Opinion ID: 2105166
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Michael Cosby

Text: The State initially charged Cosby with unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia (720 ILCS 600/3.5 (West 2000)) and unlawful possession of cocaine (720 ILCS 570/402(c) (West 2000)), resulting from a search of Cosby's vehicle and of a cigarette pack belonging to Cosby. The drug paraphernalia charge was later nol-prossed by the State. Cosby filed a motion to suppress evidence. Trial counsel and the State stipulated to the admission of the police report written by Officer Steven Kaus and then presented arguments to the circuit court of Will County. The police report is not in the record on appeal. However, the appellate court stated the stipulation provided that Kaus would testify that he stopped Cosby for not having a proper rear registration light. Cosby provided valid insurance information and a speeding ticket in lieu of a driver's license. Kaus returned to his squad car and called for backup. He verified that Cosby had a valid driver's license and that there were no outstanding warrants for his arrest. When the backup officer arrived, Kaus approached Cosby's car, returned his speeding ticket and insurance card to him, and gave Cosby a warning for the rear light violation. Kaus then asked for consent to search Cosby's car. Cosby consented. Kaus found drug paraphernalia in the console of the car and he arrested Cosby. The trial court denied the motion to suppress, but did not explain its reasoning. At Cosby's trial, Kaus testified that at approximately 1:30 a.m. on July 12, 2001, he stopped Cosby's car for having no rear license plate light. Cosby handed him a speeding ticket and an insurance card. Kaus went back to his squad car, where he called for backup in anticipation of requesting Cosby's consent to search his car. About five minutes later, the backup officer arrived. Kaus went back to Cosby's car, returned the speeding ticket and insurance card, and gave Cosby a written warning about the rear registration light. Kaus then asked Cosby for consent to search his car, which Cosby gave. Prior to searching the car, Kaus asked for and received consent from Cosby to search his person. Cosby removed all items from his pockets, Kaus inspected them, and Cosby replaced the items in his pockets. Kaus then proceeded to search Cosby's car. Kaus found a crack pipe in the car's center console. He placed Cosby under arrest and took him to the police station. There, Cosby emptied his pockets and placed his property on a tray, including a package of cigarettes. Cosby called his wife to come to the jail and post bond. As Kaus was giving Cosby back his property, he discovered four rocks of crack cocaine hidden within the cigarette packaging. The jury convicted Cosby of the possession charge and, following a sentencing hearing, the trial court sentenced Cosby to 24 months of probation, six months in the county jail, and payment of fines. Trial counsel filed a motion to reconsider sentence, which was denied. Counsel did not file a posttrial motion. Cosby appealed, arguing that the trial court erred in denying his motion to suppress evidence. The appellate court first addressed Cosby's forfeiture of his argument on appeal, noting that Cosby had failed to preserve the issue in a posttrial motion. However, the appellate court elected to consider the issue, [b]ased on the constitutional nature and underlying implication of the alleged error. Relying on this court's decision in People v. Gonzalez, 204 Ill.2d 220, 273 Ill.Dec. 360, 789 N.E.2d 260 (2003), the appellate court held that Kaus' questioning of Cosby and his search of Cosby's car were unrelated to the circumstances justifying the stop, that Kaus lacked any reasonable, articulable suspicion that would support his further detention and questioning of Cosby, and that Kaus' actions impermissibly prolonged Cosby's detention and changed the fundamental nature of the stop. Accordingly, the appellate court held that the motion to suppress should have been granted. Cosby, No. 3-03-0681, 355 Ill. App.3d 1200, 319 Ill.Dec. 314, 885 N.E.2d 585 (unpublished order under Supreme Court Rule 23). Justice Schmidt dissented, arguing that Gonzalez has been implicitly overruled by the United States Supreme Court's decision in Illinois v. Caballes, 543 U.S. 405, 125 S.Ct. 834, 160 L.Ed.2d 842 (2005). Relying on other decisions of this court and the Supreme Court, Justice Schmidt would have found the search of Cosby's car legal on the basis of a valid consent. We granted the State's petition for leave to appeal (210 Ill.2d R. 315(a)).