Court Opinion

ID: 9705984
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 01:29:02.623364+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:22:18.389457
License: Public Domain

PRESIDING JUSTICE COOK, dissenting: I respectfully dissent and would reverse the decision of the trial court. This case bears little resemblance to Camden, where there was a problem with a juror, or to Segoviano, where the motion for mistrial was denied. A defendant has a “ ‘ “valued right to have his trial completed by a particular tribunal.” ’ ” Largent, 337 Ill. App. 3d at 842, 786 N.E.2d at 1108, quoting Washington, 434 U.S. at 503, 54 L. Ed. 2d at 727, 98 S. Ct. at 829, quoting Wade, 336 U.S. at 689, 93 L. Ed. at 978, 69 S. Ct. at 837. Once the defendant has been put in jeopardy, the trial court may not declare a mistrial without the defendant’s consent unless there is a “manifest necessity” to do so or the ends of public justice would otherwise be defeated. Largent, 337 Ill. App. 3d at 840, 786 N.E.2d at 1107. The question of double jeopardy following a mistrial arises in a number of very different contexts. For example, the prosecution may move for mistrial because of defense counsel’s improper and prejudicial comments in opening statement. In that situation, there may be a second prosecution even if the defendant objects to the mistrial because there was a “manifest necessity” for the mistrial. On the other hand, defense counsel may move for mistrial because of the prosecutor’s improper and prejudicial actions in the case. In that situation, double-jeopardy principles may bar reprosecution because defense counsel was “goaded” into making the motion for mistrial. In that second situation, even if the prosecutor moves for mistrial and defense counsel does not object, the controlling feature may still be the conduct of the prosecution. Defense counsel may be “goaded” into failing to object, just as defense counsel may be “goaded” into moving for a mistrial. Defense counsel is not required to choose between proceeding with an unfair trial and allowing a second prosecution. Why would a defendant ever consent to a mistrial, knowing that a second prosecution would follow? “In the event of severely prejudicial error a defendant might well consider an immediate new trial a preferable alternative to the prospect of a probable conviction followed by an appeal, a reversal of the conviction, and a later retrial.” United States v. Dinitz, 424 U.S. 600, 610, 47 L. Ed. 2d 267, 275, 96 S. Ct. 1075, 1081 (1976); see 5 W. LaFave, J. Israel & N. King, Criminal Procedure § 25.2(a), at 649-50 (2d ed. 1999). Likewise, the trial court, recognizing that prejudicial error has been committed, may choose to grant a retrial rather than go through the needless process of conviction, reversal, and retrial. Illinois v. Somerville, 410 U.S. 458, 464, 35 L. Ed. 2d 425, 431, 93 S. Ct. 1066, 1070 (1973). The situation is different, however, where the prosecution’s error, such as the failure to subpoena a witness, makes acquittal probable. Why would defense counsel ever agree to a mistrial when it is likely the present tribunal will acquit? I disagree with the majority’s analysis that a defendant forfeits his rights under the double-jeopardy clause unless he makes a demand for them, similar to a demand for a speedy trial. The issue here is not forfeiture but consent. A defendant’s consent may be implicit, but there must in fact be a consent. A defendant’s silence cannot amount to consent where the defendant is given no opportunity to object or where the court expresses an intent to grant the mistrial in any event. United States v. Jorn, 400 U.S. 470, 484, 27 L. Ed. 2d 543, 556, 91 S. Ct. 547, 557 (1971) (trial court acted so abruptly that parties were given no opportunity to object). When the mistrial was granted here, the parties were uncertain what the consequences would be. Defense counsel stated that he had never experienced such a situation and asked for time to do some research. The prosecutor stated that he anticipated a motion to dismiss based on the State causing the mistrial when he made the motion, but he decided that “the truth was the only way to go.” The trial court recognized there was a possibility the case would have to be dismissed and “maybe the cases say it depends if it was willful or not willful.” The dialogue was between the trial court and the prosecutor and focused on the question whether the prosecution really wanted to go this route. No one recognized that defendant had any choice in the matter, and defendant was never asked whether he had any objection to the mistrial. This is a difficult case. Where a prosecutor, even acting in good faith, has failed to subpoena necessary witnesses, there is no “manifest necessity” that will justify a mistrial. See Doumum v. United States, 372 U.S. 734, 10 L. Ed. 2d 100, 83 S. Ct. 1033 (1963). The mistrial in Downum “operated as a post-jeopardy continuance to allow the prosecution an opportunity to strengthen its case.” Somerville, 410 U.S. at 469, 35 L. Ed. 2d at 434, 93 S. Ct. at 1073. The “strictest scrutiny is appropriate when the basis for the mistrial is the unavailability of critical prosecution evidence.” Washington, 434 U.S. at 508, 54 L. Ed. 2d at 730, 98 S. Ct. at 832. That is the situation here. Because of the perjury of the prosecution witnesses, the prosecutor was unaware of the witness “Matt.” When the trial court attempted to “save the trial,” the prosecutor stated that he would need time to locate Matt and conduct additional investigation. The mistrial here operated as a postjeopardy continuance to allow the prosecution an opportunity to strengthen its case.