Court Opinion

ID: 9710344
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 04:07:43.680822+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:22:56.070216
License: Public Domain

Mr. JUSTICE KARNS, concurring: I concur in the decision reached that the failure of the court to appoint a psychiatrist to evaluate defendant’s sanity at the time of the offense was error and requires reversal and remandment for a new trial. I do not concur in that part of the opinion holding that defendant was denied the effective assistance of counsel when he and his co-defendant Williams were represented by different assistant public defenders. I do not agree that representation by separate attorneys from the office of a public defender is in legal effect representation by one attorney, presumably the appointed public defender. I have heretofore expressed my views on this subject in People v. Meng, 54 Ill. App. 3d 357, 369 N.E.2d 549 (5th Dist. 1977); People v. Spicer, 61 Ill. App. 3d 748, 378 N.E.2d 169 (5th Dist. 1978); and People v. Ishman, 61 Ill. App. 3d 517, 378 N.E.2d 179 (5th Dist. 1978). They need not be repeated here. Furthermore, I do not find that the defenses of Williams and Nichols were antagonistic, simply different. Lastly, I believe this contention was waived under the rule of People v. Precup, 73 Ill. 2d 7, 382 N.E.2d 227 (1978), as the issue was not raised by defendant prior to or during the trial nor in his motion for a new trial.