Opinion ID: 2998332
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Post-Conviction Proceedings

Text: On December 14, 1987, Montgomery filed a post-conviction petition in the circuit court of Cook County. He claimed, for the first time, that Judge Samuels was biased because defense counsel had ex parte meetings with him in which he allegedly promised that he would not impose the death penalty if Montgomery waived his right to a jury for both trial and sentencing. The circuit court denied the petition. Montgomery appealed to the Illinois Supreme Court, arguing that he had not had a full and fair opportunity to cross-examine Judge Samuels. The court remanded with directions to reopen the hearing to allow Montgomery to fully cross-examine all of the witnesses. Pursuant to Montgomery’s request for a change of venue, a new hearing on Montgomery’s claims of judicial misconduct and ineffective assistance of counsel was conducted in October and November 1996 by Judge Michael Weber of the Fourth Judicial District in Jasper County, Illinois. At this hearing, Judge Samuels testified that he had not made an ex parte offer to sentence Montgomery to natural life. He further stated that if he had ever met with defense attorneys McNamara or Morrissey ex parte, the only topic they would have discussed was scheduling. Defense attorneys McNamara and Morrissey testified that they had met with Judge Samuels on three occasions. McNamara testified as to the first of these meetings. In April 1983, he met with Judge Samuels ex parte to discuss scheduling. After McNamara described the evidence he expected the State to introduce, Judge Samuels sug- 6 No. 03-4201 gested pleading Montgomery guilty. McNamara expressed concern about making a blind plea in a capital case, to which Judge Samuels allegedly replied: “As far as that’s concerned, why don’t you look at my record.” R. at 838. Defense counsel Morrissey testified as to the second meeting. In April 1983, he met with Judge Samuels ex parte to discuss scheduling. Morrissey told the judge that Mont- gomery would be electing a jury trial, and Judge Samuels replied that Montgomery should plead guilty and that he would impose a life sentence, again referring to his track record. Both defense counsel testified as to the June 10, 1983 meeting with Judge Samuels, which was also attended by two assistant state’s attorneys and ended when Assistant State’s Attorney Arthur arrived. After weighing the evidence, Judge Weber determined that the claimed ex parte communication from Judge Samuels promising a life sentence in exchange for a jury waiver “simply did not exist.” Montgomery, 736 N.E.2d at 1037. In so ruling, he found that Judge Samuels was credible and that defense attorneys McNamara and Morrissey were not. He also found that it would be “totally. . . out of character” for Judge Samuels to hold an ex parte meeting after he had previously rejected a plea conference because the State would not participate. Id. Thus, Judge Weber denied the post-conviction petition. On June 15, 2000, the Illinois Supreme Court affirmed Judge Weber’s ruling, deferring to his credibility determina- tions. In so ruling, the court opined that defense attorneys McNamara and Morrissey “might have been hoping to hear an indication from the trial judge about what sentence he would impose in this case, and counsel could have misrepresented the judge’s comments.” Montgomery, 736 N.E.2d at 1038. On June 4, 2001, the United States Supreme Court denied Montgomery’s petition for certiorari. On September 27, 2001, Montgomery filed a petition for No. 03-4201 7 a writ of habeas corpus. On January 10, 2003, former Governor Ryan commuted Montgomery’s sentence from death to natural life without the possibility for parole. On September 8, 2003, the district court denied habeas relief; she also denied a certificate of appealability. On August 16, 2004, we granted Montgomery’s request for a certificate of appealability as to the constitutional challenges connected to the ex parte discussions.