Opinion ID: 2180253
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Holiday Basket Application

Text: Defendant also contends that she is entitled to a new second-stage sentencing hearing because the circuit court erred in admitting evidence of the holiday basket application form from her general assistance file. In a pretrial motion in limine, defendant requested that evidence of the form be excluded because it was disclosed in violation of section 11-9 of the Illinois Public Aid Code (305 ILCS 5/11-9 (West 1996)), which prohibits disclosure of public aid documents, except under certain circumstances. The circuit court denied defendant's motion. We will not order a new sentencing hearing based on the admission of this form. Admission of the holiday basket application was cumulative in light of other evidence that defendant wanted Debra Evans' baby and planned to pretend that Elijah was her son. Any error in the admission of the holiday basket application was, therefore, harmless. See Jackson, 182 Ill.2d at 74-75, 230 Ill.Dec. 901, 695 N.E.2d 391. Even assuming that the admission of this evidence was improper, therefore, no new sentencing hearing is necessary.