Opinion ID: 2252698
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: facts

Text: Defendant lived with his girlfriend, Brandie Ann King, her son, and her mother at her mother's house. King testified that on February 15, 1999, she and defendant argued about defendant's leaving the bathroom dirty after taking a bath. The next morning, defendant pushed King onto her bed and straddled her, restraining her ability to move. He then ripped her shirt open and slapped her face. Defendant ordered her to remove her clothes. While brandishing a utility knife, defendant sexually assaulted her. Following forced intercourse, defendant continued to physically and verbally assault her. Defendant placed the blade of a utility knife against her throat, stabbed her in the chest with a utility knife, stabbed her in the abdomen with a steak knife, choked her repeatedly, beat her with an aluminum baseball bat, placed a pillow over her face, placed a shirt over her face and attempted to slit her throat, and used a syringe to inject household cleaning products into her leg and neck. Defendant was found guilty of four counts of attempt (first degree murder) (720 ILCS 5/8-4(a), 9-1(a)(1) (West 1998)), two counts of aggravated criminal sexual assault (720 ILCS 5/12-14(a)(1), (a)(2) (West 1998)), and one count of obstructing justice (720 ILCS 5/31-4(a) (West 1998)). Attempt (first degree murder) and aggravated criminal sexual assault are Class X felonies. 720 ILCS 5/8-4(c), 12-14(d)(1) (West 1998). The trial court found that defendant had inflicted serious harm on King and sentenced him to concurrent prison terms of 45 years on each attempt and aggravated criminal sexual assault count, and a concurrent 6-year term of imprisonment for obstruction of justice. The appellate court reversed the trial court's sentencing order because defendant's convictions for attempted first degree murder and aggravated criminal sexual assault trigger the consecutive sentencing provision of section 5-8-4(a) of the Code (730 ILCS 5/5-8-4(a) (West 1998)). The appellate court remanded with instructions to impose consecutive sentences pursuant to section 5-8-4(a). Because the appellate court found the concurrent sentences imposed by the trial court in violation of section 5-8-4(a) of the Code, the court did not reach defendant's due process arguments under Apprendi v. New Jersey, 530 U.S. 466, 120 S.Ct. 2348, 147 L.Ed.2d 435 (2000). Defendant now appeals to this court, arguing the appellate court erred in vacating the concurrent sentences and ordering the imposition of consecutive sentencing. The appellate court's modification of defendant's sentence for obstruction of justice to a nonextended term is not at issue in this appeal.