Opinion ID: 2162437
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: Admission of Other-Crimes Evidence

Text: Defendant next argues that evidence admitted at trial related to Erin's sexual assault allegation against him should have been excluded. Specifically, defendant asserts that statements made by Erin to her neighbor, her mother, a police officer, and medical personnel should not have been admitted. Defendant also argues that a handwritten statement authored by Erin should have been excluded, along with the results of DNA testing on evidence collected in relation to the sexual assault. The State responds that this evidence was properly admitted, not to prove the truth of the matter asserted, but to show that defendant had motive to murder Erin. Defendant acknowledges that statements offered to prove motive are not considered to be hearsay, and are generally admissible, but maintains that the statements offered in this case to prove motive were overly detailed and were so prejudicial that he was deprived of a fair trial. We review the contested evidence. Lawanda Bankhead testified that on the evening of March 3, 2004, sometime after 8 p.m., Erin, whom she did not know at the time, ran up the stairs to her apartment saying, Ladarius, Ladarius, let me in. My stepfather just raped me. Erin was wearing a T-shirt and jeans and carrying a dog. She was not wearing shoes. Bankhead testified that when Erin entered her apartment, she just sat on the kitchen floor, crying and stroking her dog. Bankhead explained that Erin acted like we weren't even there. Bankhead stated that she called the police and while they waited for them, Erin continued to cry and did not speak. Officer James Griffith testified that he was assigned to investigate the sexual assault against Erin on March 3, 2004. He first saw Erin at the Bankhead apartment. She was seated on the couch, clutching a pillow and crying. Erin told him that defendant drew a bath for her, and when she was finished bathing, offered to give her a massage. Erin stated she was wearing pajamas at this time; specifically, a Junior Mint tank top and shorts. Defendant began rubbing her legs with baby oil, and directed her to lie on her stomach. At some point, defendant put his hands up the back of her shirt. Erin stated that she told defendant to stop, and he complied. Erin turned over so she was lying on her back, and defendant resumed the massage on her legs. He tried to lift up her shirt again, and when Erin told him to stop, he got on top of her. He removed her shorts, pulled up her shirt, licked both of her breasts, kissed her neck and cheeks, and put his tongue in her mouth. Erin explained that she begged defendant to stop, cried and yelled, and tried to scratch defendant's back. At one point, defendant placed his hand over her mouth to quiet her, but removed his hand when she indicated to him that she would not scream anymore. She told defendant that she would do anything if he would not have intercourse with her, and also told defendant that she had something, hoping that he would think she was diseased and stop. Erin stated that defendant had intercourse with her which lasted 7 to 10 minutes. She explained that she just stared at the ceiling and cried because she was very afraid and thought defendant might hurt her if she struggled. Erin said the assault ceased when she heard a noise and told defendant she thought it was the garage door opening. Valerie testified that she received a telephone call from Erin at about 9 p.m. Erin was crying and said, Mom, something bad happened. Valerie then spoke to a police officer who advised her to come to the Bankhead apartment. When Valerie arrived at the Bankhead home, Erin was curled up on the couch, crying, shaking, and rocking back and forth. Valerie asked Erin, What did he do to you, and Erin replied, He stuck it in me. Kim Santora testified that she is a registered nurse, and she was working in the pediatric emergency department at Edward Hospital when Erin arrived. Erin was upset, crying, and appeared to be scared. Erin told Santora that she was attacked at approximately 8 p.m. in her home. Erin specifically said, He put his stuff in me. Erin confirmed that a male had put his penis in her vagina. Erin also explained that her attacker licked her left breast and her right cheek and that he kissed her and put his tongue in her mouth. She was not sure if he ejaculated. Santora obtained a rape kit and swabbed Erin's right cheek and left breast. Dr. George Koburov testified that he treated Erin in the emergency room as well. Erin behaved like a person who had been traumatized. She told Dr. Koburov that she had been raped and that the assailant kissed her on the breast and neck and had intercourse with her. Dr. Koburov did not