Winters

Defendant was convicted, after bench trial, of vehicular hijacking and sentenced as a Class X offender to 17 years. State's offer to agree to a sentencing cap of 20 years if he waived his right to jury was not inherently coercive and did not render his jury waiver invalid. Record clearly shows that Defendant was well aware his case would be decided by a judge rather than a jury. Defendant knowingly and voluntarily waived his right to jury trial. (HUDSON and BRENNAN, concurring.)