Opinion ID: 1986727
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: People v. Smith

Text: Defendant Kenneth Smith was charged, in the circuit court of Cook County, with possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, delivery of a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver within 1,000 feet of a school, and delivery of a controlled substance within 1,000 feet of a school. Before trial, defendant moved to quash his arrest and suppress all evidence gathered therefrom, arguing that the police had not had probable cause. The circuit court held a hearing on the motion, and defendant was represented by an assistant public defender and J.B., an intern practicing pursuant to Rule 711. The cover sheet for the transcript of the hearing indicates that J.B. appeared [p]ursuant to Supreme Court Rule 7-11 [ sic ]. Nothing else in the record references J.B.'s status; neither J.B. nor the assistant public defender stated on the record that J.B. was not a licensed attorney, and no written consent from defendant was filed. During the hearing, J.B. conducted the examination of defendant, who testified that he had been walking on a sidewalk when a police car pulled up on the street behind him. According to defendant, the officers got out of the car and asked defendant if he knew anything about a gun. Defendant testified that the officers then searched him and, finding the packets of heroin, arrested him. The State's sole witness, Officer Griggs, testified that he had observed defendant and codefendant Antonio Rollins standing on a corner for 20 to 30 minutes. During that time, whenever a car pulled up one of the defendants would approach the car and take something from the driver. He would then walk back to the corner and then return to the car, handing something off to the driver. Griggs testified that he could not observe what exactly had changed hands. However, after the third car had pulled away, Griggs radioed to nearby officers to stop the car and search the occupant. When he received confirmation that the driver of that car had small packets of heroin wrapped in tinfoil, Griggs approached defendant and Rollins and arrested them. Griggs did not personally search defendant, but he testified that the officers who performed the search found three tinfoil packets containing heroin. On cross-examination, conducted by the assistant public defender, Griggs agreed that it was dark at the time of the arrest and he could only see using artificial light. He also agreed that he did not know what had changed hands between the men on the street and the drivers, but he suspected it was drugs. After defendant and Griggs had testified, J.B. gave the defendant's argument on the motion. He conceded that the police had reasonable suspicion enough to stop defendant, but argued that Griggs did not have probable cause to arrest defendant. At the close of the hearing, the trial court denied defendant's motion, finding that Griggs' testimony had established the existence of probable cause to arrest defendant. At trial, defendant was represented by two assistant public defenders; J.B. did not participate in the defense. A jury found defendant not guilty of delivery of a controlled substance but guilty of possession of a controlled substance within 1,000 yards of a school. Defendant appealed, and the appellate court affirmed defendant's conviction. Smith, 384 Ill.App.3d 489, 323 Ill.Dec. 497, 893 N.E.2d 971. The court analyzed defendant's claims in the context of an ineffective assistance of counsel claim, noting that defendant was represented at trial only by licensed attorneys. The court also opined that J.B.'s participation in the motion to quash hearing was minimal, and he primarily did nothing more than reassert the written motion prepared by a licensed public defender. We granted defendant's petition for leave to appeal pursuant to Supreme Court Rule 315, and we consolidated his appeal with the State's appeal in Denzel W.