Court Opinion

ID: 9713930
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 05:26:29.282703+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:23:21.891291
License: Public Domain

Mr. JUSTICE STOUDER, dissenting: I respectfully dissent from the majority opinion. The issue of whether or not a consent to search has been given is a factual question to be determined in the first instance by the trial court. (People v. Cole (1977), 53 Ill. App. 3d 711, 368 N.E.2d 1308.) The trial court’s finding may not be disturbed unless it is against the manifest weight of the evidence. In the instant case, the trial court found that the defendant had not consented to the second search. This finding was not contrary to the manifest weight of the evidence. The testimony given by the defendant at the suppression hearing was that even though he had signed the written consent to search form, it was his understanding that the search would be conducted in his presence. This differed from the testimony presented by the State which was to the effect that there was no such understanding. Clearly, it was a question of fact as to whether or not the defendant consented to the second search, and there was sufficient evidence to support the trial court’s finding that the defendant did not consent to the second search. To hold as a matter of law in favor of the prosecution, as the majority does, is to resolve all inferences in favor of the prosecution despite a contrary finding of the trial court. This is not the function of an appellate court. If anything, these inferences must be resolved in favor of the defendant since the trial court found in his favor. Therefore, I would affirm the trial court’s finding of lack of consent.