detect any physical evidence of sexual assault or injury. Erin came to the police station after completing the emergency-room examination and gave a handwritten statement. The handwritten statement was published to the jury and essentially contained the same information Erin orally provided to Officer Griffith at the Bankhead apartment. Jean Kinnane, a forensic biologist, testified that she tested materials taken from the rape kit performed on Erin. The swabs of Erin's left breast and right cheek tested positive for the presence of amylase, a substance present in saliva. However, because the amylase levels were low on both tests, Kinnane could not conclude that the amylase actually came from saliva. Doug Saul, who was qualified as an expert in the field of forensic biology, specifically DNA testing and analysis, testified that he conducted DNA testing on the left breast swab and the right cheek swab taken after the alleged assault. The DNA on both swabs came from defendant. Saul stated that the results of the DNA test would be consistent with defendant placing his mouth on Erin's breast and cheek. However, he could not make any inferences regarding the biological tissue that placed the DNA in the area that was swabbed and, therefore, could not state with certainty that the DNA came from defendant's saliva. It is well settled that evidence of other crimes is admissible if it is relevant for any purpose other than to show the defendant's propensity to commit crimes. People v. Wilson, 214 Ill.2d 127, 135-36, 291 Ill.Dec. 615, 824 N.E.2d 191 (2005); Heard, 187 Ill.2d at 58, 240 Ill.Dec. 577, 718 N.E.2d 58; People v. Robinson, 167 Ill.2d 53, 62, 212 Ill.Dec. 256, 656 N.E.2d 1090 (1995). We have held that other-crimes evidence can be admissible to show motive to commit the crime for which the defendant is being tried. People v. Moss, 205 Ill.2d 139, 156, 275 Ill.Dec. 444, 792 N.E.2d 1217 (2001); People v. Enis, 163 Ill.2d 367, 388, 206 Ill.Dec. 604, 645 N.E.2d 856 (1994). However, such evidence should not be admitted if the prejudicial effect of the evidence substantially outweighs its probative value. Moss, 205 Ill.2d at 156, 275 Ill.Dec. 444, 792 N.E.2d 1217. The admissibility of other-crimes evidence rests within the sound discretion of the trial court, and we will not disturb the trial court's judgment absent a clear abuse of discretion. Wilson, 214 Ill.2d at 135-36, 291 Ill.Dec. 615, 824 N.E.2d 191. In this case, the State presented a substantial amount of evidence regarding Erin's sexual assault allegation against defendant and made clear its theory that defendant had motive to murder Erin because he knew her allegations would be borne out by the DNA test results. The record demonstrates that the trial court weighed the probative value of the evidence against its prejudicial effect and concluded that admission of the evidence was proper, as the evidence was relevant to defendant's motive and intent. The trial court acknowledged the danger of prejudice arising out of the admission of this evidence, and recognized that it had a responsibility to limit the evidence to avoid such prejudice. The testimony that was allowed was limited. For instance, medical personnel were allowed to testify to Erin's statements that she was sexually assaulted, but were not allowed to testify that she named the perpetrator of the crime. Additionally, evidence that Erin told her friends within days of the assault that defendant had sexually assaulted her was excluded. The trial court specifically stated that the other-crimes evidence was clearly extremely probative, and with those limits, I don't believe that the prejudice to the defendant outweighs the probative value. In an effort to further limit any prejudice, the trial court specifically invited defense counsel to seek a limiting instruction regarding this evidence at the close of trial. The limiting instruction was sought and the jury was instructed as follows: Evidence has been received that the defendant has been involved in an offense other than those charged in the indictment. This evidence has been received on the issue of the defendant's motive and may be considered by you only for that limited purpose. It is for you to determine whether the defendant was involved in that offense and, if so, what weight should be given to this evidence on the issue of the defendant's motive. See Illinois Pattern Jury Instructions, Criminal, No. 3.14 (4th ed.2000). Accordingly, we conclude that the trial court did not abuse its discretion in allowing the admission of this evidence. Support for this conclusion is found in People v. Moss . There, the defendant was on trial for the murder of his former girlfriend, Renee, and her 11-year-old daughter, Diandra. The facts demonstrated that the defendant's