Opinion ID: 2255082
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Postconviction Petition and the Record

Text: The postconviction petition, which contains 22 numbered claims in 26 handwritten pages, was accompanied by 18 affidavits and copies of portions of petitioner's medical records. The bulk of the petition involves allegations that various witnesses lied at his trial, that he lacked the intent to commit murder, or that the State pursued his prosecution to prevent him from filing a lawsuit against the officer who shot him. Only three paragraphs arguably relate to the question of his fitness to stand trial. First, petitioner states that he was not given a psychiatric evaluation and that an evaluation would have shown his state of mind at the time of [his] arrest and at the time of trial. Second, he states several times that he wanted to die on the day of his arrest and wanted the police to kill him and when he was not kill[ed] by the police he still wanted to die. He describes fighting off the paramedics and refusing treatment. He also states that he had tried to kill himself before and was on psych medication before his arrest. Third, petitioner alleges in the final paragraph of his petition: Now Brown was on very heavy Psych Medication at the time of Brown trial and Brown didn't know exactly what was happening at Brown trial and didn't understand everything at his trial. Now Brown had to stop taking some of his Psych Medication his Trazodone Medication to write and explain these event in this Document clearly so Brown can understand what Brown was writing to the best of his ability and Brown know and believe's in his heart and has proven that he didn't want to hurt or kill anyone but himself by Suicide by Police and know that Brown is not Guilty of first degree Murder. And Brown has proven that the evidence in this Document would have changed the outcome of the trial. Now if you need to find out more you can ask Brown Mother Virginia Guerrero and Gloria Flores and Patricia Romas they know that these things Brown Say's are true. Now every thing Brown has say in this Document is what Brown feel's and knows is the truth. Six of the affidavits were made by the petitioner, only one of which relates to his fitness to stand trial. Petitioner avers that before my arrest I was taking Zoloft 50, Seroquil 400, Sinequan 100 and because of the very heavy psych medication I was taking made me unable to understand everything and unable to think and answer everything the way I should have and made me feel like I could not talk or question anything at my trial. It just made me slow to react in my mind. His mother's affidavit states that prior to his arrest, petitioner was diagnosed as bipolar and was taking medication. She also states that he had made several suicide attempts prior to his arrest. Petitioner's aunt's affidavit repeats these claims. (Other allegations in these affidavits relate to counsel's performance, not to any possible prejudice to petitioner.) Medical records document the diagnosis and treatment with medication. The overarching theme of the petition and accompanying affidavits is that petitioner should not have been found guilty of attempted murder because he did not intend to kill the officer. Rather, he intended to provoke the police into killing him. He argues that the way he was holding the knife shows lack of intent to kill, witnesses against him lied, and the entire prosecution was a plot to keep him from filing a lawsuit. The first two statements quoted above regarding his state of mind and his wanting to die are part of this argument regarding his lack of intent to commit murder and are not directed at or relevant to his fitness for trial. The only allegations that touch on his fitness to stand trial are the statement in the petition that he did not know what was happening at trial and the statement in his affidavit that he was unable to understand everything and unable to think and answer everything the way I should have and made me feel like I could not talk or question anything at my trial. It just made me slow to react in my mind. These few words constitute the entirety of his claim that a bona fide doubt of his fitness to stand trial existed at the relevant time. This statement is conclusory and belied by the trial record. The majority, however, devotes only one paragraph to its discussion of the factual allegations in the petition. 236 Ill.2d at 191, 337 Ill.Dec. at 906-07, 923 N.E.2d at 757-58. Without any reference to the record, the majority finds that petitioner's claim is arguably supported by the allegations in his petition and supporting affidavits. 236 Ill.2d at 191, 337 Ill.Dec. at 907, 923 N.E.2d at 758.