Court Opinion

ID: 9729385
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 14:33:30.721+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:25:57.430616
License: Public Domain

JUSTICE THOMAS, dissenting: I agree with the State that the trial court’s decision to allow the deposition of David Lemak was improper even under the new rules governing capital cases. In the committee comments to new Rule 416(e) (188 Ill. 2d R. 416(e), Committee Comments, at Ixxv), we note that the decision to permit a deposition is committed to a trial court’s sound discretion, and further note that the need to depose a potential witness will depend upon the facts of each case. Based upon the facts of this case, I believe that the trial court abused its discretion in ordering the deposition of David Lemak. As the State argued in support of its motion for a supervisory order, David Lemak, as the father of the three murdered children, was a victim within the meaning of the Rights of Crime Victims and Witnesses Act (725 ILCS 120/3(a)(3) (West 2000)), and the Illinois Constitution Victim’s Rights amendment (Ill. Const. 1970, art. I, § 8.1). Consequently, the right of David Lemak as a crime victim to be treated with fairness and respect for his dignity and privacy (Ill. Const. 1970, art. I, § 8.1(a)(1); 725 ILCS 120/2 (West 2000)) should have been weighed against Marilyn Lemak’s right to take a deposition pursuant to Rule 416(e). Among the factors to be considered in determining whether to allow a deposition under new Rule 416(e) are “the consequences to the party if the deposition is not allowed, the complexities of the issues involved, the complexity of the testimony of the witness, and the other opportunities available to the party to discover the information sought by deposition.” 188 Ill. 2d R. 416(e)(i). Those factors do not outweigh David Lemak’s rights as a crime victim. The State points out that the information sought by Marilyn Lemak through David Lemak’s deposition is available to her through the written discovery tendered in this case, including psychiatric reports and police reports of interviews with David Lemak. Because that information is available to Marilyn, there are no consequences to her if David’s deposition is not allowed. Further, Marilyn has not shown that the complexity of the issues involved or the complexity of the testimony of David support the taking of his deposition. In addition, it is clear from the committee comments to new Rule 416(e) that David Lemak is not the type of witness contemplated by the rule. While illustrative only, the comments note that depositions would be more likely for certain types of witnesses, including jailhouse informants, witnesses who have criminal charges pending, witnesses who have not completed their sentence in a criminal case, witnesses who testify for the State by agreement, eyewitnesses, and expert witnesses. Although that list in not intended to be exclusive, that list does not lend support for the trial court’s order in this case. A reviewing court will find that a trial court abused its discretion only where the trial court’s ruling is arbitrary, unreasonable, fanciful, or where no reasonable person would take the view adopted by the trial court. People v. Hall, 195 Ill. 2d 1, 20 (2000). I believe this is a case where no reasonable person would take the view adopted by the trial court. Moreover, although supervisory relief generally is not available to correct an abuse of discretion by the trial court in discovery matters, the instant case presents an exceptional circumstance which would support this court’s exercise of supervisory authority. I also note that although the majority observes that supervisory orders may not be used as a mechanism for rendering advisory opinions (196 Ill. 2d at 514), and denies the motion for supervisory order, it nonetheless issues what amounts to an advisory opinion, finding that new Rule 416(e) applies in this case and that the trial court did not abuse its discretion. Given that this case presents the first interpretation and application of new Rule 416(e), and given the potential impact of the trial court’s order on the rights of crime victims, I would find that this court’s exercise of supervisory authority is appropriate, and would exercise that supervisory authority to vacate the circuit court’s order granting Marilyn Lemak’s motion to take the deposition of David Lemak.