Court Opinion

ID: 9819355
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-01 06:23:29.698039+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T12:09:57.718872
License: Public Domain

JUSTICE COOK, dissenting: I respectfully dissent. I would reverse and remand for resentencing. A sentence that does not conform to a statutory requirement is void and may be corrected at any time. People v. Arna, 168 Ill. 2d 107, 113, 658 N.E.2d 445, 448 (1995). The supreme court and this court have not hesitated to reverse and remand cases where the trial court has erroneously sentenced a defendant to concurrent sentences, where the statute mandates consecutive sentences. Arna, 168 Ill. 2d at 113, 658 N.E.2d at 448; People v. Childs, 278 Ill. App. 3d 65, 78, 662 N.E.2d 161, 169 (1996). That is done despite rules that limit the State’s right to appeal and prohibit the appellate court from increasing a defendant’s sentence on review. Arna, 168 Ill. 2d at 113, 658 N.E.2d at 448. The majority now holds that these rulings only work in one direction, and that where a trial court has erroneously sentenced a defendant to mandatory consecutive sentences, which are in fact not mandated by the statute, defendant forfeits his claim if he does not raise it on direct appeal or in his initial postconviction petition. The majority tells us this judgment was not void because the trial court had jurisdiction over both the parties and subject matter regarding criminal matters. The trial court’s general powers are irrelevant, however, where its specific powers have been limited by statute. In re T.E., 85 Ill. 2d 326, 333, 423 N.E.2d 910, 913 (1981). The majority also tells us the trial court could have imposed discretionary consecutive sentences. The trial court, however, did not do so, and the only question before us is whether these mandatory consecutive sentences can stand when the court did not have the statutory authority to impose mandatory consecutive sentences. It is not clear that the trial court would have sentenced defendant to discretionary consecutive sentences. The trial court never made a finding that consecutive sentences were necessary to protect the public from further criminal conduct by the defendant. See Ill. Rev. Stat. 1989, ch. 38, par. 1005—8—4(b) (now 730 ILCS 5/5—8—4(b) (West 1996)). The trial court stated it would not give defendant the maximum sentence on each count because of defendant’s lack of education and severe learning disability. Where a defendant is convicted of multiple offenses, one of which is a violation of section 12—14, consecutive sentences are mandatory only where they are “committed as part of a single course of conduct during which there was no substantial change in the nature of the criminal objective.” Ill. Rev. Stat. 1989, ch. 38, par. 1005—8—4(a) (now 730 ILCS 5/5—8—4(a) (West 1996)); Bole, 155 Ill. 2d at 194, 613 N.E.2d at 743. The trial court clearly believed these offenses were committed at separate times, and not as part of a single course of conduct. The jury sent out a note asking why two of the indictments were identical; the trial court responded that was because the State had alleged the defendant committed the same criminal act on two separate occasions during the time period alleged. During sentencing the trial court referred to “the statutory mandate for consecutive sentences” and noted “these were indeed separate offenses that occurred at separate times.” We should not be critical of defendant (or of the trial court) for failing to appreciate the nuances of section 5—8—4(a), when we have had so much trouble with that section ourselves. See People v. Ewald, 210 Ill. App. 3d 7, 10, 568 N.E.2d 451, 453 (1991); People v. Carter, 272 Ill. App. 3d 809, 651 N.E.2d 248 (1995). Viewed charitably, the section is “something of an anomaly.” Bole, 155 Ill. 2d at 198, 613 N.E.2d at 745. Speaking more directly, it is intolerable that the question whether defendant should serve 20 years or 60 years should depend on so uncertain an analysis. The three indictments in this case alleged the offenses, occurred between January and August 3, 1990, but none included specific dates. Given the importance of whether the three offenses were committed separately or as a part of a single course of conduct, the allegations and the proof should have made that clear. Absent allegations and proof that defendant committed the offenses as a part of a single course of conduct, mandatory consecutive sentences are impermissible. We should be concerned when a defendant is not sentenced in accordance with the intent of the legislature, an occurrence with constitutional overtones. We should endeavor to protect the integrity of the judicial system in this case and not be too ready to deprive defendant of his one chance to raise the issue. See People v. Gard, 158 Ill. 2d 191, 204-05, 632 N.E.2d 1026, 1032-33 (1994) (plain error). The trial court may be limited in what it may do on remand. See W. LaFave & J. Israel, Criminal Procedure § 26.7(c) (2d ed. 1992); see also People v. Kilpatrick, 167 Ill. 2d 439, 445, 657 N.E.2d 1005, 1008 (1995) (defendant’s sentence may not be increased on remand even though total number of years remained unchanged); cf. People v. Garcia, 179 Ill. 2d 55, 688 N.E.2d 57 (1997). Nevertheless, I would reverse and remand for resentencing.