Court Opinion

ID: 9711052
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 04:23:32.297677+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T08:25:14.946127
License: Public Domain

Mr. JUSTICE VAN DEUSEN, specially concurring: While I concur in the result reached, I respectfully disagree with the reasoning followed by the majority in reaching that result. The single issue in this case is whether the trial court committed prejudicial error in admitting evidence of the defendant’s subsequent armed robbery of the same establishment offered solely for the purpose of establishing his identity. The majority opinion attempts to distinguish our holding in People v. Butler (1975), 31 Ill. App. 3d 78, upon which defendant relies, and finds that the trial court did not abuse its discretion in admitting this evidence for the purpose of establishing identity. I do not believe the grounds set forth by the majority constitute a valid basis to distinguish People v. Butler, and I therefore conclude that the trial court erred in admitting the testimony of the secretary Blair and the office manager Foltz concerning the details of the alleged second offense for the purpose of establishing identity. As we stated in People v. Butler, “[w]hen evidence of other offenses is admissible on the question of identity, it should be confined to such details as show the opportunity for identification and not the details of the crime. [Citations.]” (31 Ill. App. 3d 78, 80.) The court in Butler further pointed out that the fact that the trial court is given discretion in admitting such evidence does not permit the judge to depart from the general principle of inadmissibility. 31 Ill. App. 3d 78, 80. Blair testified that on December 6,1976, as she was coming out of the manager’s office and walking towards her desk, a 35-year-old black male, approximately 170 pounds, and wearing a dark checked trench coat entered and inquired about a loan and that she recognized him as the subject who had robbed them earlier in September. This testimony dealt with the issue of identity. Blair was then asked whether the man in question displayed a weapon and what happened. She responded in substance that she walked back to the second office where the manager was seated and the defendant followed her. She then testified that the defendant said he was committing a robbery and wanted the money and further that Mr. Foltz went to the cashier drawer and collected the money and gave it to the subject who told them to go to the rear of the building and wait. This latter testimony deals solely with the commission of the second crime and, under our holding in People v. Butler, was clearly not admissible on the issue of identity; its admission for that purpose was error. Similarly, the witness Foltz’ testimony was not restricted to the issue of identity. Foltz was asked whether he had occasion to see the defendant again, to which he responded, “Yes, on December 6, 1976.” He was then asked to describe what happened, and replied: “It was almost the same thing, handed him the money and we went to the bathroom.” This latter testimony again deals solely with the commission of the second crime and has no bearing on the issue of identity, and it was error to admit it. It was only after the foregoing testimony was elicited that Foltz was asked further questions on the issue of identity. He was asked what his reaction was when he first saw the individual on December 6, 1976, and he responded that he said “not again” and that he recognized him “right off the bat.” Wholly separate and apart from the issue of whether the trial court abused its discretion, the admission of the testimony of Foltz and Blair concerning the details of the second offense was error because it was not relevant to the issue of identity. However, despite the fact that the admission of Foltz’ and Blair’s testimony concerning the details of the crime was erroneously admitted for the purpose of establishing identity, I do not find its admission to be prejudicial, since this evidence was properly admissible for another purpose, namely, modus operandi as to the offense being tried. (People v. McDonald (1975), 62 Ill. 2d 448, 455.) Therefore, I agree that the trial court did not abuse its discretion in admitting the evidence. Nor was the defendant prejudiced by the instruction to the jury to consider the evidence solely for the purpose of identity. Such limiting instruction was favorable to the defendant. For these reasons, I concur in the affirmance of the defendant’s conviction.