Opinion ID: 709029
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The claims barred from direct appellate review

Text: 93 Enoch, however, raises a valid corollary claim: that if the forfeiture rule was not new, Enoch's lawyer rendered him constitutionally ineffective assistance of counsel in failing to petition the trial court for a new trial. Enoch has raised this issue at every stage of his case on appeal. The Illinois Supreme Court decided in both Enoch I and Enoch II that the evidence was so overwhelming that Enoch's unlitigated claims could not have reasonably changed the outcome. The district court decided that Enoch's attorney was not ineffective because a reasonable attorney might have interpreted the requirement of a motion for a new trial as not applying to death cases (though the district court did not conclude that the Illinois Supreme Court created a new rule). The district court also examined Enoch's ignored claims and decided they were without merit. 94 Under a de novo standard, we undertake a fresh review of Enoch's claim that his attorney on appeal rendered constitutionally ineffective assistance of counsel in failing to file a motion for a new trial. Hockett v. Duckworth, 999 F.2d 1160, 1165 (7th Cir.1993). 95 The standard for determining whether counsel is constitutionally ineffective, apart from where a conflict of interest exists, is composed of two parts. First, we inquire whether the attorney's representation fell below an objective standard of reasonableness. Strickland v. Washington, 466 U.S. 668, 688, 104 S.Ct. 2052, 2065, 80 L.Ed.2d 674 (1984). Second, we ask whether there exists a reasonable probability that the result would have been different but for counsel's errors. Id. at 694, 104 S.Ct. at 2068. 96 We note that there is a strong presumption that counsel's conduct falls within the reasonable standard of conduct. Id. at 688, 104 S.Ct. at 2064. In an affidavit, Rose acknowledged that he pondered whether a motion was necessary, but, after discussing the issue with the trial judge and other public defenders, he decided such a motion was not necessary. 97 Rose understood that the trial judge intended to proceed with sentencing the day following Enoch's conviction, leaving him little time in which to research whether a motion was required and the law relevant to the substance of a post-trial motion. Imposition of sentence, Rose concluded, would divest the trial court of jurisdiction and render moot any motions for new trial. 98 It is apparent now that, to preserve all of Enoch's claims of error for review on direct appeal, Rose should have moved to continue sentencing until he could prepare a motion for a new trial. Had the trial court denied that motion, no claim would have been forfeited. 99 With regard to the necessity of filing a motion for a new trial in a capital case, Devin, decided less than a year before Enoch's trial, should have put Rose on notice of that requirement. Notwithstanding the uncertainty of the local bench and bar of Peoria, we assume for the purpose of our analysis that it was unreasonable for Rose to be uninformed that Devin implied that a new trial motion was necessary in a capital case. He could not reasonably rely on the hope that the Illinois Supreme Court would be lenient with Enoch's appeal. 100 Thus, we move to the issue of whether the outcome of the appeal would have been different if the Illinois Supreme court had considered Enoch's forfeited claims. That is, was Enoch prejudiced by his counsel's deficient representation. To demonstrate prejudice, a defendant typically must show that counsel's failures rendered the proceeding fundamentally unfair or made the result unreliable. Hollenback v. United States, 987 F.2d 1272, 1275 (7th Cir.1993). But where there has been an actual or constructive denial of assistance of counsel altogether, the defendant does not need to establish prejudice. Castellanos v. United States, 26 F.3d 717, 718 (7th Cir.1994). We recently applied this standard where a defendant told his attorney to file an appeal, but the attorney failed to file a timely notice of appeal (though he did eventually file one). United States v. Nagib, 56 F.3d 798, 801 (7th Cir.1995). 101 Enoch's case is the typical type (requiring a separate showing of prejudice), where the attorney failed to bring obvious claims to the attention of the appellate court but argued others. It parallels Nagib in that the lawyer tried to present the defendant's claims but failed due to procedural default. But the underlying reasoning for Castellanos and Nagib was that no one has looked at the record with an advocate's eye. Castellanos, 26 F.3d at 718. 102 Here, Rose combed the record with an advocate's eye and fully briefed the alleged errors. The problem, caused by Rose's default, was that, while the Illinois Supreme Court did look at some of the issues briefed on appeal (those claiming constitutional error, plain error, and sufficiency of the evidence), the court refused to look at others. 103 On balance, this is a case where a petitioner claims that his lawyer presented some claims but not others. Consequently, we must examine Enoch's direct appeal to determine whether his lawyer's sole instance of ineffective assistance rendered the proceeding fundamentally unfair or made the result unreliable. 104 Enoch's claims on direct appeal, as we have pieced them together, were as follows: 105
