People v. Gullickson

253 N.E.2d 66, 115 Ill. App. 2d 157, 1969 Ill. App. LEXIS 1493
CourtAppellate Court of Illinois
DecidedSeptember 24, 1969
DocketGen. No. 52,622
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 253 N.E.2d 66 (People v. Gullickson) 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. Gullickson, 253 N.E.2d 66, 115 Ill. App. 2d 157, 1969 Ill. App. LEXIS 1493 (Ill. Ct. App. 1969).

Opinion

MR. PRESIDING JUSTICE DRUCKER

delivered the opinion of the court.

Defendant was tried before a jury and found guilty of murder. Judgment was entered and defendant was sentenced to the Illinois State Penitentiary for a term of not less than fourteen nor more than twenty years. Defendant raises two points on appeal: (1) he was not proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt; and (2) he was prejudiced by the prosecutor’s improper concluding argument.

EVIDENCE

Testimony of Norma Sargent, called by the State:

She resides with her husband, Edward, at 4929 Winthrop. On September 24, 1966, she was living with her husband at 4356 North Kenmore. She knew both defendant and the decedent.

On September 24, 1966, defendant was living with decedent upstairs of her. At about 9:30 that morning decedent came down to her apartment and left her keys for defendant because she was leaving him.

She saw decedent again at about 10:30 or 11:00 in the morning walking down Wilson and Broadway with her little girl, Denice. She helped decedent with her shopping bags. Nothing was said.

At about 3:30 that afternoon she saw defendant when he came to her apartment. Defendant was angry because decedent had left. He said that he was going to “blow her m--f-head off.” He also said that if he could not get decedent he was going to get the little girl.

She later saw decedent standing outside of Hillman’s with Rita Braddock. Decedent asked her for a ride. Defendant then came down the street, got in the back seat of her car with decedent and asked decedent to go with him, but she did not answer. Defendant then left taking Denice with him. That was the last time she saw decedent alive.

About 11:30 that night defendant came to her apartment to speak to her husband. He asked for the gun, and it was given to him. Defendant said he had a sale for it. Her husband told him not to do anything foolish, and defendant said that he would not.

Testimony of Edward Sargent, called by the State:

On September 24, 1966, defendant came to his apartment at about 3:30 in the afternoon. He said that he was going to shoot decedent’s head off. That is all he said.

At about 4:30 in the afternoon he saw decedent and defendant in the car with Rita Braddock. Defendant wanted to take decedent home, but she remained in the car. He left taking the little girl with him.

Defendant came to his apartment at about 11:30 that evening, asked for the gun and said that he had a sale for it. He gave defendant the unloaded gun and also gave him four bullets in a separate package. He told defendant not to do anything foolish.

Testimony of John Marrón, called by the State:

He is an officer in the Chicago Police Department. On September 24,1966, he was patrolling in a squad car with Officer Thomas O’Connell in the vicinity of Lawrence Avenue and Broadway.

At about 2:45 a. m. on September 25, 1966, he was in the 1100 block on Lawrence when he saw defendant and decedent pinned against one of the supports of the “el” structure. Defendant’s back was toward him. He observed defendant punching at the woman with his right hand, and brought the car to a halt about twenty feet to the rear of the altercation and approached the people. He saw defendant’s right arm coming back. He could not see defendant’s hand, he could only see the back portion of his arm. Defendant had nothing in his left hand. The girl appeared to be crying; he could not see what she was doing with her hands.

He was an arm’s length from defendant when he heard a shot fired. He then hit defendant with his nightstick, and defendant fell. He then saw the woman who had not yet fallen; she was doubled up. When the man fell, he could see a gun in his hand. He did not see the gun when the shot was fired.

Testimony of Jerome O’Donnell, called by the State:

He is an officer in the Chicago Police Department. On September 25, 1966, he was patrolling in a squad car with Officer Robert Buckley in the vicinity of 1100 on Lawrence Avenue. At approximately 2:45 a. m. he noticed a couple standing against a pillar under the Lawrence Avenue elevated. It appeared as though they were having an argument. The woman was up against the pillar. He saw the back part of the man’s elbow moving backward and forward. He and his partner got out of their car and approached the couple. He saw Officer Marrón standing by the couple; he had subdued the man who was falling. The gun was pointing upward, and the man started to cock it as he fell. He did not at any time see the gun in the woman’s hands. He does not remember what the woman’s right hand was doing, and he could not see her left hand at all. He could not see the man’s right hand; his left hand was about her waist. When he got out of the car, defendant was looking toward him.

Testimony of Robert Buckley, called by the State:

He is an officer on the Chicago Police Department. On September 25, 1966, he was patrolling in a squad car with Officer O’Donnell in the vicinity of Lawrence and Broadway.

As he was travelling west on the 1100 block of Lawrence he noticed a woman leaning against a pillar with a man, the defendant, who appeared to be kissing her. As he got closer she turned towards him and he could see tears in her eyes. At that time defendant also turned towards him and saw him. Defendant reached with his right hand and moved his coat back. He said to his partner, “He may have a gun. Let’s pull over.” They were about ten feet away at that time. They pulled over between ten and fifteen feet past the pillar. As he approached he could see neither defendant nor decedent. He heard a shot and saw the defendant fall. In his right hand defendant had a cocked revolver. As defendant fell Officer O’Donnell kicked the gun from defendant’s hand.

He did not see the gun in the woman’s hand; but he could not see her complete body because defendant was leaning right up against her. Defendant was pulling his coat back to his right side.

He thinks defendant’s left hand was around the woman’s waist, but he is not sure. He could not see defendant’s right hand. He could see defendant’s right elbow and he saw the coat move. In his opinion, defendant was reaching for something.

Testimony of Gerald Norris, called by the defense:

On September 24, 1966, he lived in Chicago at 1427 West Balmoral. On that date defendant brought his little girl to his house to keep. Defendant stayed there with the girl until about 10:15, they had both fallen asleep. Defendant had a reputation for being peaceful and law-abiding. Defendant said that he would pick up his little girl the next day.

Testimony of Del R. Gullickson, defendant:

On September 24,1966, he was living with his “common-law wife,” Mary Lou Jackson, the decedent, and his two-year-old daughter, Denice. He had lived with decedent previously in Minneapolis. He knows Norma and Ed Sargent. Norma spent a good deal of time with decedent; they would drink together. One time when decedent left him, Norma would not tell him where she had gone.

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Related

People v. Parks
273 N.E.2d 162 (Appellate Court of Illinois, 1971)
People v. Acker
262 N.E.2d 247 (Appellate Court of Illinois, 1970)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
253 N.E.2d 66, 115 Ill. App. 2d 157, 1969 Ill. App. LEXIS 1493, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-gullickson-illappct-1969.