Opinion ID: 3134415
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Admission of Evidence Regarding Defendant's

Text: Association with Convicted Drug Traffickers Defendant also argues that the State improperly introduced evidence that he was associated with Clemente and Dickie Messino, who, according to defendant, are notorious drug dealers in defendant's community. Defendant contends that this improper evidence deprived him of his right to a fair trial. Specifically, defendant points to Officer Castro's testimony that when defendant was under surveillance, he was observed entering an auto parts store owned by Clemente Messino; that Clemente Messino and his brother Dickie Messino were convicted in federal court of trafficking cocaine; and that defendant stated that his cocaine source was Dickie Messino. Defendant waived this argument because defense counsel neither objected to this testimony at trial, nor included this claim of error in his motion for a new trial. See People v. Enoch , 122 Ill. 2d 176, 186 (1988). Defendant urges us to consider this claim under the plain error doctrine. 134 Ill. 2d R. 615(a). Given that we have already reversed defendant's conviction and are remanding for a new trial, we need not resolve whether the admission of this evidence constitutes plain error.