Court Opinion

ID: 9527635
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 03:32:05.465759+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:25:59.161102
License: Public Domain

Mr. JUSTICE GUILD, dissenting: I disagree. The majority recognizes that where a defendant appears pro se it has been held that the court has the burden of insuring that the jury is instructed on the elements of the crime charged. In this case the court did not do so, in my opinion. There were three charges against the defendant. As to aggravated assault Illinois Pattern Jury Instructions, Criminal, No. 11.04 was given, BUT MODIFIED to add “without lawful authority.” The jury found the defendant not guilty on this. As to battery, Illinois Pattern Jury Instructions, Criminal, 11.06 was given, BUT MODIFIED to add “without legal justification.” The jury found him not guilty of this charge. But, when they got to criminal damage to property Illinois Pattern Jury Instructions, Criminal, 16.02 was given BUT NOT MODIFIED. So, as the instruction reads, the State had to prove (1) “That the defendant knowingly damaged the property of Martin Bormanis” and (2) “That the defendant did so without the consent of Martin Bormanis.” There is no question that he did just that. Under these circumstances the jury had no alternative but to find him guilty as defined under the instruction. The “Use of Force in Defense of Property” instruction was given (Illinois Pattern Jury Instructions, Criminal, No. 24.08), which the majority believe cures the omission above. I do not believe this is correct. As to the two offenses which the jury found defendant guilty of, they had an out in the instructions. This was not so in the instruction as to criminal damage to property. In People v. Lewis (1977), 53 Ill. App. 3d 89, 93, 368 N.E.2d 619, 623, the court did as here and gave instruction No. 24.06 (ours being No. 24.08), defining justifiable use of force. BUT the court said: “When the defendant raises the defense of justifiable use of force the IPI issues instruction should be modified to include the element ‘that the defendant was not justified in using the force which he used.’ ” In other words, was “without legal justification” a question posed for the jury’s consideration in the charge of criminal damage to property? The problem in our case is more acute because, as to the battery and the aggravated assault charges, the jury was given the opportunity to consider whether he was justified — and they found he was as to those two charges. They WERE NOT GIVEN that choice in the criminal damage to property issue. They had no alternative under the criminal damage to property instruction No. 16.02 and were really bound to find him guilty. This they did and, indicative of their feeling, wrote on the verdict, “Due to circumstances the jury unanimously recommends suspension of sentence on the criminal damage charge.” Lastly, I call attention to the affirmative defenses section found in Illinois Pattern Jury Instructions, Criminal, No. 25.00, at page 436: “Therefore, when an affirmative defense has been raised the appropriate issues and burden of proof-defenses instruction should be superimposed upon the appropriate issues and burden of proof-crimes instruction so that the jury receives a single instruction covering all of the issues in the case.” (Emphasis added.) And that is what the court did here as to the charges of aggravated battery and assault but did not do in the criminal damage charge. The court in Lewis said they should have and so do I. Even if the defendant were properly found guilty, and I do not so concede, the sentence imposed of 9 months incarceration is exceedingly excessive and disproportionate. A fine only would suffice for this offense if he were properly found guilty. The fact that he has a considerable criminal record does not justify such a sentence under the facts of this case where he had successfully been on parole since 1970. Additionally, I point out that the defendant suggested to the young man who had done the shooting that he call the police. I would reverse and remand for a new trial.