People v. Deloney

835 N.E.2d 102, 359 Ill. App. 3d 458, 296 Ill. Dec. 247, 2005 Ill. App. LEXIS 795
CourtAppellate Court of Illinois
DecidedAugust 11, 2005
Docket1-03-0767
StatusPublished
Cited by19 cases

This text of 835 N.E.2d 102 (People v. Deloney) 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. Deloney, 835 N.E.2d 102, 359 Ill. App. 3d 458, 296 Ill. Dec. 247, 2005 Ill. App. LEXIS 795 (Ill. Ct. App. 2005).

Opinion

JUSTICE GREIMAN

delivered the opinion of the court:

Following a jury trial defendant Kristopher Deloney was convicted of first degree murder and sentenced to 40 years in prison. On appeal, he contends that he received ineffective assistance of trial counsel and that he was denied a fair trial when the prosecutor made prejudicial statements to the jury. For the reasons that follow, we affirm.

Defendant was initially charged -with first degree murder, armed robbery, home invasion, and residential burglary. Prior to trial, defendant filed a motion to suppress statements he had made to police officers and an assistant State’s Attorney while in custody. He argued that he had not been advised of his Miranda rights at the time of his arrest and that he was denied access to an attorney as well as communication with his family members and that his statements were therefore not given knowingly and intelligently.

At the hearing on the motion, Chicago police officer Ronald Gibbs testified that, in February 2000, he was investigating a theft reported by Lonnie Rupert, who had alleged that someone had made purchases on his credit card without permission. On February 20, Gibbs’ investigation led him to suspect defendant, whom he transported to the police station and advised of his Miranda rights prior to questioning him about the theft. Defendant indicated that he understood his rights and agreed to speak with Gibbs and fellow officer Brian Nelson. Defendant was released on bond later that evening.

On February 25, 2000, Officer Gibbs learned that Rupert had been murdered and sought defendant for questioning. He encountered defendant on February 27 and took him into custody. Defendant asked Gibbs why he was being arrested, and Gibbs instructed him not to speak and read him his Miranda rights. Gibbs transported defendant to the police station and placed him in an interrogation room. Gibbs read defendant his Miranda rights again and proceeded to question him about a credit card bearing Rupert’s name that was found in his possession. Defendant never asked to make a telephone call or otherwise communicate with his family and appeared coherent and understanding of his legal rights.

Detective William Halloran testified that early in the morning of February 28, 2000, he and Detective Patrick Durkin went to the interview room where defendant was being held. Defendant was sleeping when they arrived, so the detectives awoke him. They introduced themselves to defendant, explained that they were investigating a homicide, and advised him of his rights. Defendant indicated that he understood his rights and agreed to answer the detectives’ questions. Defendant never asked to be allowed to contact an attorney or his family, nor did he show any signs of incoherence due to food or sleep deprivation. The detectives interviewed defendant on several subsequent occasions, and at no time was defendant deprived of food or sleep.

Detective Halloran stated that on March 1, 2000, Assistant State’s Attorney Tom Darman advised defendant of his rights and proceeded to interview him about Rupert’s murder. Defendant indicated that he understood his rights and never indicated that he had been deprived of food or sleep, nor did he express any desire to contact anyone.

On cross-examination, Detective Halloran stated that defendant was advised of his rights from a police handbook, but that defendant was never given a printed page of his Miranda rights. Halloran was unaware of what time defendant had been allowed to eat or sleep prior to being interviewed on the morning of February 28. Halloran reiterated that defendant never requested to contact his family or speak with a lawyer during the several days that he was in custody. No written reports indicated whether or when defendant had been given anything to eat, nor were any of defendant’s statements recorded on audiotape or videotape. Halloran never spoke with any of defendant’s family members, and none came to the station to see defendant while he was in custody.

Detective Durkin testified in a manner similar to that of Detective Halloran. He stated that he read defendant his Miranda rights prior to questioning him, but did not document that fact. Durkin was not aware of whether defendant had slept or eaten prior to the times he and Halloran interviewed him on February 28, 2000. While defendant was in custody, Durkin would occasionally check on him and ask whether he needed anything. He did not recall whether any of defendant’s family members came to the police station while he was in custody and he did not ask defendant to give any statements on videotape or audiotape. Defendant never asked to make a phone call or otherwise contact his family or an attorney. Durkin authored a general progress report regarding the investigation, in which he recorded statements defendant had made regarding the homicide. The report noted that defendant had been given food and water and was allowed to use the restroom. Durkin never threatened defendant with violence in case he did not cooperate nor did he hear anyone else issue any threats.

Detective Durkin further testified that he had conversations with defendant and based on those conversations he took measures to have evidence analyzed and spoke with other witnesses. He stated that having certain evidence analyzed — such as footprints and fingerprints— took the majority of the time defendant was in custody prior to booking from February 27, 2000, until March 1, 2000, despite his efforts to expedite the analysis. On March 1, he contacted Assistant State’s Attorney Tom Darman, who proceeded to the police station and undertook investigations and interviews of his own.

Defendant’s sister-in-law, Marcietta Deloney, testified that she learned of defendant’s arrest on February 28, 2000, and went to the police station and asked to speak with him. After a long wait, a detective, whom Deloney later identified as Detective Durkin, arrived and spoke with Deloney and assured her that defendant had been treated well. When Deloney asked again to speak with defendant, the detective refused, stating that defendant was sleeping. On cross, Deloney stated that she did not go to the police station when she had learned of his prior arrest on February 20, 2000.

Defendant’s mother, Ardelia Deloney, testified that she learned of defendant’s February 27, 2000, arrest that evening and later received a phone call from him on March 1, 2000. She stated that defendant began to cry and told her that detectives would not speak with her and that they had advised him not speak with her anymore until he had met with a lawyer. Defendant called again later and informed Deloney that he was being charged with murder.

Defendant testified that on the afternoon of February 28, 2000, a police officer chased him and placed him in custody without advising him of his Miranda rights. He was transported to the police station and placed in a holding cell, where Officer Gibbs strip-searched him and asked him about items he found in defendant’s pockets, again without advising defendant of his rights. Defendant remained there for approximately 2xk hours and was then transported to another station and placed in another holding cell. There Gibbs asked him about Rupert’s murder. Defendant asked several times if he could be allowed to call his family or an attorney, but Gibbs never responded.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
835 N.E.2d 102, 359 Ill. App. 3d 458, 296 Ill. Dec. 247, 2005 Ill. App. LEXIS 795, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-deloney-illappct-2005.