Court Opinion

ID: 9738766
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 20:02:19.76159+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:24:08.307453
License: Public Domain

Mr. JUSTICE RIZZI, concurring in part and dissenting in part: The defendant was convicted in a single jury trial for both possession and delivery of a controlled substance. (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1977, ch. 561a, pars. 1401(e), 1402(b).) He received a sentence of 2-6 years for possession of 18 capsules of ethchlorvynol and only 1-3 years for delivery of 75 capsules of the same substance. The majority reverses the conviction as to delivery of the substance and remands the case for a new trial only on that charge because of prosecutorial errors during the trial. But the majority reverses and dismisses the conviction as to possession of the substance on the basis that the statute is unconstitutional in that it provides for a maximum sentence that is greater for the crime of possession than it is for delivery of the substance. Under the statute, possession of a controlled substance is a Class 3 felony and delivery of the substance is only a Class 4 felony. The maximum term that one can be sentenced for a Class 3 felony is in excess of 1 year and not exceeding 10 years. The maximum term that one can be sentenced for a Class 4 felony is in excess of 1 year and not exceeding 3 years. Ill. Rev. Stat. 1977, ch. 38, par. 1005 — 8—1. I agree with the majority opinion that the defendant did not receive a fair trial because of the flagrant prosecutorial errors during the trial. I would, however, reverse both the delivery and possession convictions on that basis, without considering the constitutional question. I believe the long-established principle that a reviewing court should not pass on a constitutional question if the case may be disposed on other grounds should be adhered to in this case. (Howard v. Lawton, 22 Ill. 2d 331, 334, 175 N.E.2d 556, 558 (1961); Illinois Central R.R. Co. v. Illinois Commerce Com., 411 Ill. 526, 534, 104 N.E.2d 796, 800 (1952); see 2 Ill. L. & Prac. Appeal and Error §632, at 561 (1953).) Specifically, in Howard, 22 Ill. 2d 331, 334, 175 N.E.2d 556, 558, the court stated: “We pass upon constitutional issues only where the cause cannot be decided on other grounds.” (Emphasis added.) Although the majority, in its conclusion, suggests that its holding regarding the dismissal of the possession charge is not based upon constitutional grounds, it is clear that if the statute is not held to be unconstitutional, then the possession charge cannot be dismissed. The holding of the majority cannot logically be reached unless based on its conclusion that the statute is unconstitutional. If, as I suggest, the entire case is retried, the defendant may be found guilty solely of possession of the controlled substance, or he may be found guilty of both delivery and possession. He may then be sentenced to a term of 1-3 years for possession, i.e., within the prescribed limits under the statute for a conviction of delivery. Certainly, the statute would not then be unconstitutional in its application to the defendant since he would not have received a greater sentence for possession than delivery of the controlled substance. A somewhat analogous circumstance existed in the case of People v. Rhodes, 38 Ill. 2d 389, 395-96, 231 N.E.2d 400, 403 (1967), where the court found that the defendant’s constitutional rights were not violated and stated: “There is no merit to the defendant’s contention that the 5-to-10-year sentence he received was in excess of the punishment authorized. Section 8 — 4, the statute under which the defendant was sentenced, provides for a punishment of not more than 14 years for a forcible felony attempt. The sentence imposed was not in excess of punishment authorized. Section 16 — 1 authorizes a penalty of one to ten years for grand theft. It is urged that due process was denied, as the defendant might have been punished more severely for the attempt than for the completed crime of grand theft. We agree with the People’s reply that section 8 — 4 only provides that the punishment for any forcible felony attempt shall not exceed 14 years and does not provide that the punishment for a given attempt may exceed that provided for the completed crime concerned. The penalty here imposed does not exceed the maximum punishment which could have been given for the completed crime of grand theft.” (Emphasis added.) I believe a reviewing court must consider the ramifications of its decision before unnecessarily, in my opinion, deciding the constitutionality of a criminal statute as important as one dealing with the possession of controlled substances. As a result of the majority opinion, there will not exist a valid criminal statute for possession of a controlled substance in this geographical area. Immediately, it means the present defendant cannot be retried for the charge of possession of a controlled substance, although the majority opinion candidly states that the evidence presented in the trial is sufficient to find him guilty of the crime beyond a reasonable doubt. I cannot accept these consequences unless they are absolutely necessary, and in my opinion, they are not necessary because the constitutionality of the statute need not presently be decided under the circumstances of this case. In light of the legislature’s recognition of the rising incidence in the abuse of drugs and other dangerous substances and its resultant damage to the peace, health, and welfare of the citizens of Illinois, I believe the majority is making a mistake. Specifically, the legislature has stated its intent of the Illinois Controlled Substance Act, in part, as follows (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1977, ch. 56½, par. 1100): “Legislative intent.] It is the intent of the General Assembly, recognizing the rising incidence in the abuse of drugs and other dangerous substances and its resultant damage to the peace, health, and welfare of the citizens of Illinois, to provide a system of control over the distribution and use of controlled substances which will more effectively * * * deter the unlawful and destructive abuse of controlled substances ” ° In my view, if this entire case is remanded for a new trial, the legislature may wish to review the statute and make an appropriate amendment so that possession of a controlled substance is listed as a Class 4 felony and delivery is listed as a Class 3 felony. The legislature would be able to do this before the constitutionality of the statute is considered and possibly voided judicially, thus, avoiding the untoward ramifications of the majority opinion in this case. I believe, for the reasons stated, both the delivery and possession of the controlled substance convictions should be reversed and the entire case remanded for a new trial because of the prosecutorial errors during the trial, without considering the constitutional question.