Court Opinion

ID: 9530140
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 03:57:34.077249+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:28:00.504192
License: Public Domain

MR. JUSTICE RYAN, also dissenting: I join in the dissent of Mr. Justice Underwood. I also wish to note that we need not here be overly concerned with whether the alleged error was harmless error “beyond a reasonable doubt,” because the defendant did not properly preserve the issue for review and has thus waived it as error. The opinion properly notes that when the defendant was first cross-examined concerning the statement he gave to the investigator, no objection was made. Later, when appropriate objection was made to the use of the investigator in rebuttal, the court sustained the defendant’s objection. Finally, and most damaging to the defendant’s position on review, this issue was not raised in the post-trial motion. Therefore, the trial judge who presided at the trial and who had a first-hand opportunity to appraise the impact upon the jury of the very limited use by the prosecution of the investigator’s statement was never given the opportunity to pass upon this alleged error. As noted in the dissent in People v. Lott (1977), 66 Ill. 2d 290,302, the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963 (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1971, ch. 38, par. 116 — 1) requires that a written motion for a new trial specify the grounds relied upon. A failure to specify an error in the written motion constitutes a waiver, and that issue cannot be raised as a ground for reversal on review. People v. Pickett (1973), 54 Ill. 2d 280. Here the alleged violation of the defendant’s constitutional right has been waived by the defendant’s failure to properly and timely object at the trial and to raise the issue in his post-trial motion. As stated by this court in People v. Black (1972) 52 Ill. 2d 544, 551: “Constitutional questions as well as others may be waived by the absence of prior objections and the failure to preserve the same for review.” It is true that the waiver rule may be relaxed, as a matter of grace, by a reviewing court. However, in cases such as this one the rule is only relaxed when the evidence is closely balanced (People v. Pickett (1973), 54 Ill. 2d 280, 283), which it was not in this case. In summary, I do not believe that, when the evidence of guilt is as overwhelming as it is in this case and when the defendant has failed to preserve an issue for review, the court should seize upon such an issue and reverse a valid conviction solely for the purpose of punishing an errant prosecutor. I would therefore affirm the conviction.