Court Opinion

ID: 9526721
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 03:22:37.916844+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:21:13.145294
License: Public Domain

Mr. JUSTICE EBERSPACHER, specially concurring: While I concur in the result, I do not agree with the reasoning by which the majority reach that result. I agree that the indictment alleged an offense under the concealment statute, but I do not believe that it can reasonably be inferred from the evidence that defendant was present at the scene or had knowledge of the homicidal death. There is evidence that leads to speculation that those things are true, but in my judgment that evidence falls far short of proving presence at the scene and knowledge of homicidal death beyond a reasonable doubt. I do not agree that prosecution under section 9 — 3.1 is restricted “to situations where the body itself is concealed or where the homicidal nature of death is actively concealed, as in making a homicide appear an accident” as the majority states. If the evidence of defendant’s knowledge of homicidal death satisfies the requirement of being beyond a reasonable doubt as the majority infers it does, we should affirm the conviction.