Opinion ID: 2998332
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Double Homicide, Trial, and Sentencing

Text: On April 25, 1981, Montgomery beat and strangled to death 72-year-old Pearl Briggs and 68-year-old Betty Tyson. After beating each woman unconscious and possibly after they were dead, Montgomery raped them. After his apprehension, he gave a detailed confession of these crimes. Miss Briggs owned two buildings in Robbins, Illinois. She lived in one with her sister, Mrs. Tyson, and rented the adjacent building to Montgomery’s girlfriend. At the time of the attacks, Montgomery had been living with his girlfriend in the house for approximately two months. On the evening of April 25, 1981, Montgomery walked to Miss Briggs’ house to pick up a couch. Miss Briggs took him to the basement of her building, where the couch was located. There, Montgomery knocked Miss Briggs unconscious, removed her clothes, and raped her. She died of strangulation. Montgomery’s fingerprint was found on the lens of her glasses, his jacket was spattered with blood that matched her blood type but not his, and a hair consistent with his hair was found under her fingernail. Montgomery then walked upstairs to Miss Briggs’ apartment. When Mrs. Tyson opened the door, he pushed her down, removed her stockings, and wrapped them around her neck. When she was no longer conscious, he raped her. Mrs. Tyson died of strangulation. Montgomery’s palm print was found on a camera case on a couch near Mrs. Tyson’s head, and a hair consistent with her hair was found on his T-shirt. A police investigator who came to the house that evening noticed Montgomery standing outside, acting suspiciously. He saw that Montgomery’s hands were scraped and that he had blood on his pants. The investigator approached Montgomery, who agreed to go with the investigator to the police station. At the station, Montgomery gave hair No. 03-4201 3 samples, fingerprints, and palm prints; he also allowed the police to test his clothing. Montgomery was subsequently charged with the murders of Miss Briggs and Mrs. Tyson. He originally chose to be tried by a jury, but, on March 15, 1983, Montgomery overheard a prospective juror say that he could convict Montgomery just by looking at him. During that day, defense attorney John McNamara contacted Judge Samuels to schedule a conference. When the prosecution refused to participate, Judge Samuels ruled that there could be no meeting without the participation of both parties. That evening, Montgomery attempted to commit suicide in his cell. As a result, Judge Samuels declared a mistrial. Three months later, Montgomery was declared fit to stand trial. On June 10, 1983, three days before trial, defense attorneys McNamara and Michael Morrissey met with Judge Samuels in his chambers. In addition, two assistant state’s attorneys were present, neither of whom were assigned to Montgomery’s case. McNamara and Morrissey told the judge that Montgomery was going to elect a stipulated bench trial instead of a jury trial and that he was going to waive a jury for sentencing. As they were talking, Assistant State’s Attorney Scott Arthur, the lead prosecutor in the case, entered chambers. Arthur became furious and accused McNamara, Morrissey, and Judge Samuels of trying to “back door” him. R. at 855. Judge Samuels assured Arthur that nothing improper had occurred and invited him to join the meeting. Arthur refused and ordered the other two prosecutors to leave with him, which they did. McNamara and Morrissey followed them out. On June 13, 1983, Montgomery waived his right to a jury trial and proceeded to a stipulated bench trial. Judge Samuels found him guilty of the two murders. Montgomery also chose to waive a jury for purposes of a death penalty hearing. In the first stage of the hearing, the parties stipulated to the introduction of the evidence presented 4 No. 03-4201 at trial. Judge Samuels then made findings that rendered Montgomery eligible for the death penalty. During the second stage of the sentencing hearing, the parties presented evidence in aggravation and mitigation. The State introduced evidence that included the following. In 1966, when Montgomery was 9 years old, he stuck a Coke bottle onto the penis of his 3-year-old brother, Darryl, which required medical personnel to remove. In 1969, when Montgomery was 12 years old, he attempted to rape his 11year-old sister, Rene. In 1970, when he was 13 years old, he raped his 5-year-old half-brother, Eugene. In 1976, when Montgomery was 19 years old, he on two occasions raped his 11-year-old half-sister, Jean, who became pregnant and had an abortion. Montgomery was convicted of contributing to the sexual delinquency of a minor. Montgomery also had two other prior convictions, both for possession of a stolen motor vehicle. In mitigation, Montgomery’s relatives testified that he was very drunk immediately after the murders. They also testified about the deprived conditions in their home during his childhood and his parents’ alcoholism. Dr. Steven Porter testified that Montgomery was acting under extreme emotional disturbance at the time of the murders because of the amount of alcohol he had consumed. Dr. Albert Stipes did not agree that Montgomery had acted under extreme emotional disturbance, but he diagnosed Montgomery as having “alcohol dependency and antisocial personality disorder with stimulant abuse.” People v. Montgomery, 736 N.E.2d 1025, 1031 (2000). Judge Samuels found that Montgomery was not acting under extreme emotional disturbance when he committed the murders. He also noted that Montgomery’s intoxication was voluntary and that he had a history of preying on the weak and elderly. As a result, Judge Samuels determined that there were no mitigating factors sufficient to preNo. 03-4201 5 clude imposition of a death sentence. On April 4, 1986, the Illinois Supreme Court affirmed Montgomery’s convictions and sentences. Certiorari was denied on February 23, 1987.