Court Opinion

ID: 9706400
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 01:42:45.533925+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:22:22.148928
License: Public Domain

JUSTICE McLAREN, specially concurring: Today’s decision follows the cases which the supreme court mandated this court to consider in our reconsideration of this appeal. People v. Kaczmarek, 207 Ill. 2d 288 (2003); People v. Thurow, 203 Ill. 2d 352 (2003); People v. Swift, 202 Ill. 2d 378 (2002); People v. Crespo, 203 Ill. 2d 335 (2001). I dissented from the previous majority opinion because I believed, and continue to believe, that our statutory scheme does not violate Apprendi. People v. Tenney, 329 Ill. App. 3d 430, 444-45 (2002) (McLaren, J., dissenting). Nonetheless, having voiced my disagreement previously, I concur in today’s opinion because the doctrine of stare decisis requires that we adhere to established precedent. People v. Mitchell, 189 Ill. 2d 312, 338 (2000).