Court Opinion

ID: 9723879
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 10:37:18.835001+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:24:53.023781
License: Public Domain

Mr. JUSTICE LINN, dissenting: I respectfully dissent from the majority’s holding that the admission of evidence of a prior crime in the instant case was so prejudicial that a new trial is warranted. In my view, the trial court did not abuse its discretion in admitting the evidence to show common design or modus operandi and, even if there was an abuse of discretion, I do not believe a new trial is warranted because the record affirmatively shows that the alleged error was not prejudicial. The majority correctly cites the principle of law set forth in People v. Osborn (1977), 53 Ill. App. 3d 312, 368 N.E.2d 608, that a prior crime is admissible under the theory of modus operandi where the crimes are so nearly identical in method as to earmark them as the handiwork of the accused. However, as Osborn makes clear, the law of Illinois does not require that both offenses be identical. (People v. Osborn; cf. People v. Lehman (1955), 5 Ill. 2d 337, 125 N.E.2d 506.) Rather, “[t]he critical question is not identity of the two offenses but is whether a comparison of the acts as a whole in both offenses demonstrates a common design and the same modus operandi.” People v. Osborn (1977), 53 Ill. App. 3d 312, 323, 368 N.E.2d 608, 617. While it is true that differences between the two offenses exist, the factual similarities between these two situations are so strong and persuasive that, as in Osborn, they are sufficient to make evidence of the earlier offense relevant as proof of the existence of a common design and modus operandi. Whether the gun was shiny or black, the getaway car. was a green two-door sedan or green station wagon, the defendant’s approach was a pretext or direct confrontation, are differences which, in my view, simply do not render the crimes so dissimilar that allowing the evidence of the prior crime was so prejudicial as to warrant a new trial. Although a second man participated with defendant in the earlier crime, both crimes were committed at places of defendant’s former employment during a time when defendant admittedly knew bank deposits were routinely made. Moreover, the record here affirmatively shows that the alleged error was not prejudicial, unlike the error in People v. Stadtman (1974), 59 Ill. 2d 229, 319 N.E.2d 813, and People v. Romero (1977), 66 Ill. 2d 325, 362 N.E.2d 288. In Stadtman, defendant was charged with theft, burglary, and possession of marijuana. At the close of the State’s case, the court directed a verdict for defendant on the marijuana charge. The State asked defendant’s co-defendant if he had ever seen defendant smoke marijuana. The court, noting that this evidence did not show defendant’s knowledge but his propensity for crime, reversed the theft conviction because the record did not affirmatively show that the error was not prejudicial. In Romero, defendant was charged with burglary and theft. The State introduced evidence that subsequent to a home burglary, defendant traveled to burglarize a gun shop and was apprehended and charged with possession of burglary tools. The court found this evidence prejudicial, since the only evidence presented at trial which linked defendant to the subject burglary was a witness who testified he had seen defendant with the stolen property and heard him say he had taken it from a home. In the instant case, I believe the evidence presented linking defendant to the crime demonstrates affirmatively that even if the admission of evidence of the prior crime was error, it was, nevertheless, not prejudicial. Sometime before noon on the day of the robbery, defendant deposited $924 in his bank account. Whitmore, who knew defendant having worked with him, testified that he saw defendant, armed with a gun, walk into the station. Whitmore then observed defendant place the gun at the victim’s head and walk with the victim into the back room. Whitmore then heard a gunshot and saw defendant exit with his gun and the pouch used at the station to hold bank deposits. Sanders, defendant’s friend, testified that two days prior to the day of the robbery, defendant asked him to “case” the station where the murder and robbery occurred. In the afternoon, on the day of the robbery, defendant came to Sanders’ home. Sanders observed blood on defendant’s shoes and pants. Defendant told Sanders he had done what he had planned to do and offered him money from a pouch to keep defendant’s gun. Sanders saw “a lot” of money banded with strips. Defendant then told Sanders he had shot the manager of the station in the leg. This evidence affirmatively demonstrates that if any error occurred by allowing into evidence testimony of the prior crime, the error was nonprejudicial since the evidence of defendant’s guilt was overwhelming. Accordingly, I find it necessary to dissent. I agree with the majority’s result and reasoning reached on the other issues raised by defendant, and since there is to be a new trial, I adopt the majority’s conclusions for the remaining claimed errors.