Opinion ID: 3134662
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 27

Heading: Jury Instruction on Alternate Sentences

Text: In a related argument, defendant maintains he was denied a fair, reliable and accurate death sentencing hearing because the trial court failed to instruct the jury about the other possible sentences defendant could have received if not sentenced to death, thus depriving defendant of an opportunity to rebut the State’s argument that defendant was hoping for a very short sentence. Trial counsel submitted, but later withdrew, an instruction listing the other possible sentences, setting forth information regarding good-conduct credit and advising the jury that parole was unavailable. Defendant contends that trial counsel was ineffective because he withdrew the proposed instruction, and appellate counsel was ineffective because he failed to argue on direct appeal that trial counsel was ineffective. All of the facts needed to raise this issue were present in the record and available on direct appeal. The issue is thus waived. Evans , 186 Ill. 2d at 92. However, we consider the merits of the issue because defendant maintains that trial and appellate counsel were ineffective. Lear , 175 Ill. 2d at 278. In Simms II , defendant argued the trial court should have instructed the jury that, if not sentenced to death, defendant would receive either a fixed term of 20 to 80 years’ imprisonment or a life sentence without the possibility of parole. The trial court had refused defendant’s proposed instruction and instead instructed the jury that, if it determined a death sentence was inappropriate, the court would impose a sentence other than death. Citing People v. Albanese , 102 Ill. 2d 54, 81 (1984), this court held that, where a defendant’s eligibility for death is not predicated upon multiple murder convictions, it is proper for the trial court to instruct the sentencing jury that the alternative to death is a prison term, without specifying that the term is life imprisonment. Simms II , 143 Ill. 2d at 180. The court explained that the sentencing jury is responsible for determining only whether the death penalty is warranted, not the severity of the prison sentence if the death sentence is found inappropriate. Simms II , 143 Ill. 2d at 180. The court then considered defendant’s argument that, without information regarding the other possible sentences, the jurors could have believed defendant would be released in a few years and, thus, be more inclined to sentence him to death. The court rejected this argument, observing: “[T]he trial court would have to explain our State’s entire determinate sentencing system before the jury would be fully informed about the alternative sentences the defendant could receive if not sentenced to death. The jury could fairly and accurately compare the death sentence to alternative sentences of imprisonment only if it was instructed that the defendant could be released from prison before he served the full sentence imposed, either [through] executive clemency or by earning good-conduct credits provided for by the rules of the Department of Corrections. [Citations.] We have repeatedly held, however, that it is improper to inform a jury about the possibility that a defendant may be paroled before serving his full sentence. Such information diverts the jury’s attention from the character of the offender and the circumstances of his offense and focuses it upon a speculative possibility that may or may not occur.” Simms II , 143 Ill. 2d at 181-82. In these proceedings, defendant maintains that Simms II is not controlling. He reasons that the court in Simms II did not consider whether a jury instruction on other possible sentences must be given where, as here, it is necessary to rebut the State’s contention that the defendant is trying to obtain a short sentence. We must disagree. This court held in Simms II that a defendant is not entitled to an instruction on the possible terms of imprisonment he might receive if not sentenced to death. In particular, this court rejected defendant’s argument that such an instruction was needed to dispel the jurors’ belief that defendant would be released after serving a short sentence. Defendant’s current argument, that the instruction was needed to counter the inference he sought a short sentence, is a mere rephrasing of his argument in Simms II . In addition, we note that the trial court sustained trial counsel’s objection to the State’s remark regarding the sentence defendant hoped to receive. 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. We also doubt that defendant could have used the jury instruction to effectively refute the argument he was seeking a short sentence. The instruction would have informed the jury that the trial court might sentence defendant to 20 years’ imprisonment. Further, the instruction would have informed the jury that defendant would be entitled to one day of good-conduct credit for each day in prison, and an award of 90 days’ additional good-conduct credit for meritorious service. Assuming defendant received a sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, and the maximum credit for good conduct and meritorious service, the instruction would have informed the jury that defendant could be released from prison in less than 10 years. Far from refuting the argument regarding a short sentence, such an instruction might lead the jury to harbor serious misgivings regarding the imposition of a sentence other than death. For the reasons discussed above, we reject defendant’s contention that trial counsel was ineffective because he withdrew the proposed instruction on the available sentences. Defendant was not entitled to such an instruction. Further, there is no reasonable probability that, but for trial counsel’s alleged error in withdrawing the jury instruction, the result of the death sentencing hearing would have been different. We also reject defendant’s contention that appellate counsel was ineffective because he failed to argue on direct appeal trial counsel’s ineffectiveness. Since defendant was not prejudiced by the withdrawal of the jury instruction, he could not have been prejudiced by appellate counsel’s failure to raise this issue on direct review. See Griffin , 178 Ill. 2d at 82.