106 1. That Enoch's custodial statements to police should not have been admitted into evidence against him; 107 2. That the prosecution provided insufficient evidence to prove that Enoch committed murder in the course of aggravated kidnapping and that his kidnapping conviction was improper because the same act that constituted the kidnapping was also one of the two acts that constituted the attempted rape; 108 3. That the prosecution provided insufficient evidence to prove that Enoch committed murder in the course of attempted rape; 109 4. That the trial court erroneously refused to instruct the jury on the lesser included offense of unlawful restraint and erroneously omitted a paragraph of the pattern jury instruction on the meaning of circumstantial evidence; and 110 5. That the Illinois death penalty statute was unconstitutional. 111
112 1. That the trial court erred in admitting evidence of a prior rape and a prior attempted rape committed by Enoch; 113 2. That it was error for the trial court to allow police officer Cannon, who had directed the investigation and arrest of Enoch, to assist the state in selecting jurors and to sit at counsel's table; 114 3. That the prosecution violated Enoch's rights by engaging in improper argument during opening statements;4. That the trial court deprived Enoch of a trial before a fair and impartial jury when it failed to dismiss two jurors; 115 5. That Enoch did not knowingly and intelligently waive his right to jury sentencing because the judge did not adequately inform him that he might not receive the death penalty if the jury did not unanimously decide it was appropriate; and 116 6. That the trial court erroneously concluded during sentencing that Enoch presented a clear and present danger in prison. 117 We will examine those claims that the Illinois Supreme Court declined to review in order to determine if Rose's procedural failure rendered the review on direct appeal in Enoch I fundamentally unfair or rendered the result unreliable. 118 First, Enoch claimed that the trial court erred in admitting evidence of a prior rape and a prior attempted rape committed by Enoch. This claim drew support from the dissent in Enoch I. The evidence consisted of testimony from witnesses Louella Burnside and Marilyn McClain that Enoch had previously attacked them in ways similar to the way the evidence shows he had attacked Ms. Burns. 119 Burnside testified that, while she was walking down the street looking for her husband, Enoch approached her, told her his name was Willie, and began conversing with her. When she started back toward her house, Enoch stabbed her in the back, dragged her into a garage, and raped her. He then ripped up her jacket, tied her hands with the shreds, and stuffed a piece of material in her mouth. 120 Marilyn McClain testified that Enoch came to her door and asked if she knew where his brother Bobby lived. He asked for a drink of water. McClain brought it and, as she returned the glass to the kitchen, Enoch stepped in and locked the door. He approached her with a pocket knife and warned her not to say anything or he would kill her. He then led her to the couch and cut her stomach. Enoch shredded a towel, tied her hands behind her back, and asked her if she had her period. As Enoch searched for money, McClain escaped, and Enoch then fled. 121 The trial court found that the evidence provided by Burnside and McClain was admissible to show Enoch's identity and his intent to commit rape, kidnapping, and armed robbery. The court instructed the jury that Burnside's and McClain's testimony was probative only for those purposes. 122 The Enoch I dissent noted that The general rule is that evidence of offenses not charged in the indictment on which a defendant is being tried is inadmissible. Enoch I, 119 Ill.Dec. at 282, 522 N.E.2d at 1141 (Simon, J., concurring in part and dissenting in part). The dissent conceded that an exception exists to show motive, intent, identity, or common design of the perpetrator, or to show the perpetrator's identity by revealing his modus operandi. Id. 119 Ill.Dec. at 283, 522 N.E.2d at 1142. The dissent concluded, however, that the trial court improperly admitted the evidence. Id. 123 It is true that there was no evidence that Enoch's attack on Ms. Burns was part of common scheme with the attacks on Burnside and McClain, and the prior offenses appeared to be sufficiently different from the attack on Ms. Burns that the modus operandi theory was unsupported as well. 3 Id. However, Burnside's testimony that Enoch had raped her was probative of whether Enoch intended to rape Ms. Burns. Enoch at first approached Burnside in a way designed to gain her confidence, had used a knife to intimidate her, had bound her hands behind her back with materials Enoch found at the scene, had partially disrobed her, and had, in fact, raped her. 124 Similarities between Enoch's attack on McClain and his attack on Ms. Burns also attest to Enoch's intent to rape. For example, just as with Ms. Burns, Enoch attempted to gain McClain's confidence before attacking her by mentioning that he was looking for his brother Bobby. (Recall that Enoch had attempted to use this ploy before he actually attacked Ms. Burns, but was apparently thwarted when he saw that Proctor was with Ms. Burns. And, at the hospital, Enoch had asked about Bobby before striking up a conversation with Ms. Burns.) And, although the knives Enoch used in each of the crimes may have been different, the fact remains that using a knife was Enoch's preferred method of subduing his victims. While Enoch did not actually rape McClain, his inquiry regarding her period could reasonably be seen to evince his intent to have forced sexual intercourse with her had she not escaped. Finally, these attacks occurred within two months of each other (Burnside: March 6, 1983; McClain: March 30, 1983; Burns: April 23, 1983). 