Court Opinion

ID: 9863350
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-25 03:54:25.518913+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T11:41:48.144754
License: Public Domain

JUSTICE JORGENSEN, dissenting: I agree with the majority that the trial court abused its discretion in granting the State’s motion in limine. However, I respectfully dissent because I agree with the State that the error was harmless. Pretrial motions present additional challenges for a trial judge when the nature and extent of the defense is unknown. Here, if defendant had raised an issue concerning the circumstances of his arrest — specifically, that he was injured by the arresting officers or that such alleged injury caused him to confess — I would have found no error with the trial court’s ruling. The presence of the gun would have been relevant to support the action taken by the arresting officers. However, defendant never raised this issue. Thus, the relevance of the presence of the gun never came to fruition and allowing testimony about defendant’s possession of the gun at the time of his arrest was error. Unlike the majority, however, I agree with the State that the error is harmless because the evidence against defendant was overwhelming. Although Krueger, who was over 60 years old, was unable to identify her assailants, she did testify that her purse and credit cards were taken. Terrell, a codefendant, put himself at the scene of the robbery with defendant, Taylor, and Tobijohn Smith. Terrell testified that he and Smith were lookouts while defendant and Taylor approached Krueger and took her purse. He also stated that they divided the proceeds of the robbery and that defendant took some of the credit cards. Shatobie Smith, defendant’s girlfriend and Tobijohn’s sister, testified that defendant left the house for 45 minutes, consistent with the time of the robbery, and returned with Tobijohn. When they returned, they had credit cards. Shatobie, Tobijohn, and defendant went to Walmart to make a purchase with a credit card. As the card was in a woman’s name, Shatobie attempted to use the card. However, due to the purchase amount, the cashier asked for identification. Shatobie was unable to produce identification and, so, they left the store. Shatobie, Tobijohn, and defendant were videotaped by a Walmart security camera. Defendant’s own words were compelling evidence against him. In his first statement to police, defendant wrote that, when he was confronted by officers who informed him that they were investigating robberies in the area, he stated that he “didn’t rob no old lady.” In his second statement, defendant confessed to using Krueger’s credit card with Shatobie and Tobijohn, consistent with Shatobie’s testimony. Further, defendant confessed to robbing Krueger and stated that Taylor, Terrell, and Tobijohn participated in the crime. Defendant’s confession is consistent with Terrell’s statement and his trial testimony. The majority points to the finding of not guilty of aggravated battery to support its position that the error was not harmless. I do not believe that a split verdict necessarily means that the jury was torn over the evidence. In sum, I would affirm the conviction.