People v. Camacho

389 N.E.2d 1213, 71 Ill. App. 3d 943, 27 Ill. Dec. 805, 1979 Ill. App. LEXIS 3896
CourtAppellate Court of Illinois
DecidedMay 25, 1979
Docket77-861
StatusPublished
Cited by14 cases

This text of 389 N.E.2d 1213 (People v. Camacho) 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. Camacho, 389 N.E.2d 1213, 71 Ill. App. 3d 943, 27 Ill. Dec. 805, 1979 Ill. App. LEXIS 3896 (Ill. Ct. App. 1979).

Opinion

Mr. JUSTICE MEJDA

delivered the opinion of the court:

Defendants, Sharon K. Camacho and Bobby Cross, were charged by indictment with four counts of aggravated battery (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1973, ch. 38, par. 12 — 4) and one count each of attempt murder (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1973, ch. 38, par. 8 — 4) and armed robbery (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1973, ch. 38, par. 18— 2). A jury found both defendants guilty on all counts. Defendant Camacho was sentenced to concurrent terms of 4 to 12 years for attempt murder and armed robbery, and defendant Cross received concurrent sentences of 4 to 12 years for armed robbery and 6 to 18 years for attempt murder. The defendants were not sentenced separately for aggravated battery.

On appeal, defendants contend that: (1) they were denied their right to a speedy trial; (2) the trial court committed reversible error in not properly inquiring into an allegation that some of the jurors were prejudiced against defendants; (3) the court did not properly instruct the jury on the elements of attempt murder; (4) the jury was not properly instructed regarding the justifiable use of force; (5) it was error to exclude testimony of the judge who presided at a previous hearing regarding the victim’s alleged failure to recognize defendant Cross; (6) it was prejudicial error to allow evidence of Cross’ prior use of assumed names; and (7) the multiple convictions are improper because they arise from a single act and the indictment was amended during the trial. We affirm in part and vacate in part.

The charges against defendants arise from the beating and robbery of Jerome Lowe in an apartment building on the north side of Chicago, Illinois. Officer Eddy Spencer of the Chicago Police Department testified that at about 2 a.m. on April 14, 1975, he and his partner, Officer Frank Reeger, were stopped by one James Johnson while they were on regular patrol in the 4000 block of north Sheridan Road. After a conversation with Johnson, the three men drove in the police squad car to a nearby 4-story apartment building at 4119 North Kenmore. Jerome Lowe was standing in the doorway of the building, his head and face covered with blood. Spencer called for a squadrol to take Lowe to the hospital.

Spencer testified that he, Reeger and Johnson then went to the second floor of the building, where they were met by Johnson’s wife and a friend of hers. The officers were directed to apartment 201. The door was opened by a woman named Peggy Hammond and behind her was a woman whom Spencer identified as defendant Camacho. Upon entering the apartment, Spencer saw a man, whom he identified as defendant Cross, peek out from the doorway to a back room. Spencer entered the room and found Cross in a corner. About 2% feet away from Cross were a 3-foot chain with a pipe attached and a 3-foot piece of pipe. Both had wet blood on them.

Both Camacho and Cross were arrested. Spencer testified further that Camacho, who had been drinking, had blood on her dress but complained of no injury. There was blood on a cast which was on Cross’ right hand and Cross’ shirt was also covered with blood, but Spencer noticed no wounds or injuries when the shirt was removed after Cross was taken into custody.

Spencer did not know the whereabouts of the Johnsons or Peggy Hammond, but stated that six attempts had been made in the last two months to locate them. None of them had appeared to be injured in the incident. On cross-examination Spencer testified that he had also seen blood in the hallway of the building, about 25 feet from Peggy Hammond’s door. He also said that he had seen one other person in the lobby of the building. It was stipulated that Officer Reeger’s testimony would be the same as Spencer’s. Neither the Johnsons nor Peggy Hammond were called to testify.

Jerome Lowe testified that shortly after midnight on the morning of April 14,1975, he left his home and walked to Sheridan ‘L’ Liquors to buy some cigars. He sat down at the bar and a short time later two women came over and sat next to him. He identified defendant Camacho as one of the women and said that Cross, whom he also identified in court, was seated at a table in the bar with a woman. Lowe brought some drinks for Camacho, her friend and himself as the three conversed. Lowe was in the bar for about an hour and a half, during which time he received $150 from the bartender for what he characterized as a bet. The two women were still sitting with him as he put the money in his shirt pocket. An assignation was arranged with the women and Lowe went to the washroom once before leaving the bar. He did not recall seeing Cross in the bar when he came out of the washroom.

Lowe left the bar with the two women and went to an apartment building around the corner on Kenmore. As Lowe entered the apartment, Cross was standing behind the door, telling him to give him his money. Lowe testified that he was hit on the head, first from behind, then from the front, and that he saw the chain and pipe in the hands of both defendants. Cross, who had a short cast on his right hand, hit Lowe with a chain and Lowe fell to the floor. He staggered into the hall, where he fell again, all the while trying to use his hands to protect his face. As he was hit repeatedly, one of the women screamed, “Stop, you’re killing the guy.” Camacho reached into Lowe’s pocket as he lay on the hallway floor and took his money, a watch and a ring. Camacho had a knife, Lowe continued, and said she was going to cut off Lowe’s finger to get his ring. Lowe managed to get up and Cross hit him a few more times as they ran down the hallway. Lowe ran downstairs and passed out in the arms of one of the police officers.

Lowe also testified that he was in the hospital for two weeks, spending the first few days in intensive care. He had stitches on his head and casts on both hands. He returned to the hospital for an additional week because of an infection in his scalp wounds and has had three operations on his hands since they were injured.

On cross-examination Lowe testified that Camacho had entered the apartment first and that the area was illuminated by a light coming from the bathroom. Camacho had a pipe in her hand in the hallway and struck the first blow. She dropped the club in the hall and had a knife in her hand. Lowe also acknowledged that the hospital receipt for his personal property showed that he had one dollar, a wallet, keys and rings with him when he entered the hospital.

Defense counsel was not permitted to impeach Lowe’s identification of the defendants with an alleged statement, not in the court record, that Lowe did not recognize Cross at an earlier court appearance, but an offer of proof to that effect was allowed.

Dr. Jeffrey L. Karasick, a neurosurgeon at Weiss Memorial Hospital, next testified that his examination of Lowe on April 14, 1975, disclosed that Lowe had skull lacerations that had been closed with 60 sutures. There was some swelling about his head and eyes and some bruising on his forehead. Lowe’s hands were swollen and immobilized and X-rays showed no skull fracture, but both hands were broken. Dr. Karasick said that the injuries were caused by a hard, blunt object, and could have been frgm a chain or pipe. Lowe was admitted to the hospital on April 14,1975, spent four days in intensive care and was discharged on April 24, at which time he had casts on both hands.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
389 N.E.2d 1213, 71 Ill. App. 3d 943, 27 Ill. Dec. 805, 1979 Ill. App. LEXIS 3896, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-camacho-illappct-1979.