People v. Furdge

774 N.E.2d 415, 332 Ill. App. 3d 1019, 266 Ill. Dec. 309, 2002 Ill. App. LEXIS 625
CourtAppellate Court of Illinois
DecidedJuly 26, 2002
Docket1-01-2220
StatusPublished
Cited by60 cases

This text of 774 N.E.2d 415 (People v. Furdge) 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. Furdge, 774 N.E.2d 415, 332 Ill. App. 3d 1019, 266 Ill. Dec. 309, 2002 Ill. App. LEXIS 625 (Ill. Ct. App. 2002).

Opinion

JUSTICE O’MABA FROSSARD

delivered the opinion of the court:

Kenneth Furdge and Earl Galtney were charged with attempted murder and aggravated battery with a firearm of Anthony Tripp and Brunett Stewart. They were tried simultaneously by separate juries. Earl Galtney is not involved in this appeal. The jury found defendant Furdge guilty as charged and he was sentenced to 23 years in the IIlinois Department of Corrections. On appeal defendant contends: (1) introduction of gang evidence together with reference to that evidence in argument by the State deprived him of a fair trial; (2) trial counsel was ineffective for failing to probe juror bias against street gangs; (3) the trial judge erred in finding no Batson violation; and (4) the jury was improperly instructed as to the law regarding identification testimony.

BACKGROUND

Anthony Tripp testified that on March 24, 1998, at approximately 10 a.m., he rode his bicycle through the lobby of the building at 4848 South State Street in Chicago. He saw six men, including defendant and codefendant, in the lobby. He came into contact with defendant and words were exchanged. Tripp knew defendant and codefendant from growing up in the same neighborhood, and he had known defendant for 11 to 12 years. Tripp testified he did not know if he bumped into defendant or if defendant bumped into him, but when he passed defendant, they bumped into each other. Defendant stated “you better watch that shit” and Tripp responded, “my fault.” Tripp took the same shortcut back home. Defendant and codefendant were still in the lobby of the building and told Tripp to “watch that shit.” Tripp responded that he “ain’t with that stuff.” At that point, codefendant pulled out a gun and said, “fuck that.” Defendant pulled out his gun and shot, but Tripp ducked.

Tripp attempted to escape on his bicycle. Tripp heard shots, stumbled, and turned around. He saw defendant and codefendant firing their guns at him. Tripp got outside, but fell. Defendant and codefendant approached Tripp as he was lying on the ground. Codefendant threw a hat at Tripp and said “die bitch.” Defendant pointed his gun at Tripp but did not shoot. The police arrived and took Tripp to the hospital. Tripp was treated for a gunshot wound to the back which permanently paralyzed him from the waist down. Tripp knew defendant and codefendant from the neighborhood and told the detectives who shot him. He also identified defendant from a photograph within hours of the shooting.

On direct examination by the State, Tripp testified that he was a member of the Gangster Disciples street gang and defendant and codefendant were members of the Black Disciples. At the time of the shooting the gangs were at peace. The building through which he rode his bike was known as Black Disciples territory.

Brunett Stewart, a 76-year-old retired bricklayer, testified that around 10:30 a.m., when the shooting took place, he was waiting for the mail in the lobby of the building where he lived, at 4848 South State Street. He heard shots and someone yell, “I told you you don’t come in here.” He saw someone run out of the building and fall to the ground. Stewart jumped over this person and ran back to his apartment. He then realized that he had been shot in his side, was taken to the hospital, treated, and released. Stewart testified that he did not see the faces of any of the people involved in the shooting.

The mailman, Angel Garcia, was delivering mail when the shooting started. He saw two men chasing a man and he saw one of the men shooting across the lobby. He did not see their faces. He described one man as taller and thicker than the second man, who was shorter and thinner.

On the day of the shooting, March 24, 1998, Detective Lenihan showed five Polaroid photographs to Tripp while he was in the hospital. Tripp identified codefendant Galtney as one of the shooters and told the detective that defendant and a man named DeShawn were also involved. Later that evening, around 10 p.m., Tripp identified DeShawn and defendant in a computer-generated photo lineup which Detective Lenihan showed him at the hospital.

After the State rested its case, defendant presented the testimony of one witness, Regina Starling. Starling was a friend of defendant’s mother and had known defendant for six to eight years. She provided an alibi for defendant during the time when the shooting occurred. She testified that defendant was at her house from 9:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. She admitted that this was the first time defendant came to her house.

I. GANG EVIDENCE

Defendant contends he was denied a fair trial by the introduction of gang evidence where no evidence demonstrated that the shooting was gang related. The prosecution responds that the gang evidence was admitted at trial to show defendant’s motive for the shooting. A trial court’s decision to admit gang evidence will not be reversed unless the record demonstrates an abuse of discretion. People v. Shum, 117 Ill. 2d 317, 353 (1987). We note the prosecution is not required to prove motive in order to sustain a conviction for attempted murder and aggravated battery. While it is permissible for the State to produce evidence of motive, the motive must be attributable to the defendant at the time the crime was committed. People v. Smith, 141 Ill. 2d 40, 57 (1990).

The prosecution relies on People v. Colon, 162 Ill. 2d 23 (1994), to support its argument that the gang evidence was related to the crimes charged because it established motive. In Colon, the Illinois Supreme Court found the gang evidence was properly admitted to establish motive and affirmed the defendant’s conviction for murder committed during the course of a drive-by shooting. Witnesses testified that the victim was a Latin King and the area of the shooting was Latin Kings’ territory. Colon, 162 Ill. 2d at 30. The defendant was an Imperial Gangster and these two gangs “do not get along.” Colon, 162 Ill. 2d at 30. The court found the gang evidence was relevant to establish motive. Colon, 162 Ill. 2d at 30.

Here, the prosecution contends the gang evidence helped explain the motive for the shooting. Although the record did not reflect that the Gangster Disciples and Black Disciples were at war, it is clear that defendant and Anthony Tripp had some type of altercation which escalated into a shooting. At the time of the shooting, Tripp was a member of the Gangster Disciples and defendant was a member of the Black Disciples. Tripp had known defendant from the neighborhood for many years. Defendant and Tripp had a verbal altercation after Tripp bumped into defendant while riding his bicycle through the building. Tripp testified that before the shooting, he rode his bike through the building and had an altercation with defendant. Tripp and defendant bumped into each other and the defendant said, “you better watch that shit.” There was no mention of gang turf and no gang slogans or signs were used. Tripp testified the two rival gangs were at peace. However, both Tripp and defendant belonged to rival gangs and the altercation in the Black Disciples building escalated into a shooting.

We are mindful that Illinois courts have consistently recognized that street gangs are regarded with considerable disfavor by our community. People v. Gonzalez, 142 Ill.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
774 N.E.2d 415, 332 Ill. App. 3d 1019, 266 Ill. Dec. 309, 2002 Ill. App. LEXIS 625, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-furdge-illappct-2002.