Opinion ID: 2022426
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Defendant Reed

Text: After a bench trial in the circuit court of Cook County, Derrick Reed was convicted of reckless homicide and aggravated driving under the influence of alcohol. Reed was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment for the reckless homicide offense to be served concurrently with a four-year sentence for driving under the influence. Reed did not file a post-sentencing motion in the trial court, but challenged his sentence as excessive on appeal. 282 Ill.App.3d 278, 217 Ill.Dec. 866, 668 N.E.2d 51. The appellate court concluded that the 1993 amendment to section 5-8-1(c) requires a written post-sentencing motion be made in the trial court in order to preserve sentencing issues for appeal. The court reasoned that the plain language of the amendment made a written post-sentencing motion the functional equivalent of a post-trial motion. Thus, the appellate court found defendant's sentencing challenge waived and further found no plain error. We granted Reed's petition for leave to appeal. 155 Ill.2d R. 315.