Court Opinion

ID: 9731613
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 15:52:13.841228+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:26:20.042778
License: Public Domain

Mr. JUSTICE STENGEL, dissenting: In reducing defendant’s sentence to a determinate term of 15 years, the majority relies, in part, on the recent Fifth District case of People v. Choate (1979), 71 Ill. App. 3d 267, 389 N.E.2d 670, which held that the new determinate sentencing law altered the standard of appellate review of sentences. Under the old law, sentences were to be affirmed unless the trial court had abused its discretion. (People v. Perruquet (1977), 68 Ill. 2d 149, 368 N.E.2d 882.) According to Choate, under the new law appellate courts are authorized to reduce a defendant’s sentence once he makes an affirmative showing that it is erroneous in his particular situation. (71 Ill. App. 3d 267, 274.) Because I disagree with the Choate decision and particularly the legislature’s right to prescribe rules governing appeals, I respectfully dissent. Since 1977, the new Unified Code of Corrections section 5 — 5—4.1 purports to set a standard for appellate review of sentences imposed under the Unified Code by stating, “There is a rebuttable presumption that the sentence imposed by the trial judge is proper.” We recognize several decisions have considered this legislative revision, the first being People v. Choate, where the court held: “Defendant submits that once he makes an affirmative showing that the sentence imposed by the trial court is erroneous in his particular situation, then the appellate court is authorized to reduce it. We believe this interpretation to be a correct statement of the nature and effect of appellate review under section 5 — 5—4.1 of the new Illinois sentencing act.” 71 Ill. App. 3d 267, 274, 389 N.E.2d 670, 676. A similar issue was considered in People v. Cox (1979), 77 Ill. App. 3d 59, 396 N.E.2d 59, with a well-considered dissent by Justice Green, wherein he questioned the legislature’s right to enact section 5 — 5—4.1, saying: “[T]he precedent of People ex rel. Stamos v. Jones (1968), 40 Ill. 2d 62, 237 N.E.2d 495, persuades me that the legislature did not have the power to authorize us to reduce sentences to probation.” 77 Ill. App. 3d 59, 75, 396 N.E.2d 59, 71. In Stamos, the supreme court was considering section 121 — 6(b) of the Code of Criminal Procedure that prohibited bail pending appeal on convictions of forcible felonies. Although this section was being interpreted in relation to the 1870 Constitution, Mr. Justice Schaefer stated: “[T]he constitution has placed responsibility for rules governing appeal in the Supreme Court and not in the General Assembly. Because it exceeds the authority granted to the General Assembly by the constitution, section 121 — 6(b) of the Code of Criminal Procedure is invalid.” 40 Ill. 2d 62, 66. A consideration of the facts of this case shows that the new “standard” is not only unnecessary, but improper. According to the evidence, Michael Godinez carried a gun during the armed robbery while defendant wielded a knife. Thus both were armed. Of prime importance is the fact that defendant was driving the getaway car when it was stopped by a Peoria police officer. Defendant frustrated the officer’s attempt to remove the three men from the car by driving off at a high rate of speed, throwing the officer aside. This evidence indicates differing degrees of participation in the crime by defendant as compared to his brother and, in my view, supports the trial court’s decision to impose different sentences. Using the new Choate standard of review, the majority reduces defendant’s sentence because it differs from that imposed on his brother even though there is evidence to support the different treatment. In any event, I believe it would be best to delay adoption of a new standard of appellate review of sentences since the issue may soon be resolved by the Illinois Supreme Court, which recently granted leave to appeal in People v. Meeks (1979), 75 Ill. App. 3d 357, 393 N.E.2d 1190, a case involving the same issue. For the foregoing reasons, I would affirm the conviction and sentence entered by the Circuit Court of Peoria County.