Court Opinion

ID: 9710383
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 04:08:32.800155+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:22:56.394616
License: Public Domain

Mr. PRESIDING JUSTICE G. J. MORAN delivered the opinion of the court: The defendant, Noil Dean Smothers, appeals from a sentence of four months to the Illinois Department of Corrections imposed upon a conviction for illegal possession of cannabis in violation of section 4(c) of the Cannabis Control Act (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1975, ch. 56½, par. 704(c)).  The only issue raised on appeal is whether the court considered improper factors in sentencing defendant. The State recommended a substantial fine as an incident to probation on the basis that if the police had not observed the plastic bag containing 12.2 grams of cannabis in defendant’s possession, people, who were standing nearby, would be encouraged to use cannabis. The crime was committed in a tavern parking lot. The presentence report and evidence presented at the sentencing hearing established that defendant is 27 years of age, has been convicted of reckless driving and fictitious plates, had been honorably discharged from the Army after approximately four years of service including a tour with the infantry in Viet Nam, is sporadically employed as a construction worker, and has two children. One of defendant’s children lives with defendant’s ex-wife; the other child, by the woman he is living with, has been adopted by his mother. Defendant has partially supported both children. In sentencing defendant, the court stated: “Alright. Two things come to my mind when I look at this matter. I think the State’s Attorney or Assistant State’s Attorney hit upon one of the points. This was the fact that this was the open more or less flagrant use of marijuana in public and I agree it makes the substance subject to being further distributed and possibly encourage others to participate with him. This is one thing that strikes me immediately, and then examining the Defendant’s life style through the pre-sentence investigation. It is not one that any Court, could condone to any great degree. He left one home broken. Of course, we don’t know whose fault that was and then now he is living with another lady out of wedlock, and to this marriage is bom a child., He has a prior record, of course mainly pertains to driving, but of course there was one serious charge of reckless driving. Of course this was back in 73, almost 74, there was only a fine imposed. He has been subject to arrest. Of course, we are not taking that into consideration because there was no conviction but he has subjected himself to possible arrests in the past year or two, so taking these items into consideration, I am going to sentence the Defendant to four months incarceration and assess the Court costs. I did have in mind in the sentencing to impose a sentence on the Defendant of six months but you reminded me there was only 12 grams and this barely exceeds the Class B Misdemeanor level so I am only going to sentence the Defendant to four months incarceration and assess the Court costs # # # ” Defendant contends that the court abused its discretion by considering three improper factors: (1) his life style by living with a woman, who was not his wife; (2) arrests on which convictions have not been entered; and (3) the public nature of the offense. In a hearing on aggravation and mitigation, arrests not resulting in conviction are not to be considered. It is otherwise as to probation. People v. Taylor (4th Dist. 1973), 13 Ill. App. 3d 974, 301 N.E.2d 319; People v. Moore (5th Dist. 1971), 133 Ill. App. 2d 827, 272 N.E.2d 270.  In our opinion the trial court improperly considered defendant’s life style and several arrests which did not result in conviction when it imposed the sentence of imprisonment on the defendant. Also in the opinion of the majority, there are several mitigating factors which should have been given greater weight by the trial court, and which support a reduced sentence. The defendant served in the armed forces for almost four years and received an honorable discharge. While in the Army where he performed radar duties in Germany and was in the infantry in Viet Nam, he earned a high school diploma. The defendant has been steadily employed since his discharge and has contributed to the support of his son and daughter with his earnings. He was employed in Florida after being released on bond with permission to leave the State during the pendency of the proceedings in the trial court. His prior record consists of a few misdemeanor traffic violations for which he was fined. He had never been incarcerated or convicted of a felony. The defendant has already served essentially a 23-day sentence; he was incarcerated in the Jefferson County Jail and the Vandalia Correctional Center prior to being released on bond. We find that under the circumstances presented the trial court committed an abuse of discretion in imposing a sentence of four months imprisonment. Accordingly, pursuant to the authority granted by Supreme Court Rule 615(b)(4), (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1977, ch. 110A, par. 615(b)(4)), the sentence is reduced to time served. Affirmed as modified. KARNS, J., concurs.