125 The probative value of such evidence must be weighed against the danger of any unfair prejudicial impact the evidence posed, and in Illinois this balancing is left to the sound discretion of the trial court. People v. Gonzales, 60 Ill.App.3d 980, 17 Ill.Dec. 901, 911, 377 N.E.2d 91, 101 (1978). Here, the trial court did not explicitly balance the two concerns on the record, but its decision to admit the evidence implies that it found that the probative value of each woman's testimony outweighed the danger of any unfair prejudicial impact the testimony might have. 126 Illinois courts have upheld numerous decisions in sex crimes trials where evidence of other sex crimes committed by the defendant was admitted into evidence. Id. Additionally, the trial court's limiting instruction curbed any unfair reach of the evidence. See id. (noting the salutary effect of an instruction limiting the jury's use of other crimes evidence). Viewing the trial court's implicit balancing deferentially, the similarities among the attacks were sufficient to support the trial court's decision to allow their admission into evidence. 127 Second, Enoch asserted that it was error for the court to allow officer Cannon, who had investigated and arrested Enoch, to assist the state in selecting the jury and to sit at the prosecution's table. Illinois courts have held that it is not error for courts to exempt from exclusion orders a police officer who remains in the courtroom to assist the prosecution. People v. Adams, 41 Ill.2d 98, 242 N.E.2d 167, 169 (1968); People v. Scott, 38 Ill.2d 302, 231 N.E.2d 441, 444 (1967). However, Enoch argues that Cannon's presence lent credibility to all police officers who testified for the state and subconsciously lulled jurors into believing the state's case because they knew they had the approval of officer Cannon. Not surprisingly, Enoch cited no cases to support this highly inventive and patently meritless claim. 128 Third, Enoch claimed he was deprived of a fair trial when the prosecutor improperly commented on evidence during his opening statement to the jury. In particular, Enoch alleged that the prosecutor commented upon Enoch's decision whether to testify and thereby violated his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. The test for determining whether the prosecutor has improperly commented on the defendant's decision whether to testify is whether the reference was intended or calculated to direct the attention of the jury to the defendant's failure to testify. People v. Perry, 183 Ill.App.3d 534, 132 Ill.Dec. 639, 644, 540 N.E.2d 379, 384 (finding no improper comment where the prosecution stated that there was no way of opening defendant's mind to find out what really happened), appeal denied, 127 Ill.2d 633, 136 Ill.Dec. 600, 545 N.E.2d 124 (1989). 129 The prosecutor mentioned the murder weapon in his preview of the evidence, stating the knife, we submit to you, that is in evidence was probably the knife used, but only one person knows that for sure. This could be taken as an implication that only Enoch knew whether the knife was the murder weapon. But that implication is greatly attenuated and does not reasonably amount to a comment upon the need for Enoch to testify--and in fact it drew no objection from Enoch's counsel. Rather, taken in context (it came after description of the circumstances surrounding the finding of the sheath in Enoch's pocket with a view toward Pate's anticipated testimony that Enoch had been carrying a knife), it amounts only to a comment on the strength, and limitations, of the physical evidence. The comment does not suggest the prosecution's intent or calculation to draw the jury's attention to the defendant's decision not to testify. 130 The prosecutor also referred in his opening statement to the details of Louise Pate's testimony before the grand jury, testimony that the prosecution later sought to admit but that the court excluded. Enoch asserts that the state therefore brought to the attention of the jury facts not admitted into evidence. A prosecutor may not comment during his opening statement upon evidence that will be introduced and fail to introduce that evidence. People v. Tenny, 224 Ill.App.3d 53, 166 Ill.Dec. 445, 451, 586 N.E.2d 403, 409 (1991), appeal denied, 144 Ill.2d 641, 169 Ill.Dec. 149, 591 N.E.2d 29 (1992). Here, the prosecution introduced the testimony to which it referred during opening statements, but the judge refused to admit it. Moreover, Pate subsequently testified to each of the details mentioned by the prosecution. There was no error. 131 Fourth, Enoch argued that he was deprived of a fair and impartial jury when the trial court refused to remove two jurors that, Enoch contended, harbored potential bias. One of the jurors, however, was actually an alternate who never participated in deliberations, so any error with regard to removal of that juror was clearly harmless. 