Court Opinion

ID: 9720055
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 08:14:31.150112+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:24:12.708215
License: Public Domain

JUSTICE COOK, dissenting: Defendant was given consecutive sentences on three counts of aggravated criminal sexual assault, alleging that his penis touched the victim’s vagina, his penis touched the victim’s anus, and his fingers intruded into the victim’s vagina. Probably every sexual assault will involve a number of touchings and intrusions, and the question raised here is the prosecutor’s power to multiply charges, to convert a single aggravated criminal sexual assault into three such assaults. See People v. Cox, 53 Ill. 2d 101, 106, 291 N.E.2d 1, 4 (1972) (applying a rule of lenity when the judiciary is asked “to make each stick in a faggot a single criminal unit [(Bell v. United States, 349 U.S. 81, 83, 99 L. Ed. 905, 910, 75 S. Ct. 620, 622 (1955))].” In response to defendant’s argument that this incident arose out of a single occurrence, “a single sexual encounter that occurred over several minutes,” the majority cites Segara, where the supreme court upheld two convictions of aggravated criminal sexual assault (vaginal intercourse and fellatio) apparently arising out of the same incident, stating that “[t]o the victim, each rape was ‘readily divisible and intensely personal.’ ” Segara, 126 Ill. 2d at 77, 533 N.E.2d at 805, quoting Pruitt v. State, 269 Ind. 559, 565, 382 N.E.2d 150, 154 (1978). The supreme court upheld the vacation of six other convictions of aggravated criminal sexual assault, however, which may have been more like the additional charges here. Segara, 126 Ill. 2d at 77, 533 N.E.2d at 805. Even as to the two convictions it upheld, the supreme court stressed that it was dealing with concurrent, not consecutive, sentences. “[T]he sentences can only run concurrently and, as such, there is no enhancement-of-penalty claim and no double jeopardy claim.” Segara, 126 Ill. 2d at 78, 533 N.E.2d at 806. At the time Segara was decided, section 5 — 8—4 provided a safety valve, avoiding difficult multiplication of charges and prosecutorial discretion issues: If defendant were convicted on a number of charges committed as a part of a single course of conduct, there could be no consecutive sentence; if defendant were convicted on a number of charges not committed as a part of a single course of conduct, consecutive sentences were possible in the discretion of the court. Ill. Rev. Stat. 1973, ch. 38, par. 1005 — 8—4(a). All that has changed. Effective July 1, 1988, section 5 — 8—4 was amended to read that, in the case of certain offenses committed as a part of a single course of conduct, “the court shall enter sentences to run consecutively.” (Emphasis added.) Ill. Rev. Stat. 1989, ch. 38, par. 1005 — 8—4(a). The supreme court recognized this amendment created “something of an anomaly,” mandating consecutive sentences in the least serious multiple-offense situation. People v. Bole, 155 Ill. 2d 188, 198, 613 N.E.2d 740, 745 (1993). The court concluded that it was bound to follow the statute “[ajlthough this might simply have been an oversight by the legislature.” Bole, 155 Ill. 2d at 198-99, 613 N.E.2d at 745. In response to Bole, the legislature amended section 5 — 8—4(b) in 1997 to eliminate the trial court’s discretion to impose concurrent sentences when the enumerated offenses are committed in separate courses of conduct. People ex rel. Waller v. McKoski, 195 Ill. 2d 393, 399, 748 N.E.2d 175, 178 (2001). Consecutive sentences are now mandatory whether there is a single course of conduct or separate courses of conduct, if a defendant is convicted of one of the triggering offenses listed in section 5 — 8—4(b). McKoski, 195 Ill. 2d at 399, 748 N.E.2d at 178-79. The 1997 amendment eliminated the inconsistency noted in Bole, but did nothing to alleviate concerns regarding multiplication of charges. In McKoski, defendant was convicted of three counts of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child (720 ILCS 5/12 — 14.1 (West 1998)), a triggering offense under section 5 — 8—4(b). McKoski, 195 Ill. 2d at 395, 748 N.E.2d at 176. The trial court, however, imposed concurrent sentences. McKoski, 195 Ill. 2d at 397, 748 N.E.2d at 177. The supreme court allowed the State’s Attorney to bring an original action in mandamus to correct the error and remanded with directions to impose consecutive sentences. The supreme court suggested, however, that the trial court still had the discretion to determine the length of each sentence. McKoski, 195 Ill. 2d at 402, 478 N.E.2d at 180. (Three consecutive sentences of 8V3 years would be similar to three concurrent sentences of 25 years.) It is important to note that multiplication of charges from a single incident was not an issue in McKoski, that the three convictions “related to three separate incidents, involving three different minors, which occurred in Lake County between December 1, 1997, and August 1, 1998.” McKoski, 195 Ill. 2d at 395, 478 N.E.2d at 176. The supreme court expressed its concern with multiplication of charges when it adopted the “one-act, one-crime” analysis in King. People v. King, 66 Ill. 2d 551, 566, 363 N.E.2d 838, 844 (1977). As originally written, King addressed only concurrent sentences; it was not necessary to address consecutive sentences because the legislature had resolved that problem with the original version of section 5 — 8—4. See People v. Rodriguez, 169 Ill. 2d 183, 192-94, 661 N.E.2d 305, 309-10 (1996) (Heiple, J., specially concurring). As the legislature has tampered with section 5 — 8—4, however, the supreme court has expanded its analysis in King, applying it even in cases of consecutive sentences. Rodriguez, 169 Ill. 2d at 186-87, 661 N.E.2d at 307; People v. Priest, 297 Ill. App. 3d 797, 802, 698 N.E.2d 223, 226 (1998). In a concurrent-sentence situation, the supreme court has recently reaffirmed its position “that each separate blow of a mop handle could support a separate conviction,” reversing the additional conviction, however, because the charges did not differentiate the separate blows (stab wounds). People v. Crespo, No. 86556, slip op. at 8 (February 16, 2001). “Rather these counts charge defendant with the same conduct under different theories of criminal culpability.” Crespo, slip op. at 6. The double jeopardy clause of the fifth amendment states that no person shall “be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb.” U.S. Const., amend. V; see also Ill. Const. 