People v. Williams

Summary

The Illinois Supreme Court affirmed the first-stage dismissal of Torolan Williams's postconviction petition challenging his mandatory natural-life sentence for multiple murders. The court held that, although first-stage pleading requirements are minimal, Williams alleged only his age and general brain-science principles, without facts about his personal circumstances showing that he was functionally similar to a juvenile. Because the underlying sentencing challenge lacked an arguable factual basis, counsel was not ineffective for failing to raise it.