132 The other juror told the court after the jury had been sworn that she recalled how she may at one time have met one of the prosecution's witnesses while working for Caterpillar a few years before. She also stated to the court, however, that she was not sure she had met him and that, even if she had, that recognition would not prevent her from being fair and impartial. 133 The court refused Enoch's request to dismiss her for cause. The juror's connection to the witness was both uncertain and remote in time and relationship. The juror told the judge under oath that she could remain impartial, and nothing about her putative connection to the witness undermines her statement. There was no error in refusing to remove that juror. See People v. Hobley, 159 Ill.2d 272, 202 Ill.Dec. 256, 267, 637 N.E.2d 992, 1003, cert. denied, --- U.S. ----, 115 S.Ct. 575, 130 L.Ed.2d 491 (1994) (finding no error where trial court denied motions to dismiss two jurors who, though indicating some bias in favor of police officers' testimony, did not express any reservation concerning their abilities to follow the law). 134 Fifth, Enoch asserted that he did not knowingly and intelligently waive his right to have his sentence decided by the jury. The trial judge, Enoch argued, committed error in that it did not tell him that the jury did not have to be unanimous for him to avoid the death penalty. Instead, the judge merely told him that, in order for the death penalty to be imposed, the jury had to return unanimous verdicts in favor of the death penalty at each stage of the proceedings. Enoch told the court that he understood this. 135 Enoch's claim on appeal was that he may have understood the trial court to mean that the jury had to decide unanimously that he should not be given the death penalty in order for him to avoid it. There was no merit to this claim. The trial court's instruction to Enoch was not ambiguous. If the death penalty, as the court stated, could be given only if the jury is unanimous that it should be given, it is not reasonable to conclude that unanimity is required to avoid the death penalty. 136 There were only two possible decisions for the jury: impose the death penalty or decline to impose it. If unanimity is required for one and is not achieved, the other results. To assume that Enoch unreasonably misunderstood the court's instruction would force courts to mistrust all knowing and intelligent waivers by defendants. Enoch's waiver was sufficient. 137 Sixth, Enoch submitted that the trial court erroneously concluded during sentencing that Enoch presented a clear and present danger in prison. The court, Enoch contended, had no evidence before it that Enoch had ever posed a danger to other inmates while incarcerated, that he had ever acted violently while in police custody, or that he had ever violently attacked men. Enoch argued as though a finding that Enoch would present a clear and present danger to other prison inmates was a necessary prerequisite to his receiving the death penalty. However, it was not. See 720 ILCS 5/9-1(h) (formerly ILL.REV.STAT. ch. 38, p 9-1(h)) (If the court determines that there are no mitigating factors sufficient to preclude the imposition of the death sentence, the court shall sentence the defendant to death.) See also 720 ILCS 5/9-1(c) (enumerating, but not exhausting, mitigating factors, of which defendant's likely relationship to others in the prison community is not one). 138 The trial court came to its conclusion when rejecting Enoch's argument in mitigation that he would not be a danger to society in prison. Whether the judge had enough evidence to conclude that Enoch would commit specific crimes against other inmates was not the issue; the issue, raised by Enoch, was whether Enoch's inability to attack other women while in prison mitigated against the death penalty. 139 The court believed, given the evidence of the crime, that Enoch's wanton disregard for life made him a clear and present danger in prison; therefore, Enoch's inability to attack women was not a mitigating factor. The Illinois death penalty statute does not provide that mitigating factors must be proved or disproved by any quantum of evidence. The judge must consider claims of mitigation, but does not have to accept them. 140 It is significant to emphasize that the Illinois Supreme Court stated more than once in Enoch I that it found the state's evidence of Enoch's guilt convincing. See Enoch I, 119 Ill.Dec. at 274, 522 N.E.2d at 1133 (beyond a reasonable doubt that Enoch killed Ms. Burns), 119 Ill.Dec. at 265, 522 N.E.2d at 1124 (evidence establishes that victim was secretly confined and that she was restrained by Enoch), 119 Ill.Dec. at 276, 522 N.E.2d at 1135 (there was sufficient evidence, other than the prior crimes evidence, to support the conviction for attempt rape), 119 Ill.Dec. at 278, 522 N.E.2d at 1137 (evidence of guilt so overwhelming that outcome of trial would not reasonably have been different but for counsel's alleged errors). 141 In light of the Illinois Supreme Court's view of the case as a whole, we do not believe that its decision affirming Enoch's conviction was rendered fundamentally unfair nor that the result was unreliable because of its refusal to examine the claims that Enoch, through a mistake of his counsel, forfeited. Therefore, Enoch was not prejudiced, and we conclude that Mark Rose did not render constitutionally ineffective assistance of counsel in his failure to file a motion for a new trial.