Opinion ID: 3134662
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 13

Heading: Testimony Regarding Prior Death Sentence

Text: In proceedings leading to the death penalty hearing, the trial court granted a motion in limine barring the State from eliciting testimony regarding defendant’s prior death sentences for the murder of Lillian LaCrosse or the fact that defendant was on death row. At the death penalty hearing, the State solicited testimony from Dr. Wahlstrom, a psychiatrist and medical doctor who testified on defendant’s behalf, that defendant had told other people he had a loving, caring family. The State then asked Dr. Wahlstrom the following questions: “Q. And at the time that he made those statements to other people, he was not facing the death penalty. Is that right?
Q. Correct? A. I am not sure of the dates.” The trial court sustained trial counsel’s objection and instructed the jury to disregard the answer. In the amended petition, defendant contends that the State violated the motion in limine by questioning Dr. Wahlstrom as noted above. Trial counsel did not include this issue in a post-trial motion. Further, appellate counsel did not raise this issue on direct appeal although the facts needed to raise the issue were present in the record and available to counsel. Waiver applies. Guest , 166 Ill. 2d at 390. Defendant maintains, however, that appellate counsel was ineffective in failing to raise the issue on appeal. Defendant also maintains that, in light of numerous instances of prosecutorial misconduct in this case, this court need not assess the prejudicial effect of the alleged violation of the motion, but should find that defendant is entitled to a new death sentencing hearing. Given that we find error only with respect to the perjury allegations, we reject defendant’s contention that we need not determine whether he was prejudiced by appellate counsel’s inaction. Instead, we find that defendant has failed to show prejudice under the Strickland test. As noted above, trial counsel objected to the testimony elicited from Dr. Wahlstrom, and the trial court instructed the jury to disregard the testimony. We must presume, absent a showing to the contrary, that the jury followed the trial judge’s instructions in reaching a verdict. Simms II , 143 Ill. 2d at 174. Moreover, we do not believe the jury would have viewed the testimony as a reference to defendant’s prior death sentences or to defendant’s presence on death row. Thus, we conclude that appellate counsel was not ineffective for failing to raise the matter on direct appeal.