1970, art. I, § 11 (all penalties shall be determined “according to the seriousness of the offense”). The United States Supreme Court most recently has determined the constitutional rule on cumulative punishment to be a question of legislative intent. Where “a legislature specifically authorizes cumulative punishment under two statutes, regardless of whether those two statutes proscribe the ‘same’ conduct under Block-burger, a court’s task of statutory construction is at an end and the prosecutor may seek and the trial court or jury may impose cumulative punishment under such statutes in a single trial.” Missouri v. Hunter, 459 U.S. 359, 368-69, 74 L. Ed. 2d 535, 544, 103 S. Ct. 673, 679 (1983); see also Fitzsimmons v. Norgle, 104 Ill. 2d 369, 374, 472 N.E.2d 802, 805 (1984) (“the law does not permit a double enhancement of a penalty without a clear indication of a legislative intent to accomplish that result”). Does section 5 — 8—4 “specifically authorize” cumulative punishments in an aggravated criminal sexual assault case where the victim’s body is touched several times or in several places by different parts of the defendant’s body? “At best, the operative language of the sentencing statute is muddy.” McKoski, 195 Ill. 2d at 405, 748 N.E.2d at 182 (Kilbride, J., concurring in part and dissenting in part). Without any limitation imposed by statute, the prosecutor may choose to charge a single aggravated criminal sexual assault as 2, or 20, aggravated criminal sexual assaults, and obtain a mandatory consecutive sentence on each one. The Code identifies perhaps 14 different ways in which “sexual penetration” can occur. 720 ILCS 5/12— 12(f) (West 2000). The purpose of that definition is to provide flexibility in charging, given the variety of ways in which a sexual assault can occur. There is no indication, however, that the listing of each type of sexual penetration was intended to designate a separate offense. Nor should a touching with the right hand, followed by a touching with the left hand, and another touching by the right hand be considered three separate aggravated criminal sexual assaults. Cf. People v. Myers, 85 Ill. 2d 281, 426 N.E.2d 535 (1981) (concurrent sentences where defendant twice moved knife from first victim’s neck to threaten a second victim; although invasions were closely related in time and in the same area of the neck, the acts were not one physical act). As the supreme court pointed out in McKoski, a trial court does have discretion, within the permissible statutory sentencing range, to determine the length of each sentence. McKoski, 195 Ill. 2d at 402, 748 N.E.2d at 180. Still, a prosecutor may insure a sentence of, say, 60 years by charging defendant with 10 counts of aggravated criminal sexual assault. See 730 ILCS 5/5 — 8—1(a)(3) (West 2000) (statutorily prescribed Class X sentence is 6 to 30 years). We would be very concerned if a trial court imposed a sentence of 31 years for a Class X felony. Such a sentence, which exceeds the statutory maximum, would be void and subject to attack at any time. We should be even more concerned with multiplication of charges, which in this case results in a sentence of 45 years for a Class X felony. The State argues the prosecutor does not have absolute discretion, that there still is a safety valve here, that the “aggregate of consecutive sentences for offenses that were committed as part of a single course of conduct” shall not exceed the maximum terms authorized for the two most serious felonies involved. 730 ILCS 5/5 — 8—4(c)(2) (West 2000). The State argues that with a Class X felony the maximum extended term is 60 years and therefore the maximum aggregate of consecutive terms is 120 years. See People v. Myrieckes, 315 Ill. App. 3d 478, 482, 734 N.E.2d 188, 192 (2000). I respectfully suggest that a limit of 120 years on consecutive sentences is no limit at all. The legislature could not allow the penalty for a criminal offense to be whatever the prosecutor might choose. Prosecutors are routinely given discretion to decide whether to charge under one of two statutes with similar elements. Where the statutes “plainly demarcate the range of penalties that prosecutors and judges may seek and impose,” the power delegated is no broader than the authority they routinely exercise. United States v. Batchelder, 442 U.S. 114, 126, 60 L. Ed. 2d 755, 766, 99 S. Ct. 2198, 2205 (1979). Where the prosecutor actually makes the sentencing decision, however, as where minimum sentences are involved, there is more force to the constitutional argument. W LaFave & J. Israel, Criminal Procedure § 13.7(a), at 650 (2d ed. 1992). A statutory scheme which allows a prosecutor unfettered discretion to prosecute under one of two statutes which are identical except for the penalty is highly objectionable. W. LaFave & J. Israel, Criminal Procedure § 13.7(a), at 650 (2d ed. 1992). The same is true here. Under section 5 — 8—4 as it presently exists, and by adopting a narrow definition of what constitutes a “single act,” the prosecutor has absolute power to determine what sentence a particular defendant will receive, free of any interference by the court and without any limitation imposed by the legislature. The majority avoids this question by dividing it into easily answered subordinate issues: (1) it is up to the jury to determine the sufficiency of the evidence, including whether there were “three separate acts” of aggravated criminal sexual assault; (2) the sentences were within the statutory range, and, therefore, the trial court properly exercised its discretion, sentencing defendant to only 15 years out of a possible 30 years for each offense; and (3) Apprendi concerns are not implicated by consecutive sentencing, which does not increase any of defendant’s individual sentences for an offense beyond the statutory maximum. I respectfully suggest that giving a prosecutor unfettered discretion to multiply charges on which consecutive sentences must be imposed is inconsistent with the fundamental principles of our system of justice.