Court Opinion

ID: 9862092
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-25 01:00:33.013337+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T11:30:01.158702
License: Public Domain

JUSTICE KNECHT, dissenting: I respectfully dissent. The same trial judge has now twice concluded prosecutorial vindictiveness occurred in this case. At the heart of the trial court’s ruling is the conclusion Assistant State’s Attorney (ASA) McAvoy lied about why the felony charge was filed. The objective circumstances surrounding the prosecutor’s decision to increase charges against defendant were succinctly summarized by the trial court as follows. ASA McAvoy, who filed the information charging defendant with aggravated battery, had a heated argument with defense counsel shortly before the filing of the felony charge. Although ASA McAvoy spent the entire evening the day before the filing with ASA Prendergast and Kay, who were assigned to and responsible for prosecuting the traffic matter, ASA McAvoy did not mention to them his intent to file felony charges on the night before the trial date. On the day of the DUI trial, an opportunity to file a felony aggravated battery charge existed when the DUI information was filed, but none was filed and no mention was made of that possibility. In contradiction to ASA McAvoy’s testimony, no meeting regarding defendant’s conduct occurred with police officers and any of the ASAs the night before the DUI trial. ASA McAvoy had no assigned responsibility for prosecution of the defendant until he determined to file the felony charge. ASA McAvoy gave no notice to ASA Prendergast and Kay that he was filing a felony charge prior to doing so. Following dismissal of the traffic charge, ASA McAvoy commented to Kay that the case was not over yet and he would look into filing felony charges. The trial court’s findings of fact are not clearly erroneous and we should not substitute our judgment for the trial court’s on these critical points. I do not suggest a senior prosecutor is obligated or likely to discuss his filing intentions with junior prosecutors, but in the unique circumstances of this case, the trial court was entitled to give that failure evidentiary significance. I believe defendant presented objective evidence establishing prosecutorial animus and the additional charge would not have been filed absent such animus. ASA McAvoy testified the impetus to his filing of the felony charge was a meeting he attended with ASAs Prendergast and Kay and members of the police department, and the sharing of information that occurred at that meeting. However, the trial court concluded no such meeting occurred. The trial court did not find ASA McAvoy’s testimony believable. In effect, the trial court concluded ASA McAvoy lied about the meeting. The very meeting ASA McAvoy contended was the impetus for his filing decision did not even occur. This conclusion coupled with the other findings is more than sufficient to sustain the trial court’s decision. The majority contends defendant did not secure a dismissal of the traffic charge. The defendant’s objection to a continuance and his likelihood of success on resisting the admissibility of the breathalyzer test prompted the State to dismiss the DUI charge. This is the equivalent of securing a dismissal. ASA McAvoy retaliated by filing a felony battery charge. The State did not present any evidence this was simply a routine review and enhancement of a municipal battery charge or that a three-month delay in filing such a charge was typical. The only rebuttal to the defendant’s evidence was the testimony of ASA Mc-Avoy, which the trial court found less than credible. I would affirm.