Opinion ID: 2218871
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Evidence of a 1984 Meat Theft

Text: Defendant next argues that the jury was improperly allowed to hear details of another meat theft in which he was involved in 1984 and for which he was convicted in 1985. The general rule is that it is improper to cross-examine a defendant about a prior conviction even where the conviction has been properly introduced into evidence. (See People v. Madison. (1974), 56 Ill.2d 476, 488, 309 N.E.2d 11.) However, this rule does not apply where the defendant opens the door to such cross-examination. (See People v. Nastasio (1963), 30 Ill.2d 51, 58, 195 N.E.2d 144.) We find that defendant opened the door to such cross-examination. Defendant testified on direct examination that he had been convicted of a crime, possibly theft, for which he had received probation. Defendant also informed the jury that he had been convicted of attempted residential burglary and theft and had received concurrent sentences of three years. Defendant finally told the jury about his 1987 conviction for stealing frozen meat. After admitting these crimes, defendant stated in response to defense counsel's question of whether he murdered Hale and Welch: No, I didn't. If I would have committed the double homicide I wouldn't be here on trial for it today. I would immediately pleaded guilty just as I did any other crime I committed. The thrust of defendant's testimony was that he pleaded guilty to the earlier offenses because of his desire to tell the truth. Thus, defendant implied that he was telling the truth here as well. On cross-examination, the prosecution elicited the following details of defendant's 1985 conviction for stealing frozen meat. Defendant was stopped on September 27, 1984, while driving McCullough's car, and the police found a number of boxes of stolen meat in the car. Defendant opened the door to the State's inquiry into his guilty plea in the 1984 meat theft by testifying that his plea was the result of his desire to tell the truth. The State, by eliciting the details of the theft, sought to contradict defendant's testimony by showing that defendant pleaded guilty not due to any desire to tell the truth, but because he was caught with the meat in his possession and that the evidence against him was overwhelming. We find no error in the State's cross-examination.