People v. Carney

593 N.E.2d 1035, 229 Ill. App. 3d 690, 171 Ill. Dec. 215, 1992 Ill. App. LEXIS 778
CourtAppellate Court of Illinois
DecidedMay 20, 1992
DocketNo. 4—91—0611
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 593 N.E.2d 1035 (People v. Carney) 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. Carney, 593 N.E.2d 1035, 229 Ill. App. 3d 690, 171 Ill. Dec. 215, 1992 Ill. App. LEXIS 778 (Ill. Ct. App. 1992).

Opinion

JUSTICE McCULLOUGH

delivered the opinion of the court:

Defendant Clifford E. Carney was convicted of aggravated criminal sexual abuse (count I) (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1987, ch. 38, par. 12 — 16) and sentenced to 48 months of probation, with the first six months to be served in periodic imprisonment and the first year to be spent under intensive conditions. Defendant appeals, asserting three issues: (1) his guilt was not proved beyond a reasonable doubt; and the court erred in entering judgment on the conviction when (2) he was actually exempt from criminal liability for conducting a reasonable medical examination of his stepdaughter, and (3) he lacked the specific intent to gain sexual gratification or arousal as required by statute. We affirm.

In September 1988, defendant Clifford Carney was indicted on two counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse (counts I and II) (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1987, ch. 38, par. 12 — 16(b)), and in February 1990, on one count of criminal sexual assault (count III) (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1989, ch. 38, par. 12 — 13(a)(3)). Following a jury trial in January 1991, in McLean County, defendant was found guilty on counts I and II; however, the jury was unable to reach a verdict on count III. Accordingly, the trial court ordered a mistrial as to that count. Defendant filed a post-trial motion for a new trial. The trial court granted the motion and ordered a new trial on all three counts, which was held in June 1991. Defendant was found guilty on count I, not guilty on count III, and the jury was unable to reach a verdict on count II. Counsel agreed that the court should declare a mistrial as to count II. Defendant was sentenced and this appeal followed.

Count I alleged that defendant committed the offense of aggravated criminal sexual abuse in that he fondled the breasts of his then 14-year-old stepdaughter, A.C. Count II alleged defendant committed the offense of aggravated criminal sexual abuse in that he fondled the vagina of A.C. Count III alleged defendant committed the offense of criminal sexual assault in that he committed an act of sexual penetration involving his mouth and the vagina of A.C.

A.C. testified the incidents alleged in count I and count II occurred some time in early 1988, between her birthday on February 12 and early March when she was hospitalized. She stated these incidents occurred on a weeknight and her mother was not present in their trailer because she was at an Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meeting. A.C. complained to defendant that she had a rash on the upper part of her chest but not near her breasts and defendant told her he would look at it for her. They went into the bathroom of the trailer. A.C. testified she was wearing a floor-length black nightgown with “spaghetti” straps and defendant was wearing only a towel wrap. A.C. testified she lowered her nightgown only to the top of her chest area, which would have allowed defendant to see the area of the rash. According to A.C., defendant told her “No, let it fall to your waist, you know, let it go.” She then stated she let her nightgown drop to her waist and defendant told her to let it go completely, whereupon it fell to the floor. She had only panties on underneath her nightgown. Defendant then took some ointment from the cabinet and rubbed it on her breasts and nipples. A.C. testified the rash was neither on her breasts nor her nipples. She stated she did not do anything to stop defendant because she was scared.

A.C. testified she then went into the living room and covered up with a blanket which was on the couch. Defendant allegedly followed her into the living room and sat beside her on the couch. A.C. testified defendant put his hand down her nightgown and touched her breasts again. She testified he then pulled up her nightgown, moved her underwear to the side and touched her vagina. A.C. testified she did not stop defendant because she was scared. Eventually, defendant stopped touching her and told her she needed to go to bed. She testified that as she was walking toward her bedroom, defendant told her, “Wait a minute, don’t tell your mother. She wouldn’t understand.” A.C. further testified defendant stated, “Look what you make me do,” unsnapped his towel and exposed his erect penis.

A.C. testified she told a neighbor on her paper route what defendant had done to her. The neighbor then contacted the police and the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS). A.C. went with her mother to DCFS headquarters and told them what had happened. The following day, she sat in her parents’ bedroom with her mother and defendant and told them both what she believed he had done to her. A.C. testified she also told the police about these three incidents.

On cross-examination, A.C. testified she had had this rash for at least one month before defendant put the ointment on it. Prior to that time, neither defendant nor her mother had put anything on the rash. In late March, A.C.’s mother did take her to the doctor to get treatment for this rash. A.C. testified she had been admitted to Mercy Hospital in March 1988 for psychiatric help. She also testified she had periodically been admitted into other hospitals for psychiatric treatment.

A.C.’s mother testified she was married to defendant for 15 years but they had divorced in January 1990. She testified there were problems between A.C. and defendant in that they always competed for her attention. A.C.’s mother testified A.C. was afraid of defendant because he was so big and that defendant spanked her excessively. A.C.’s mother verified that she and defendant had sat in their bedroom with A.C., and A.C. told them what she had told DCFS. She further testified defendant stated he had put the lotion on A.C.’s chest because of the rash and that he had told A.C. not to tell her mother that he had done so.

Detective Mike Jordan of the Bloomington police department testified a DCFS worker contacted him about this case in July 1988. He testified he approached A.C. while she was on her paper route and asked her to talk about the possibility that she had been sexually abused. A few days later, Detective Jordan took A.C.’s statement at the police station, which involved the incidents alleged in counts I and II.

Defendant testified on his own behalf. He admitted he put lotion on A.C.’s chest but denied all of the other allegations. Defendant agreed that the night he put lotion on A.C. was a weeknight and A.C.’s mother had gone to an AA meeting. He testified A.C. complained about the rash and when she pulled down her shirt a little bit, he could see some small red spots. Defendant testified he told A.C. to go into the bathroom because he had some ointment that would help. He testified he reached into the cabinet and when he turned around, A.C. had taken off her shirt. He testified she took the lotion, placed a small amount on her fingers and began to dab at the spots on her chest. Defendant testified he told A.C. that would not work, so he took some lotion in his hands and rubbed it all over her chest, including her breasts. Defendant denied touching her breasts for sexual gratification.

Defendant denied that at that time he told A.C. not to tell her mother about this incident but admitted he did say that to her a few days later. Defendant admitted inflicting corporal punishment on A.C. but denied that it was excessive or that he treated her differently than her siblings.

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Related

People v. Glass
606 N.E.2d 655 (Appellate Court of Illinois, 1992)

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Bluebook (online)
593 N.E.2d 1035, 229 Ill. App. 3d 690, 171 Ill. Dec. 215, 1992 Ill. App. LEXIS 778, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-carney-illappct-1992.