Court Opinion

ID: 9744314
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 22:00:15.942119+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:24:48.479231
License: Public Domain

JUSTICE McCULLOUGH, dissenting: The bench trial began May 13, 1997. The trial court conducted the trial over a five-day period, and on May 19, 1997, the trial court found defendant guilty of first degree murder and entered a judgment thereon. On June 18, 1997, defendant filed a motion for new trial. The defendant made no mention in his motion of the trial judge’s personal behavior during trial. At the hearing on June 26, 1997, defendant’s argument on his motion referred merely to the trial court record. The defendant’s assertion that “[(]12) During [petitioner's bench trial [petitioner an [sic] counsel observed presiding judge Charles Glennon sleeping about 15 minutes during petitioner’s bench trial” was not raised in his motion for new trial or in his direct appeal. Even accepting defendant’s assertion as true, it is without merit and subject to waiver. Both defendant and his counsel were aware at the time of trial of this asserted error. The issue, not having been raised at trial, in his posttrial motion, or on direct appeal, is waived. In addition, defendant’s petition does not point to any prejudice or ruling by the trial court to give any substance to his allegation. To give merit to defendant’s assertion as suggested by the majority will open the floodgates in postconviction matters. To raise this issue to constitutional muster — after a five-day trial where defendant and his attorney observed all the happenings as they occurred but made no objection, did not assert error in his posttrial motion, did not raise the issue in direct appeal, and does not point to any prejudice— has me buffaloed. I would affirm the trial court’s dismissal of defendant’s postconviction petition.