People v. Fisher

481 N.E.2d 1233, 135 Ill. App. 3d 502, 90 Ill. Dec. 322, 1985 Ill. App. LEXIS 2280
CourtAppellate Court of Illinois
DecidedJuly 19, 1985
Docket3-84-0693
StatusPublished
Cited by27 cases

This text of 481 N.E.2d 1233 (People v. Fisher) 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. Fisher, 481 N.E.2d 1233, 135 Ill. App. 3d 502, 90 Ill. Dec. 322, 1985 Ill. App. LEXIS 2280 (Ill. Ct. App. 1985).

Opinion

PRESIDING JUSTICE HEIPLE

delivered the opinion of the court:

The defendant, Gregory Fisher, was charged with two counts of indecent liberties with a child and one count of intimidation. Defendant pleaded guilty to the indecent liberties counts and the intimidation charge was dismissed. The circuit court of Will County sentenced defendant to six- and 12-year concurrent terms of imprisonment and imposed a $1,000 fine on each count. The issues on appeal are as follows: (1) whether multiple convictions for indecent liberties were proper; (2) whether the court relied upon improper factors in aggravation and failed to consider mitigating factors; (3) whether the sentences are excessive; (4) whether defendant should have been allowed to elect sentencing under the new sex crimes statute which reduces defendant’s conduct from a Class 1 to a Class 2 felony, and; (5) whether the fines were excessive and inappropriate.

An additional issue has been conceded by the State. The defendant argues that a $25 fine imposed pursuant to the Violent Crime Victim’s Assistance Act should be reversed because the Act became effective after the occurrence of the offenses. Under these circumstances, the State agrees that the fine constitutes an ex post facto penalty and must be vacated.

At defendant’s plea hearing, the prosecutor stated that the evidence would show that the defendant and a 14-year-old male victim engaged in sexual acts at defendant’s photography studio. After his arrest, the defendant admitted to police that he had performed oral sex on the victim and photographed the victim while engaged in the act of masturbation. These acts formed the basis for the two counts of indecent liberties.

The defendant argues that one of his convictions and sentences must be vacated because the convictions were based upon acts which were proscribed by the same statute, occurred almost simultaneously and involved a single victim.

The State argues that this issue has been waived because the defendant did not raise it at the sentencing hearing or in his motion to vacate the guilty plea. In People v. Jackson (1978), 64 Ill. App. 3d 159, we held that a one-act one-crime argument, although technically waived, was necessarily included in the defendant’s argument that his sentence was excessive. Since the defendant here also challenges the length of his sentences and has preserved this issue for appeal, we will consider defendant’s one-act one-crime argument.

In People v. King (1977), 66 Ill. 2d 551, our supreme court held that prejudice results to a defendant only in those instances where more than one offense is carved from the same physical act. Multiple convictions and concurrent sentences should be permitted in all other cases where a defendant has committed several acts, despite the interrelationship of those acts. “Act,” when used in this sense, is intended to mean any overt or outward manifestation which will support a different offense.

The defendant was charged with violating sections 11 — 4(a)(2) and (b)(1) of the Criminal Code, which provide as follows:

“(a) Any person of the age of 17 years and upwards commits indecent liberties with a child when he or she performs or submits to any of the following acts with a child under the age of 16:
* * *
(2) Any act of deviate sexual conduct; ***
* * *
(b) Any person, regardless of age, commits indecent liberties with a child when he or she:
(1) Photographs, videotapes, films or otherwise makes reproductions by similar means of any of the acts set forth in subsection (a) of this Section, between a minor of less than 16 years of age and any other person regardless of age or of any of the following acts: *** (D) a minor of less than 16 years of age engaging in masturbation; ***.” Ill. Rev. Sat. 1981, ch. 38, pars. 11 — 4(a)(2) and (b)(1).

The defendant engaged in one act of oral genital contact with the minor-victim and one act of photographing the victim while masturbating. Each act is a distinct and overt manifestation under King. Each act is separately defined under section 11 — 4. Although the acts may have occurred within minutes of each other, they were not simultaneous. The defendant was properly convicted and sentenced for both acts.

