People v. Goodwin

499 N.E.2d 119, 148 Ill. App. 3d 56, 101 Ill. Dec. 752, 1986 Ill. App. LEXIS 2887
CourtAppellate Court of Illinois
DecidedOctober 9, 1986
Docket4—86—0138, 4—86—0139 cons.
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 499 N.E.2d 119 (People v. Goodwin) 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. Goodwin, 499 N.E.2d 119, 148 Ill. App. 3d 56, 101 Ill. Dec. 752, 1986 Ill. App. LEXIS 2887 (Ill. Ct. App. 1986).

Opinions

JUSTICE SPITZ

delivered the opinion of the court:

On January 28, 1986, defendant Goodwin was called as a witness in the prosecution of Ricky Talley. After identifying Talley in court, Goodwin refused to testify. A public defender was appointed to represent Goodwin. The State made an offer of immunity in an attempt to compel Goodwin to testify. The court ordered Goodwin to testify. Goodwin refused to testify, and the court found him in direct contempt for his refusal. (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1985, ch. 38, par. 1—3.) On January 30, 1986, the court held a hearing, and a sentence of 179 days of incarceration was imposed for contempt, to be served consecutively to an eight-year sentence which had been imposed on November 13, 1985, for a felony conviction. Notice of appeal was filed on February 28,1986.

Defendant Smith had been called as a witness in a December 23, 1985, trial of Ricky Talley, which had ended in a mistrial. Smith had previously been a codefendant in the case, but had entered a guilty plea to one of the pending charges, and had been sentenced to serve a term of five years’ imprisonment. Pursuant to the plea agreement, defendant Smith agreed to testify against Talley. In that December 23, 1985, proceeding, Smith acknowledged being present when a home invasion had taken place, but pleaded the fifth amendment in response to further questions. Smith was again called to testify as a witness for the State in the prosecution of Talley on January 28, 1986. During the January 28, 1986, proceeding, the State made an offer of immunity in an attempt to compel Smith to testify. Counsel was appointed to represent Smith, and after consultation, Smith continued to refuse to testify. He was held by the court to be in direct contempt for his refusal to testify (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1985, ch. 38, par. 1—3). On January 31, 1986, a sentencing hearing was held and a sentence of 179 days of incarceration was imposed, to be served consecutively to the sentence already imposed as the result of Smith’s guilty plea. Notice of appeal was filed on February 28,1986.

On appeal, defendants argue that the trial court erred in ordering them to testify, and in holding them in contempt for failing to testify, because the immunity offered by the State and granted by the court did not meet the statutory requirement for immunity.

Section 106—1 of the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963 (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1985, ch. 38, par. 106—1) provides:

“In any investigation before a Grand Jury, or trial in any court, the court on motion of the State may order that any material witness be released from all liability to be prosecuted or punished on account of any testimony or other evidence he may be required to produce.”

Section 106—2 of the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963 (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1985, ch. 38, par. 106—2) provides:

“Such order of immunity shall forever be a bar to prosecution against the witness for any offense shown in whole or in part by such testimony or other evidence except for perjury committed in the giving of such testimony.”

The Illinois Supreme Court has held that these statutory provisions provide transactional immunity. People ex rel. Cruz v. Fitzgerald (1977), 66 Ill. 2d 546, 550, 363 N.E.2d 835, 837.

Regarding Goodwin, the following colloquy ensued at Talley’s trial:

“THE COURT: And would you spell out for the record what exactly you are offering in the form of immunity that you are asking the Court to grant the order of immunity?
[ASSISTANT STATE’S ATTORNEY]: We are asking for a grant of immunity for any charge that may arise out of this testimony in any what [sic] whatsoever except for the charge of perjury. We’ll not prosecute this defendant for that.
THE COURT: Show that offer by the State and that order shall be granted. The witness, Mr. Goodwin, shall be grant immunity on any questions which the State might ask for which criminal prosecution might be brought except for the charge of penury.”

Following this colloquy, both defendant’s attorney and the attorney who was representing Talley informed the court that the State’s offer and the court’s grant of immunity was use immunity as opposed to transactional immunity, and that there was no statutory authority for such a grant of immunity. The assistant State’s Attorney did not respond to these statements of the two defense attorneys.

Regarding Smith, the following colloquy ensued at Talley’s trial: “[DEFENSE ATTORNEY]: Is the Court going to enter an order at this time granting Mr. Smith immunity?
THE COURT: So the record can be clear, what is the offer of immunity that the State is offering to this gentleman at this time?
[ASSISTANT STATE’S ATTORNEY]: It’s immunity from any charges that could arise from his testimony except for, of course, the offense of perjury.
[DEFENSE COUNSEL]: Your Honor, I don’t think that’s actually immunity. That’s transactional immunity. I think in Illinois you get immunity from the conduct and not just the testimony.
* * *
THE COURT: The State, apparently, is offering that, and I am going to grant that order of immunity. This means that if they ask you questions and if you give answers, they could not charge you for any criminal violation except it would not include the offense of perjury.”

Following this colloquy, defendant Smith’s attorney objected to the type of immunity that was offered to his client.

As the supreme court stated in People ex rel. Cruz v. Fitzgerald (1977), 66 Ill. 2d 546, 549, 363 N.E.2d 835, 836-37:

“Under use immunity, a witness’ compelled testimony or leads derived therefrom may not be used in his prosecution. Under transactional immunity, however, the witness is fully immunized from prosecution for any offenses to which his compelled testimony may relate. See Kastigar v. United States (1972), 406 U.S. 441, 32 L. Ed. 2d 212, 92 S. Ct. 1653.”

Furthermore, as the court noted in People ex rel. Kunce v. Hogan (1976), 37 Ill. App. 3d 673, 678, 346 N.E.2d 456, 462, modified (1977), 67 Ill. 2d 55, 364 N.E.2d 50, cert. denied (1978), 434 U.S. 1023, 54 L. Ed. 2d 771, 98 S. Ct. 750:

“A grant of immunity under statutory authority must be in strict compliance with the terms of the statute. (People v. Rockola, 339 Ill. 474,171 N.E. 559 (1930).)”

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People v. Goodwin
499 N.E.2d 119 (Appellate Court of Illinois, 1986)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
499 N.E.2d 119, 148 Ill. App. 3d 56, 101 Ill. Dec. 752, 1986 Ill. App. LEXIS 2887, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-goodwin-illappct-1986.