People v. Dinelli

841 N.E.2d 968, 217 Ill. 2d 387, 299 Ill. Dec. 236, 2005 Ill. LEXIS 2065
CourtIllinois Supreme Court
DecidedDecember 15, 2005
Docket98621
StatusPublished
Cited by83 cases

This text of 841 N.E.2d 968 (People v. Dinelli) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Illinois Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
People v. Dinelli, 841 N.E.2d 968, 217 Ill. 2d 387, 299 Ill. Dec. 236, 2005 Ill. LEXIS 2065 (Ill. 2005).

Opinion

JUSTICE KILBRIDE

delivered the opinion of the court:

In this appeal we are asked to review the constitutionality of section 4—103(a)(1) of the Illinois Vehicle Code (Code) (625 ILCS 5/4—103(a)(1) (West 2000)). Section 4—103(a)(1) provides the trier of fact may infer that a person exercising exclusive unexplained possession over a stolen vehicle has knowledge the vehicle is stolen, regardless of when it was stolen. 625 ILCS 5/4—103(a)(1) (West 2000).

Defendant was charged in Du Page County with unlawful possession of a stolen motor vehicle and unlawful possession of a converted motor vehicle, in violation of section 4—103(a)(1). The State dismissed the conversion count and defendant pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a stolen motor vehicle. Defendant subsequently sought to withdraw her guilty plea and challenged the constitutionality of section 4—103(a)(1). Defendant also argued the Du Page County charge should be dismissed based on double jeopardy because she had also pleaded guilty to criminal trespass to the same vehicle in Cook County, and the unlawful possession of a stolen motor vehicle charge in Du Page County was the same continuing transaction.

The Du Page County circuit court allowed defendant to withdraw her guilty plea and denied her motion to dismiss based on double jeopardy. The circuit court then dismissed the unlawful possession of a stolen motor vehicle charge, finding the permissive inference of section 4—103(a)(1) unconstitutional based on this court’s decision in People v. Greco, 204 Ill. 2d 400 (2003). The State appealed pursuant to Supreme Court Rules 603 and 604(a)(1) (134 Ill. 2d R. 603; 188 Ill. 2d R. 604(a)(1)).

We hold the circuit court prematurely held the statute unconstitutional as applied to defendant and it was error to dismiss the indictment on that ground. We further hold that defendant’s claim of double jeopardy does not support the circuit court’s ruling dismissing the indictment. Consequently, we reverse that part of the order of the circuit court of Du Page County dismissing the indictment and remand for further proceedings. Because the State does not dispute the propriety of the circuit court allowing defendant to withdraw her guilty plea, we therefore affirm that ruling.

I. BACKGROUND

Initially, we are compelled to remark upon the extremely confusing and perplexing facts, pleadings, transcripts, and record in this case. The following background best details the trials and tribulations befalling this obviously troubled young woman who apparently suffers from psychiatric and eating disorders and a heroin addiction.

Defendant’s troubles began on March 24, 2002, in Cook County when a verified complaint charged her with criminal trespass to a vehicle (720 ILCS 5/21 — 2 (West 2000)). The complaint alleged she knowingly and without legal justification entered the vehicle of Martin J. Cor-zine without his permission. The complaint named “Cor-zine J. Martin” as the complainant, but was signed by an unknown person “for Martin Corzine.” The complaint further states, “Corzine J. Martin, being duly sworn on oath, deposes and says that he read the foregoing complaint by him subscribed and that the same is true.” Inexplicably, the attestation clause is again signed by an unknown person “for Martin Corzine.” The attestation clause appears to be verified by a deputy clerk.

On February 18, 2003, defendant was transported from the Du Page County jail to Cook County and pleaded guilty to that charge. She was sentenced to a term of 116 days in jail, with credit for 116 days served in Du Page County, where she was being held on the charge resulting in the ruling we now review. The basis for this sentencing credit for time served in another county on a completely different charge does not appear in the record, and is not an issue in this appeal.

Also on March 24, 2002, a criminal complaint was filed in the Circuit Court of Du Page County against defendant, alleging that on or about March 4, 2002, she committed the offense of unlawful possession of a stolen vehicle, in violation of section 4 — 103(a)(1) of the Code (625 ILCS 5/4 — 103(a)(1) (West 2000)), a Class 2 felony. The complainant is listed as “Ofc. LeJeune.” The signature on the complaint is unreadable and, as later explained, was signed by Officer LeJeune. Martin J. Cor-zine is listed as a witness on the complaint. As later explained, Martin Corzine, the owner of the vehicle, refused to sign the complaint. An arrest warrant was issued upon this complaint.

Thereafter, the State commenced a felony prosecution by indictment. On April 11, 2002, a Du Page County grand jury indicted defendant on one count of unlawful possession of a stolen motor vehicle and one count of unlawful possession of a converted motor vehicle. 625 ILCS 5/4 — 103(a)(1) (West 2000). The indictment indicates the only witness testifying before the grand jury was Officer LeJeune. It appears that on April 11, 2002, defendant was released on bond.

Defendant was charged under section 4 — 103(a)(1) of the Code, stating:

“A person not entitled to the possession of a vehicle or essential part of a vehicle to receive, possess, conceal, sell, dispose, or transfer it, knowing it to have been stolen or converted; additionally the General Assembly finds that the acquisition and disposition of vehicles and their essential parts are strictly controlled by law and that such acquisitions and dispositions are reflected by documents of title, uniform invoices, rental contracts, leasing agreements and bills of sale. It may be inferred, therefore!,] that a person exercising exclusive unexplained possession over a stolen or converted vehicle or an essential part of a stolen or converted vehicle has knowledge that such vehicle or essential part is stolen or converted, regardless of whether the date on which such vehicle or essential part was stolen is recent or remote[.]” 625 ILCS 5/4—103(a)(1) (West 2000).

On August 6, 2002, defendant failed to appear for a status hearing and a bench warrant was issued. The bench warrant was vacated when defense counsel disclosed that defendant had been admitted to three different hospitals on four different occasions during August for psychiatric, gallbladder and appendix problems, and for surgery. She was finally released from the last hospital on September 22, 2002. It appears that defendant was subsequently arrested for failure to appear on an October 25, 2002, court date and no bond was fixed. On November 13, 2002, a full cash bail of $100,000 was set, then reduced to a $100,000 bond, 10% to apply. Defendant was apparently unable to make bond and was held in the Du Page County jail, where she remained a total of 116 days.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
841 N.E.2d 968, 217 Ill. 2d 387, 299 Ill. Dec. 236, 2005 Ill. LEXIS 2065, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-dinelli-ill-2005.