The defendant argues that the court improperly considered the standards for imposing extended-term and consecutive-term sentences under section 5 — 5—3.2(b) of the Unified Corrections Code (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1983, ch. 38, par. 1005 — 5—3.2(b)) as aggravating factors in sentencing the defendant to terms of imprisonment in excess of the minimum term for a Class 1 felony. The court found that psychological harm to the victim did not constitute brutal and heinous conduct so as to permit the imposition of extended or consecutive sentences. Although the court never specifically considered psychological harm in deciding to impose a greater than minimum sentence, it is apparent that this factor played a role in the court’s sentencing decision.

This court has held that the probability of permanent psychological harm to the victim is an important sentencing factor. (People v. Matthews (1979), 69 Ill. App. 3d 65.) We reject defendant’s contention that psychological harm should not be considered in aggravation because it is present to some degree in all sex crimes committed upon minors. The defendant cites no authority for this proposition, nor does the indecent liberties statute lend itself to such an interpretation.

The defendant argues that psychological harm to the victim was not proven and, therefore, should not have been considered as an aggravating factor. From the record, it is apparent that the defendant’s acts created a strong probability of permanent psychological harm to the victim. The defendant threatened to distribute the pornographic pictures he had taken of the victim to the victim’s high school peers if the victim would not talk to the defendant. The defendant admitted that he may have threatened the victim with castration. Defendant also admitted that he inserted a vibrator and his finger in the victim’s anus. Proof of medically diagnosed psychological harm is unnecessary. The record shows that the victim became withdrawn after the encounter with the defendant. The incident caused problems for the victim at school and subjected him to daily verbal abuse by his classmates. Based on the record, we find that the probability of psychological harm was a proper consideration in sentencing the defendant.

The defendant argues that the judge considered other factors in aggravation which were not supported by the evidence. Specifically, the defendant contends that the judge speculated as to whether defendant had been a child molester when he lived in Iowa and whether defendant had planned to sell the pictures he had taken of the victim.

In his confession to the police, the defendant stated that two boys had brought the victim to defendant’s place of business for the purpose of rendering sex for pay.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

People v. Bieberitz
2024 IL App (2d) 230128-U (Appellate Court of Illinois, 2024)
People v. Beech
2024 IL App (3d) 230109-U (Appellate Court of Illinois, 2024)
People v. Arias
2023 IL App (2d) 220252-U (Appellate Court of Illinois, 2023)
People v. Sutton
2022 IL App (5th) 190160-U (Appellate Court of Illinois, 2022)
People v. Baxton
2020 IL App (5th) 150500 (Appellate Court of Illinois, 2020)
People v. Bunning
2018 IL App (5th) 150114 (Appellate Court of Illinois, 2018)
People v. Gancarz
Illinois Supreme Court, 2008
People v. Martinez
862 N.E.2d 1022 (Appellate Court of Illinois, 2007)
In Re Detention of Lieberman
745 N.E.2d 699 (Appellate Court of Illinois, 2001)
People v. Moshier
Appellate Court of Illinois, 2000
People v. Sifford
617 N.E.2d 499 (Appellate Court of Illinois, 1993)
People v. Lurks
609 N.E.2d 894 (Appellate Court of Illinois, 1993)
People v. Pavlovskis
595 N.E.2d 587 (Appellate Court of Illinois, 1992)
People v. Nevitt
593 N.E.2d 797 (Appellate Court of Illinois, 1992)
People v. Cain
582 N.E.2d 189 (Appellate Court of Illinois, 1991)
People v. Blake
582 N.E.2d 183 (Appellate Court of Illinois, 1991)
People v. Schaefer
543 N.E.2d 894 (Appellate Court of Illinois, 1989)
People v. Land
533 N.E.2d 57 (Appellate Court of Illinois, 1988)
People v. Wasson
530 N.E.2d 527 (Appellate Court of Illinois, 1988)
People v. Jackson
520 N.E.2d 640 (Appellate Court of Illinois, 1987)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
481 N.E.2d 1233, 135 Ill. App. 3d 502, 90 Ill. Dec. 322, 1985 Ill. App. LEXIS 2280, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-fisher-illappct-1985.