Court Opinion

ID: 9722129
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 09:17:18.317674+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:24:30.798944
License: Public Domain

JUSTICE SCHMIDT, dissenting: I disagree with the majority’s conclusion that the admission of evidence regarding defendant’s posting of $75,000 cash bond was improper error and therefore respectfully dissent. Reviewing defense counsel’s opening statements makes it clear that from the start of this trial the defendant attempted to paint a picture of himself as a poor immigrant laborer who had to move from California to Illinois because he could not produce $10,000 to repair his residence following an earthquake. During direct examination, defendant continued to try to paint this picture by introducing significant testimony regarding his financial status. This testimony included the fact that defendant’s wife has been disabled and unemployed for more than three years as a result of an accident. Moreover, defendant chose to inform the jury that he could no longer afford to own a house and therefore has to rent one at a cost of $700 per month. Defendant continued to make relevant his financial status by further noting that at times his daughter had to help pay the utility bills. The State did not attempt to introduce any evidence regarding defendant’s financial condition prior to the aforementioned testimony. Again, during opening statements, defense counsel stated to the jury that the defendant would prove he was an “unwitting dupe.” In an attempt to prove this, defendant chose to put into evidence his entire work history. The jury was told that at the time defendant was arrested, “work was a little slow” and that defendant “was only working part-time.” ' In an attempt to attack defendant’s credibility, the State was allowed to introduce evidence that the defendant came up with $75,000 in cash within approximately 24 hours of his arrest. I disagree with the majority’s finding that this information was irrelevant. The defendant’s choice to “poor mouth” to the jury makes his ability to acquire $75,000 cash within a 24-hour period relevant. While I agree with the rules of law set out by the majority regarding our standard of review and the test to determine the relevancy and admissibility of evidence, I simply disagree with their analysis that this evidence was irrelevant. Furthermore, given the facts of this case and how this evidence was admitted, I disagree with the majority that allowing the State to admit this evidence penalizes the defendant for exercising his constitutional right to bail. The majority cite Simmons v. United States to support that conclusion. Reliance upon Simmons is misplaced. The majority find support in the “intolerable” sentence in Simmons, ignoring the sentence that immediately follows it which sets forth the rule that when a defendant exercises a constitutional right, such action “may not thereafter be admitted against him at trial on the issue of guilt." (Emphasis added.) Simmons v. United States, 390 U.S. 377, 394, 19 L. Ed. 2d 1247, 1259, 88 S. Ct. 967, 976 (1968). For more than 30 years, Illinois’ courts have understood the distinction between allowing the State to use a constitutionally afforded right on the issue of guilt versus using the same information for impeachment purposes. Specifically, in People v. Wolfram, the court held “while the prosecution in Simmons used the testimony against the defendant on the issue of guilt, as part of its case in chief, in the instant case plaintiff did not use defendant’s testimony to show guilt but rather for impeachment purposes.” People v. Wolfram, 12 Ill. App. 3d 262, 267, 298 N.E.2d 188, 192 (1973). The same is true here. The State did not mention the $75,000 during its case in chief. Rather, the State cross-examined the defendant during the defendant’s case in chief as to how a poor day laborer could produce $75,000 in cash within a 24-hour period. The trial court gave a specific limiting instruction that the testimony regarding bail “was offered for the sole purpose of weighing the credibility of [the defendant’s] testimony. This testimony is not to be considered by you relative directly to the question of whether the defendant is guilty or not guilty of the charges against him.” Unlike the majority, I do not believe this impermissibly forces a defendant to surrender one constitutionally afforded right for another. Moreover, I do not believe allowing such evidence in circumstances such as this has any chilling effect on parties posting bail.