Court Opinion

ID: 9712737
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 04:58:59.59054+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:23:14.062528
License: Public Domain

Mr. JUSTICE STOUDER, dissenting: I disagree with the majority in that I believe the trial court committed reversible error in denying the motion of one of the two defendants, Rosemary Scales, to suppress the identification testimony of the two victims, Shelby and Koste, on the ground the showup confrontation held at the scene of the arrest was impermissibly suggestive and conducive to irreparable mistaken identification. I agree with the majority’s holding that no error was committed in denying the motion to suppress of the other defendant, George Flemming, since I believe the record shows there was sufficient opportunity for the victims to observe defendant Flemming at the scene of the crime so that these two victims had an independent source for their identification of him. My conclusion in this regard is supported by the fact that when the defendants were removed from their car both victims immediately identified Flemming. The facts which lead me to conclude there was an independent opportunity for the victims to identify Flemming are not applicable to the identification of defendant Scales. One of the victims, Koste, testified that during the robbery the taller assailant, subsequently identified as defendant Flemming, stepped between him and the other victim, Shelby, and stood face to face with him only six inches apart. He stated he looked direcdy into the eyes of the taller assailant. Shelby testified she, too, directed most of her attention to the taller assailant. With regard to the identification of the shorter defendant, Scales, I find there was no independent basis for her identification in that the circumstances of the robbery require the conclusion the victims had insufficient opportunity to identify the shorter assailant. At the time of the robbery the shorter assailant had a bandana covering his or her face and the taller assailant stepped between Koste and Shelby, thus blocking Koste’s view of the shorter assailant. Koste stated he could not determine the sex or build of the shorter person and when he made the call to the police he stated they had been robbed by two black males. The shorter assailant wore a hat, bandana, and rim glasses at the time of the attack and therefore only a small portion of that assailant’s face was visible. Koste testified the shorter assailant was dressed in dark baggy clothes but admitted stating to the police over the phone that both assailants were wearing blue jeans and blue shirts. He stated they were really unsure about the identity of the shorter assailant. Shelby testified the dress of the smaller person standing in the headlights was different from that worn by the shorter assailant at the time of the armed robbery. At the showup the smaller person, subsequently identified as Scales, was not wearing baggy clothes. Koste testified that during the showup Scales was not wearing the same jacket as the shorter assailant at the scene of the robbery, but was wearing a short sleeve blue sweater and brown slacks and was not wearing any glasses. Shelby testified she thought the hat on the smaller person at the time of the robbery was lighter in color than the hat which was taken from the car in which the suspects were riding. Shelby testified further that the shirt worn by the smaller person was lighter in color than the one taken from the car. Koste admitted his identification of Scales was based partially on what occurred at the time of the showup and he still was not positive. Shelby testified she was not sure whether the smaller of the two assailants was actually present in court. All of these circumstances support my conclusion the victims had insufficient opportunity to observe the shorter assailant at the time of the robbery and therefore there was no independent source for any subsequent identification of that assailant. The showup itself to me was clearly suggestive and conducive to irreparable mistaken identification. My conclusion here is supported by the fact that the two victims rode in the police car and listened to the radio broadcasts stating the car which they were following contained the two suspects. One of the victims testified he assumed they were pursuing the assailants. The two suspects were placed in front of the headlights of one of the police cars whereby the two victims were able to leisurely observe them wearing clothing more revealing than the clothing worn by the assailants and from a distance of about 35 to 50 feet. Koste and Shelby discussed their identifications both before and during the showup. They observed the police removing items from the car the suspects were riding in, including a .32-caliber revolver, a dark hat, shirt, gas mask bag, some .32-caliber bullets and the wallet of one victim and the purse of the other. One of the officers had one of the victim’s wallets at the time he was speaking to the victims. One victim acknowledged his identification of the shorter assailant was based in part on the fact his property had been found in the car in which the defendants were apprehended. The suggestiveness of this showup to me is clearly established by the record. The only reason I find no error was committed with regard to defendant Flemming is that there was an independent source for the victims’ identification of him. Since I believe the showup itself was unnecessarily suggestive and conducive to an irreparable mistaken identification and there was no independent basis for identifying defendant Scales, I believe the judgment of the circuit court of Champaign County finding defendant Scales guilty of armed robbery should have been reversed. With regard to the trial court’s striking of the testimony of a witness for defendant Scales as to her good character, the majority stated that upon a review of this witness’ testimony and the entire record, they did not find the trial court’s action constituted prejudicial error. I find the answers given by this witness were inept but generally related to Scales’ reputation and therefore the court erred in excluding this testimony. Some of the answers given might not have had the precision which might have been desired, but they should have been admitted and accordingly error was committed. However, I do not feel this error contributed to the conviction and therefore I find it harmless.