SPRINGFIELD — People who plead guilty to crimes are not automatically precluded from later asserting claims of innocence, the state’s highest court ruled on Thursday.The Illinois Supreme Court’s unanimous decision creates a new precedent for state courts. This is the first time the high court answered the question of whether individuals who pleaded guilty can still successfully claim innocence.Under Illinois law, individuals convicted of crimes can petition the court and successfully assert a claim of innocence if they can …