People v. Bleitner

591 N.E.2d 96, 227 Ill. App. 3d 257, 169 Ill. Dec. 216, 1992 Ill. App. LEXIS 601
CourtAppellate Court of Illinois
DecidedApril 15, 1992
DocketNo. 4—91—0618
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 591 N.E.2d 96 (People v. Bleitner) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Appellate Court of Illinois primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
People v. Bleitner, 591 N.E.2d 96, 227 Ill. App. 3d 257, 169 Ill. Dec. 216, 1992 Ill. App. LEXIS 601 (Ill. Ct. App. 1992).

Opinion

JUSTICE KNECHT

delivered the opinion of the court:

Defendant Robert C. Bleitner appeals the Calhoun County circuit court’s dismissal of his pro se post-conviction petition filed pursuant to the Post-Conviction Hearing Act (Act) (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1989, ch. 38, pars. 122 — 1 through 122 — 8). He argues the dismissal is void because it was entered, but not filed by the circuit clerk, within 30 days after he filed his petition. He also argues because the petition adequately established claims of ineffective assistance of trial and appellate counsel, the court improperly dismissed his petition. We reject defendant’s arguments.

On March 12, 1988, defendant was indicted in Calhoun County case No. 88 — CF—3 for the alleged criminal sexual assault of his 17-year-old stepdaughter. (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1987, ch. 38, par. 12 — 13(a)(3).) Before defendant pleaded guilty in No. 88 — CF—3, he was arrested for attempting to place a pipe bomb in the car of the Calhoun County State’s Attorney who was prosecuting him for the alleged sexual assault offense. For this action, he was convicted of unlawful use of weapons (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1987, ch. 38, par. 24 — 1(a)(7)), conspiracy to commit murder (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1987, ch. 38, pars. 8 — 2(a), 9 — 1), and attempt (first-degree murder) (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1987, ch. 38, pars. 8— 4(a), 9 — 1). Defendant was sentenced to concurrent terms of 28 years’ imprisonment for attempt, and 5 years for unlawful use of weapons. No sentence was imposed on the conspiracy offense. We affirmed this conviction. People v. Bleitner (1989), 189 Ill. App. 3d 971, 546 N.E.2d 241 (hereinafter Bleitner I).

Defendant pleaded guilty in the criminal sexual assault case, No. 88 — CF—3, against his counsel’s advice. On December 14, 1988, the trial court imposed an extended term of 22 years to run consecutively to his prior sentence for the pipe bomb incident. Defendant appealed, contending the trial court erred by accepting his guilty plea because he repeatedly proclaimed he was innocent, he had recently been sentenced to 28 years for the pipe bomb incident, and he was mentally ill. We affirmed. See People v. Bleitner (1990), 199 Ill. App. 3d 146, 148, 556 N.E.2d 819, 820 (hereinafter Bleitner II).

On June 27, 1991, defendant filed a pro se petition for post-conviction relief in No. 88 — CF—3, alleging in part that his plea was involuntary because he had been denied effective assistance of trial counsel and appellate counsel. On July 29, 1991, an order was filed by the circuit clerk dismissing the petition as frivolous and nonmeritorious. In regard to the time limitations for ruling on post-conviction relief, the judge stated that he had been busy with other cases, but had examined the petition on July 24 and 25, 1991, within the time prescribed by the statute. The order was dated as entered on July 25.

Section 122 — 2.1(a) of the Act states, “[wjithin 30 days after the filing and docketing of each petition, the court shall examine such petition and enter an order thereon pursuant to this Section.” (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1989, ch. 38, par. 122 — 2.1(a).) Defendant contends the court lacked authority to dismiss his post-conviction petition because this section should be interpreted as requiring the court to file its dismissal order within 30 days. The court’s order was not filed until July 29, 32 days after his petition was filed. Defendant asks this court to establish a “bright-line” rule that dismissal orders are not properly entered unless filed by the circuit clerk within 30 days. We decline to so hold because we conclude the trial court’s order was filed within 30 days.

As the State correctly notes, the court’s filing of its dismissal was timely pursuant to section 1.11 of the Statute on Statutes, which states in relevant part:

“The time within which any act provided by law is to be done shall be computed by excluding the first day and including the last, unless the last day is Saturday or Sunday or is a holiday as defined or fixed in any statute now or hereafter in force in this State, and then it shall also be excluded. If the day succeeding such Saturday, Sunday or holiday is also a holiday or a Saturday or Sunday then such succeeding day shall also be excluded.” Ill. Rev. Stat. 1989, ch. 1, par. 1012.

The court’s order was filed on Monday, July 29, 1991. Defendant filed his petition June 27, 1991. Excluding this day as the first day, and adding 30 days brings us to July 27, 1991, as the deadline for the court’s order to be filed. July 27, however, was a Saturday. July 28 was a Sunday. July 27 and 28 are excluded from the computation. The court’s July 29 order was timely filed.

We next address defendant’s argument the court abused its discretion by dismissing his post-conviction petition as frivolous and without merit. The Act authorizes the court to dismiss a petition filed by an imprisoned defendant when the petition is “frivolous or is patently without merit.” (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1989, ch. 38, par. 122 — 2.1(a)(2).) The allegations contained in his petition which he contends were not frivolous and were meritorious are as follows: (1) his trial counsel was ineffective because he did not pursue a motion to show why the testimony of the victim’s sister was necessary to the defense, (2) he was too mentally ill to capably plead guilty, and (3) his appellate counsel was ineffective because she did not cite People v. Bernasco (1989), 185 Ill. App. 3d 480, 541 N.E.2d 774, affd (1990), 138 Ill. 2d 349, 562 N.E.2d 958, cert, denied (1991), 500 U.S. 932, 114 L. Ed. 2d 458, 111 S. Ct. 2052, in her appellate brief.

Defendant argues each allegation adequately raised a constitutional violation which should have required further proceedings under the Act. Had his petition not been dismissed, the Act requires the court to “order the petition to be docketed for further consideration in accordance with Sections 122 — 4 through 122 — 6.” Ill. Rev. Stat. 1989, ch. 38, par. 122-2.1(b).

Defendant relies on our previous ruling in People v. Dredge (1986), 148 Ill. App. 3d 911, 500 N.E.2d 445, in which this court concluded a pro se defendant seeking post-conviction relief from an alleged constitutional violation need only include in the petition a simple statement representing the gist of a meritorious claim. We reasoned that requiring pro se defendants to state their claim more explicitly would deprive them of effective access to the courts. Dredge, 148 Ill. App. 3d at 913, 500 N.E.2d at 446-47; see also People v. Lawrence (1991), 211 Ill. App. 3d 135,138, 569 N.E.2d 1175,1177.

The scope of review of a post-conviction petition is limited to issues which have not been, and could not have been, previously adjudicated. When the trial court’s ruling is affirmed on direct appeal, all issues which were raised or could have been raised are res judicata. People v. Roberts (1979), 75 Ill. 2d 1, 10, 387 N.E.2d 331, 335; People v. Seidler (1990), 203 Ill. App.

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Bluebook (online)
591 N.E.2d 96, 227 Ill. App. 3d 257, 169 Ill. Dec. 216, 1992 Ill. App. LEXIS 601, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-bleitner-illappct-1992.