Court Opinion

ID: 9884867
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-10-06 03:19:18.767406+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:48:40.945072
License: Public Domain

MR. JUSTICE SCHAEFER, dissenting: In this case both the defendant and the only occurrence witness for the prosecution, testified that they thought that Levine was coming upstairs when the shots were fired and that they didn’t know that he was behind the curtain. The defendant’s wrongdoing, if any, thus consisted of his failure to be aware of the risk involved. That kind of wrongdoing comes precisely within the statutory definition of negligence, and does not constitute recklessness. (Ill.Rev.Stat. 1969, ch. 38, par. 4 — 7.) Yet the involuntary manslaughter statute punishes only reckless conduct and not the negligent failure to be aware of a risk. (S.H. Ill.Ann.Stat., ch. 38, par. 9 — 3, Committee Comments.) In my opinion, the proof did not establish the defendant’s guilt of the offense of involuntary manslaughter, and the judgment of conviction should be reversed.