People v. Green

2016 IL App (1st) 134011, 51 N.E.3d 856
CourtAppellate Court of Illinois
DecidedMarch 7, 2016
Docket1-13-4011
StatusUnpublished
Cited by11 cases

This text of 2016 IL App (1st) 134011 (People v. Green) 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. Green, 2016 IL App (1st) 134011, 51 N.E.3d 856 (Ill. Ct. App. 2016).

Opinion

2016 IL App (1st) 134011

FIRST DIVISION March 7, 2016

No. 1-13-4011

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, ) Appeal from the ) Circuit Court of Plaintiff-Appellee, ) Cook County ) v. ) No. 11 CR 12175 ) LESTER GREEN, ) Honorable ) Rosemary Grant Higgins, Defendant-Appellant. ) Judge Presiding.

JUSTICE HARRIS delivered the judgment of the court, with opinion. Presiding Justice Liu and Justice Cunningham concurred in the judgment and opinion.

OPINION

¶1 The circuit court sentenced defendant Lester Green to 30 years' imprisonment after a jury

convicted him of one count of aggravated battery with a firearm and unlawful use of a weapon

by a felon. On the night of the alleged incident Defendant approached the victim outside a bar

on the west side of Chicago. Defendant greeted the female who was with the victim and then

attempted to shake hands with the victim. The victim rebuffed Defendant's handshake.

Defendant returned to his vehicle, appeared to search under the seat for something and then

departed. A short time later, Defendant returned and again approached the victim and the

woman. Defendant approached the two with his hands in his pockets and after coming within a

foot or two of the victim asked to speak with him. The victim told the Defendant he did not wish

to speak with him. Defendant then fired a gun concealed in his front pant pocket. The No. 1-13-4011

Defendant removed the firearm from his pocket and shot at the victim again. Neither of these

first two shots hit the victim. A struggle ensued and the firearm discharged again, striking the

victim in the leg.

¶2 At trial, Defendant requested an instruction regarding reckless conduct, which the trial

court denied. Following trial, Defendant filed a pro se motion raising numerous claims for

ineffective assistance of counsel. The trial court conducted a first stage Krankel inquiry to

determine if new counsel was necessary. People v. Krankel, 102 Ill. 2d 181 (1984). At the

hearing, Defendant's public defender was put under oath and questioned by the assistant State's

Attorney. Furthermore, the trial court also allowed the assistant State's Attorney to present

arguments against granting the motion. After allowing the State to argue, the court denied

Defendant's motion. This appeal followed.

¶3 Before this court, Defendant raises the following issues: (1) whether the trial court erred

when it refused to instruct the jury on the offense of reckless conduct; (2) whether the trial court

conducted an improper and adversarial preliminary Krankel hearing; (3) whether this court

should order Defendant's mittimus corrected to reflect that the trial judge merged Defendant's

conviction for unlawful use of a firearm by a felon into his conviction for aggravated battery

with a firearm; and (4) whether this court should order the Defendant's fines, fees, and costs

order corrected. We hold that the trial court did not err when it refused to give the reckless

conduct instruction. We order that the Defendant's mittimus be corrected to reflect the merger of

Defendant's conviction for unlawful use of a firearm by felon into his conviction for aggravated

battery with a firearm. We order that the Defendant's fines, fees, and costs order be corrected as

stated below. Finally, we remand these proceedings for a new Krankel hearing.

-2- No. 1-13-4011

¶4 JURISDICTION

¶5 The trial court sentenced Defendant on December 5, 2013. Notice of appeal was timely

filed the same day. Accordingly, this court has jurisdiction pursuant to article VI, section 6, of

the Illinois Constitution and Illinois Supreme Court Rules 603 and 606, governing appeals from

a final judgment of conviction in a criminal case entered below. Ill. Const. 1970, art. VI, § 6;

Ill. S. Ct. Rs. 603, 606 (eff. Feb. 6, 2013).

¶6 BACKGROUND

¶7 Defendant, Lester Green, was charged with attempted first degree murder, aggravated

battery with a firearm, aggravated discharge of a firearm, aggravated unlawful use of a weapon

and unlawful use of a weapon by a felon. The State nol-prossed count I (attempted first degree

murder) and proceeded on count III (attempted first degree murder), count VI (aggravated

battery with a firearm) and count XII (unlawful use of a weapon by a felon). Following a jury

trial, Defendant was found guilty of aggravated battery with a firearm and unlawful use of a

weapon by a felon and not guilty of attempted first degree murder.

¶8 On the evening of July 18, 2011, just before 10 p.m., Corey Brown (Brown) was at

Brown Sugar Sport's Bar (the Bar) on the west side of Chicago when he met Diana Stewart

(Stewart), a woman he previously did not know. Brown and Stewart had a long conversation

that took place both inside and outside of the Bar. Brown and Stewart were outside talking

around 11 p.m. when a vehicle pulled up alongside of them. The driver exited the vehicle and

approached Brown and Stewart. Brown identified Defendant in-court as the individual that

approached. Defendant spoke to Stewart and extended his hand to Brown as if he wanted to say

hello. Brown did not shake Defendant's hand because "his approach was so strong" and

Defendant acted as if Stewart was his girlfriend. Defendant seemed irritated and offended that

-3- No. 1-13-4011

Brown did not shake his hand. Defendant went back to his vehicle, appeared to reach for

something under his seat, and then drove away.

¶9 Brown and Stewart continued talking outside. While Brown and Stewart were standing

in front of the Bar door, Brown noticed Defendant walking towards him and Stewart. Defendant

had both hands inside his pockets. Defendant was within one or two feet of Brown when he

asked Brown if he could have a word. However, Brown did not wish to talk to Defendant.

Then, Defendant pointed his hand that was in his front pant pocket and fired a shot through the

pocket. When he heard the gunshot, Brown, who was unarmed, pushed Stewart and another

woman into the Bar for protection and attempted to get inside as well. Brown attempted to close

the door behind him, but Defendant prevented Brown from completely closing the door.

Defendant came up to Brown, pointed a gun at him, and fired a second shot.

¶ 10 Brown testified that although he may have told the police shortly after the shooting that

Defendant started to walk away from the Bar after the second shot was fired, Defendant had in

fact not walked away from the Bar. Brown further stated that he did not follow Defendant

outside nor did he grab Defendant from behind. Rather, Brown attempted to get the gun away

from the Defendant. Brown hit Defendant with his fists. During the struggle for the gun,

Defendant bit into Brown's forearm and shot Brown in the left thigh. Brown managed to put his

finger in the trigger so Defendant could not pull the trigger and shoot at him again. Brown

repeatedly hit Defendant during the struggle, causing Defendant to fall to the ground

unconscious. When the police arrived, Defendant was still unconscious.

¶ 11 Stewart testified consistently with Brown. Stewart made an in-court identification of

Defendant as the man that approached her and Brown outside of the Bar. When Defendant

approached, Defendant referred to Stewart as his little sister. Stewart was not Defendant's little

-4- No. 1-13-4011

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Bluebook (online)
2016 IL App (1st) 134011, 51 N.E.3d 856, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-green-illappct-2016.