mother and sister committed the murders at the defendant's behest while he was incarcerated awaiting trial on charges that he sexually assaulted Diandra. At the murder trial, evidence was admitted regarding the sexual assault. This evidence included testimony from Diandra's brother, who recounted statements Diandra made accusing defendant of assaulting her; the police officer who interviewed Diandra shortly after the assault; the physician who examined Diandra at the hospital; and another police officer who interviewed Diandra at the hospital. The parties agreed that this evidence was admissible to show motive for the murders, but the defendant argued, as defendant does here, that the trial court abused its discretion in admitting the evidence because its prejudicial effect substantially outweighed its probative value. We rejected that contention, holding that the trial court reasonably found that the evidence was relevant, as it supported the State's motive theory. Moss, 205 Ill.2d at 157, 275 Ill.Dec. 444, 792 N.E.2d 1217. We also noted that the trial court put limitations on the evidence to minimize its prejudicial impact and instructed the jury accordingly. Moss, 205 Ill.2d at 158, 275 Ill.Dec. 444, 792 N.E.2d 1217. Defendant asserts that we should not apply Moss because it is distinguishable on the facts. Specifically, defendant points out that the victim in Moss was a child, whereas Erin was almost an adult. Further, the defendant in Moss was in jail when the murders occurred, requiring the State to prove its case through circumstantial evidence. We see no relevant distinction. There is nothing in the Moss opinion to suggest that its holding is limited to cases where the victim is a child or where the evidence presented against the defendant is mostly circumstantial. Defendant also argues that the court erred in admitting Erin's out-of-court statements because the admission of that evidence amounted to a violation of his confrontation rights as set forth in Crawford v. Washington, 541 U.S. 36, 124 S.Ct. 1354, 158 L.Ed.2d 177 (2004). In Crawford, the Supreme Court held that it is a violation of the sixth amendment's confrontation clause to admit out-of-court testimonial statements of a witness unless the witness is unavailable for trial and there was a prior opportunity for cross-examination. Crawford, 541 U.S. at 68, 124 S.Ct. at 1374, 158 L.Ed.2d at 203 ([w]here testimonial evidence is at issue    the Sixth Amendment demands what the common law required: unavailability and a prior opportunity for cross-examination). Under Crawford, the application of the protections afforded by the sixth amendment hinges on whether the out-of-court statements sought to be admitted are testimonial. In re Rolandis G., 232 Ill.2d 13, 25, 327 Ill.Dec. 479, 902 N.E.2d 600 (2008). In People v. Stechly, 225 Ill.2d 246, 279, 312 Ill.Dec. 268, 870 N.E.2d 333 (2007), we stated that the threshold question in confrontation clause analysis is, Are the statements at issue `testimonial'? See also Rolandis G., 232 Ill.2d at 27, 327 Ill.Dec. 479, 902 N.E.2d 600. The analytical framework set forth in Stechly presumes that the out-of-court statements sought to be admitted are hearsay statements intended to prove the truth of the matter asserted, and focuses on a determination of whether those statements are testimonial in nature. Stechly, 225 Ill.2d at 279, 312 Ill.Dec. 268, 870 N.E.2d 333. This case presents a different question that is directly answered by the Crawford opinion. In Crawford, the Supreme Court explicitly stated that the confrontation clause does not bar the admission of testimonial statements that are admitted for purposes other than proving the truth of the matter asserted. Crawford, 541 U.S. at 59 n. 9, 124 S.Ct. at 1369 n. 9, 158 L.Ed.2d at 197 n. 9. We have already concluded that Erin's statements were admitted for the purpose of proving motive; not for the truth of the matter asserted. Accordingly, Erin's statements would not be barred by Crawford. See People v. Peoples, 377 Ill.App.3d 978, 983, 316 Ill.Dec. 862, 880 N.E.2d 598 (2007); Commonwealth v. Pelletier, 71 Mass.App. 67, 71 n. 5, 879 N.E.2d 125, 129 n. 5 (2008) (listing cases) (We note that all of the Federal Circuit Courts of Appeals (except the District of Colombia Circuit, which has not dealt with the question) and the majority of State courts have indicated    that statements, even if testimonial, when not offered for their truth do not implicate the confrontation clause). Accordingly, we need not consider defendant's claims of error regarding the trial court's admission of Erin's statements under the doctrine of forfeiture by wrongdoing, as it is unnecessary in light of our finding that the nonhearsay evidence was properly admitted for purposes of proving motive.