Court Opinion

ID: 9745907
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-27 13:42:06.211569+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:24:53.908162
License: Public Domain

JUSTICE McLAREN, dissenting: I respectfully dissent in part. Defendant’s two convictions of unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon for both possessing a .25-caliber gun, and then, also for the ammunition that was contained in the gun, violate the one-act, one-crime doctrine. As People v. King, 66 Ill. 2d 551 (1977), instructs us, multiple convictions are improper where more than one offense is carved from the same physical act. King, 66 Ill. 2d at 556. For this purpose, “act” is defined as “any overt or outward manifestation which will support a different offense.” King, 66 Ill. 2d at 566. I cannot fathom how possessing a loaded gun constitutes two separate overt or outward manifestations. The act of possessing the weapon is the same act in this case as possessing the ammunition because the ammunition was contained inside the weapon. Therefore, the act of possessing the weapon could not be separated from the act of possessing the ammunition. They are one and the same act. There is an adage, “You have to break a few eggs to make an omelette.” Its meaning relates to the realization that change may entail prefatory acts. The adage is illustrative of the fact that when one possesses an egg one simultaneously possesses the shell, yolk, and white. One overt act of possession results in the simultaneous indivisible possession of the three constituent elements of the egg. In order to separate the shell from the yolk and white, the shell must be broken and the yolk and white removed. Without the overt act of breaking a few eggs, the yolks and whites cannot be removed to make an omelette. Likewise, without the overt act of unloading the gun, the magazine and the cartridges cannot be removed from the gun. Until the magazine and the cartridges are removed from the gun, the act of possession is simultaneous and indivisible. The majority cites People v. Crespo, 203 Ill. 2d 335 (2001), for the proposition that separate acts were committed. The fallacy in the analysis is that there were in fact three different stab wounds involved in the Crespo case. Crespo, 203 Ill. 2d at 338. Applying the facts in this case to Crespo would result in the following analysis. If there were one stab to the arm of the victim made by Crespo, and the indictments had described three separate acts as a stab wound that broke the skin of the victim, a stab wound that cut the bicep muscle, and a stab wound that cut the tricep muscle, then Crespo would control. However, in Crespo there were three distinct stab wounds, not one stab wound described in three different ways. By misapplying Crespo, the majority has paved the way for multiple convictions based upon describing a single act in smaller discrete portions of the same act. Thus, the defendant in this case could have been successfully prosecuted for each cartridge possessed so long as the State described the “separate acts” as the possession of one cartridge. This would lead to the absurd result wherein a defendant possessing a “brick” of 500 rounds of .22-caliber long rifle ammunition (a box, approximately 3 inches x 3 inches x 6 inches, containing 10 boxes with 50 rounds in each box) could be convicted of 500 counts of possessing a single cartridge and fined $500,000. The majority dismisses the possibility of such an absurd result by stating that defendant here “possessed two different types of ammunition in two distinct places.” 344 Ill. App. 3d at 669. This statement ignores the fact that, in this case, the gun and the ammunition found in the gun were located in exactly the same place at exactly the same time. Still, the majority concludes that they each support separate convictions. Thus, the majority’s distinction does not prevent the absurd result that follows from its faulty reasoning. The majority also states: “The defendant could have chosen to possess the gun without the ammunition and the ammunition without the gun.” 344 Ill. App. 3d at 668. I submit that hypothetical facts that involve separate acts do not alter the reality that, in this case, the possession of the gun and the ammunition were one and the same act. The majority continues: “Indeed, the fact that the defendant chose to possess the ammunition within the firearm exposed the public to far more danger than if he had chosen to possess the firearm unloaded or without ammunition altogether.” 344 Ill. App. 3d at 668.1 submit that the majority does not cite to authority as to how or why public policy was not considered in our supreme court’s decision in People v. King. We are not to decide cases contrary to the law based upon our perception of public policy when it is inconsistent with established law and the reality of what actually transpired. The majority also claims that my interpretation will encourage the carrying of loaded guns by felons. 344 Ill. App. 3d at 669. I submit two reasons why this claim is unfounded. First, with concurrent sentences, there is no effective difference in punishment. This defendant had two guns and ammunition for both. However, he is going to prison to effectively serve one term of imprisonment, although convicted of five counts. Second, if this felon was concerned about multiple convictions, I submit that he would have carried only one firearm and ammunition for that firearm. The majority asserts that the legislature intended to create two separate offenses for possession of a loaded weapon. The majority argues that the legislature’s intent is expressed by the language in section 24 — 1.1 of the Criminal Code, which prohibits the possession of “any weapon *** or any firearm or any firearm ammunition.” 