Opinion ID: 2229872
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 13

Heading: Burglary as an Aggravating Factor

Text: The jury convicted defendant of four counts of murder, including counts of felony murder based on the predicate felonies of burglary and robbery. At his sentencing hearing, the trial judge found defendant eligible for the death penalty because the murder occurred during a burglary and a robbery. The trial judge also noted defendant's convictions on these counts during his ruling at the conclusion of the second phase of the sentencing hearing. Defendant contends that the trial judge improperly considered that the murder occurred during the course of a burglary, because the burglary of Gasgonia's automobile was completed before the time of the murder. Although defendant does not challenge his eligibility for the death penalty, he does argue that the trial judge erred in weighing the allegedly improper factor during the second phase of his sentencing hearing. The State challenges defendant's assertion that the burglary was over at the time of the murder. The State further argues that the defendant has waived this issue for review by failing to object to the introduction of this evidence during the sentencing hearing and by failing to include this issue in a post-trial or post-sentencing motion. In his reply brief, defendant acknowledges his procedural default but requests review of the issue as plain error. 134 Ill.2d R. 615(a). The plain error doctrine is a limited exception to the waiver rule. People v. Herrett, 137 Ill.2d 195, 209, 148 Ill.Dec. 695, 561 N.E.2d 1 (1990). The doctrine of plain error is applied to remedy errors so plain and prejudicial that failure to object to them is not a waiver for purposes of appeal. People v. Davis, 145 Ill.2d 240, 251, 164 Ill.Dec. 151, 582 N.E.2d 714 (1991). In the context of a sentencing hearing, we will review an error that is not properly preserved as plain error where the evidence is closely balanced or the error is so fundamental that it may have deprived the defendant of a fair sentencing hearing. People v. Beals, 162 Ill.2d 497, 511, 205 Ill.Dec. 498, 643 N.E.2d 789 (1994). The evidence at defendant's sentencing hearing was not closely balanced. Defendant shot Gasgonia in the face while he pleaded for help, burglarizing his car and taking cash from his person. Defendant also had a long history of serious criminal behavior. While incarcerated, defendant engaged in disruptive behavior and threatened guards. Against this evidence, defendant presented testimony in mitigation that he had a difficult childhood and came from a poor section of Chicago. Defendant also continued to deny his culpability in the crimes. The evidence at defendant's sentencing hearing was not so closely balanced as to require review of defendant's claim. The alleged error is also not of such magnitude as to deny defendant a fair sentencing hearing. Whether or not the murder was in the course of a burglary and constituted a valid statutory aggravating factor, the trial judge was entitled to consider the evidence of the burglary in making the sentencing determination. In addition, evidence that the murder was in the course of a burglary played a minor, if any, role in defendant's sentencing hearing. The State did not argue that the murder occurred during the course of a burglary as a reason to impose death and the trial judge did no more than mention the factor during his decision. In short, the introduction of evidence that the murder was in the course of a burglary, if error, did not deprive defendant of a fair sentencing hearing. Therefore, the error is waived.