Court Opinion

ID: 9742475
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 21:14:31.873048+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:24:32.966899
License: Public Domain

Mr. JUSTICE STOUDER, dissenting: I disagree with the majority and believe the case should be reversed, or at the least, reversed and remanded for new trial. I believe it is unnecessary to restate the facts as set forth in the majority opinion except as to state additional facts relating to specific objections. The first issue on appeal is whether the State proved delivery of a controlled substance beyond a reasonable doubt. Assuming arguendo no errors were committed and the police officers’ testimony regarding the sale and delivery was true, we have evidence defendant told an IBI agent he had a quarter T which was for sale for $25, the agent paid the informer the money, the informer and defendant stepped outside the door and after about two minutes the informer returned and gave the agent a tinfoü packet later found to contain heroin. The specific question here is whether the above facts constitute sufficient evidence to establish delivery and sale. The People cite three cases in support of their position regarding the sufficiency of tire evidence. People v. Parson, 27 Ill.2d 263, 189 N.E.2d 311, People v. Guido, 25 Ill.2d 204, 184 N.E.2d 858, and People v. Adams, 46 Ill.2d 200, 263 N.E.2d 490, aff'd, 405 U.S. 278, 31 L.Ed.2d 202, 92 S.Ct. 916. . In Parson a narcotics agent testified he observed a co-defendant deliver the package to. another agent. In Guido a Federal agent testified he received the heroin from defendant. In Adams the court stated that no detailed summary of the evidence was necessary but that there had been shown a controlled sale of narcotics by an informant acting in cooperation with two police officers. The Adams court cited People v. Realmo, 28 Ill. 2d 510, 192 N.E.2d 918, as having circumstances resembling the Adams case. In Realmo the testifying officers did not view the actual transfer but they corroborated an informers testimony regarding the transfer. Adams was also cited for its holding that the naming of the person to whom the illegal sale was made was not essential to the sufficiency of the indictment in question and the misnomer there could be regarded as surplusage. The majority also cite People v. Schneekloth, 129 Ill.App.2d 451, 263 N.E.2d 500, and People v. Wyatt, 62 Ill.App.2d 434, 210 N.E.2d 824. In Schneekloth a deputy sheriff testified defendant told him he could pick up two packages behind the billboard across the street. The deputy went across the street and found the two packages behind the billboard which were subsequently revealed to contain marijuana. In People v. Wyatt three State narcotics inspectors went to the informer’s apartment. Upon defendant’s arrival one inspector asked defendant if he had the heroin and defendant said yes. Defendant and the informer went toward the bathroom where one of the inspectors, hidden in a closet, heard the defendant ask the informer whether another inspector had the money. Defendant asked the informer why business couldn’t be done in the regular way and then told tire informer to get one of the inspectors who came to the bathroom and received the envelope from the informer and then gave the money to defendant stating “here’s the money. Is the stuff ok?” Defendant answered, “yes, you will be satisfied with the percentage.” The cases cited by the People and the majority are distinguishable in that in the instant case there is no evidence, whether it be called direct or circumstantial, of an actual delivery of the narcotics. I believe the evidence being insufficient the cause should be reversed outright, but even if the evidence be considered sufficient I believe there are trial errors requiring a new trial. The next issue is whether the court’s failure to allow in its entirety defendant’s requested instruction on circumstantial evidence constituted reversible error. The instruction in question is Illinois Pattern Jury Instruction Criminal No. 3.02, which reads: “Circumstantial evidence is the proof of facts or circumstances which give rise to a reasonable inference of other facts which tend to show the guilt or innocence of the defendant. Circumstantial evidence should be considered by you together with all the other evidence in the case in arriving at your verdict. You should not find the defendant guilty unless the facts and circumstances proved exclude every reasonable theory of innocence.” The court refused defendant’s instruction and allowed the State’s instruction which did not include the second paragraph. Defendant contends the proof of his guilt is entirely circumstantial and therefore the entire instruction should have been given. The majority contends there was considerable direct evidence except as to the actual delivery itself and cite defendant’s statement that he had heroin which he was ready to sell for $25 as being direct evidence. Since the charge here is unlawful delivery of a controlled substance it is somewhat hard to imagine what direct evidence there could be if not as to the actual delivery. As noted in the dissent in People v. Minish, 19 Ill.App.3d 603, 608, 312 N.E.2d 49, “According to the majority opinion the trial court correctly refused to give the full I.P.I. Criminal Instruction 3.02 because there was some direct evidence. Two problems concern me. What is direct evidence as distinguished from circumstantial evidence? Why should the second paragraph not be given merely because there is some evidence which may be regarded as direct evidence?” Since the difficulty, if not impossibility, of distinguishing direct from circumstantial evidence is discussed at length in the cited dissent it will not be repeated here. The majority cite People v. Merkel, 23 Ill.App.3d 298, 319 N.E.2d 77, for the proposition that the failure of the trial court to give the second part of I.P.I. Criminal No. 3.02, if error, does not require reversal. The court in Merkel held the record revealed no reasonable theory of innocence arising from the evidence adduced at trial. In light of the fact in the instant case that the paid informer who allegedly received the narcotics from defendant was not searched prior to the alleged transaction, and in light of there being no evidence of actual delivery, it cannot be held here there was no reasonable theory of innocence. The failure here to give the instruction in its entirety would constitute sufficient error to require, at the very least, a new trial. The next assignment of error by the defendant relates to the court’s permitting the State to treat the informer as a hostile witness and to cross-examine him. The majority argue that since Barker’s testimony was a surprise to the State it was not error to allow him to be designated a hostile witness. The record does not even support the claim of surprise because the prosecutor knew at least the day before trial the witness had refused to testify. The majority argues there was no prejudice accruing to the defendant here which would justify a reversal. The State called Barker as a witness and elicited from him his statements that he did not recall at any time prior saying anything different regarding his meeting defendant in the presence of agent Johnson. Defendant's objection was overruled. In the instant case the State attempted to cross-examine the witness without first going through the proper procedure. After receiving the court’s permission to cross-examine Barker as a hostile witness, the testimony itself was on a collateral matter, and the actual statements made by Barker which were inconsistent were never introduced. This alone would at least justify the granting of a new trial. The last issue relates to defendant’s contention the court erred in admitting the agent’s testimony relating to phone calls made by informer Barker at agent Johnson’s request. Johnson testified that at his request Barker made a phone call and carried on a conversation with the party at the other end. Over objection by defense counsel Johnson stated he heard the words “quarter T” mentioned and a financial amount discussed. He heal'd no mention of any names. Johnson stated further that about a half hour later Barker made another call at Johnson’s direction for the purpose of recontacting the party Barker had been talking to. He testified Barker asked for Mickelson but Mickelson was not there. The State argues even if the statements were offered to prove the truth of facts asserted the substance of the statements does not tend to prove or disprove any fact in issue and therefore could not have prejudiced defendant. This argument is untenable in the light of the facts in the instant case as is the majority’s statement that Barker’s attempt to call Mickelson would not appear to add anything to the State’s case. It seemed to be more significant and more prejudicial in this case due to Barker’s failure to recall the events in question. The testimony of Johnson goes far beyond establishing that telephone calls were made. Due to the error in admitting the testimony regarding these conversations the cause should be remanded for a new trial. For the forgoing reasons the judgment of the circuit court of Rock Island County should have been reversed on the grounds of insufficiency of the evidence or at least reversed and remanded on the grounds of the aforementioned errors.