720 ILCS 5/24 — 1.1 (West 1996). However, I believe this language is ambiguous regarding intent to create separate offenses for possession of a loaded weapon. In any event, the majority fails to realize that the acts it claims are separate are actually one act. The current version of the Illinois Controlled Substances Act explicitly authorizes multiple convictions for the unauthorized simultaneous possession of different types of controlled substances. See 720 ILCS 570/402 (West 2002). Section 24 — 1.1, involved here, does not contain the explicit language found in the Controlled Substances Act. Because the legislature has not made it explicitly clear that it intended to permit multiple offenses for the possession of a loaded weapon, we must resolve the ambiguity in favor of leniency. See People v. Manning, 71 Ill. 2d 132, 137 (1978) (subsequently overturned by 720 ILCS 570/402 (West 2002)); see also People v. Davis, 199 Ill. 2d 130, 135 (2002) (criminal or penal statutes are to be strictly construed in favor of the accused, and nothing should be taken by intendment or implication beyond the obvious or literal meaning of the statute). Using the majority’s reasoning, defendant could have been charged with and convicted of five separate offenses of unlawful possession for each of the five bullets contained in the clip that was contained in the weapon. Interestingly, the State did not charge defendant in that manner, nor was the defendant charged in that manner in People v. McCarter, 339 Ill. App. 3d 876, 878 (2003), cited by the majority as “mirroring” this case. I recognize that the Appellate Court, First District, held in McCarter that multiple convictions can stand for simultaneous possession of a rifle, handgun, and ammunition. But, I believe McCarter supports my position rather then the majority’s. A careful reading of McCarter reveals that police found a loaded A-K 47 assault rifle in the corner of the defendant’s bedroom, a 9-millimeter handgun loaded with 15 rounds on top of a dresser in that same room, and numerous rounds of ammunition in a dresser drawer. McCarter, 339 Ill. App. 3d at 878. Yet, the defendant was charged with and convicted of only three counts of unlawful use of a weapon. If the prosecutor had followed the majority’s reasoning, the defendant in McCarter would have been charged with at least five counts of unlawful use of a weapon: one count each for the assault rifle, the ammunition contained in the rifle, the 9-millimeter handgun, the ammunition contained in the handgun, and the ammunition found in the dresser drawer. However, the ammunition that supported the only count relating to ammunition was not contained in a weapon; rather, it was found in a dresser drawer. The defendant in McCarter was not charged separately for the ammunition contained in the rifle and handgun. Therefore, at worst, McCarter is silent regarding the issue presented here, and, at best, it supports my position. At a minimum, this case does not mirror McCarter as the majority claims. It would appear that McCarter mirrors People v. Deppert, 83 Ill. App. 3d 375, 379 (1980). In Deppert, the defendant was convicted of two counts of unlawful use of a weapon. He was in possession of a .45-caliber semiautomatic pistol loaded with one round of ammunition; a fully loaded .22-caliber semiautomatic pistol, and at least 25 rounds of .22-caliber long rifle cartridges. Under the majority’s logic, there was a possibility of five counts of unlawful use of a weapon (the .45-caliber pistol, the ammunition inside the pistol, the .22-caliber pistol, the ammunition inside the pistol, and the ammunition outside the pistols). Despite this possibility, there were only two convictions. Finally, although I am aware that absence of evidence is not necessarily evidence of absence, I would like to point out that neither the State nor the majority nor I have found a case wherein a loaded gun supported two convictions of unlawful use of a weapon based upon the possession of the firearm and the ammunition contained therein. I would submit that one would expect to find a case on point. (Contrary to what the majority claims, McCarter is not such a case.) The following are cases wherein possession of a loaded gun was charged as only a single offense of unlawful use of a weapon despite the fact that the gun contained ammunition: People v. McCarter, 339 Ill. App. 3d 876 (2003); People v. Hurt, 175 Ill. App. 3d 970, 972 (1988); People v. Colley, 173 Ill. App. 3d 798, 811 (1988); People v. Weir, 111 Ill. 2d 334, 336 (1986); People v. Cook, 129 Ill. App. 3d 531, 535 (1984); People v. Stewart, 122 Ill. App. 3d 546, 548 (1984); People v. Deppert, 83 Ill. App. 3d 375, 379 (1980); People v. Sockwell, 55 Ill. App. 3d 174, 176 (1977); People v. Glass, 49 Ill. App. 3d 617, 619 (1977); People v. Marbley, 34 Ill. App. 3d 434, 437 (1975); People v. Adams, 30 Ill. App. 3d 396 (1975) (abstract of op.); People v. Hellemeyer, 28 Ill. App. 3d 491, 499 (1975); People v. Rodgers, 2 Ill. App. 3d 507, 511 (1971). The majority attempts to distinguish these cases on sundry grounds. The distinctions drawn by the majority fail to address the similarity between a loaded firearm in the possession of a felon and a loaded firearm in the possession of a misdemeanant. Applying the analysis of the majority to the adage, “You have to break a few eggs to make an omelette,” the majority would claim that the adage applies only to chicken eggs. The majority would disavow the adage when it comes to duck, goose, or ostrich eggs. I believe the majority’s definition defies reality and conflicts with the doctrine of one act, one crime contained in People v. King. Thus, I do not believe this defendant should be convicted twice for the same act, and I must respectfully dissent.