People v. Hardnett

270 N.E.2d 864, 132 Ill. App. 2d 843, 1971 Ill. App. LEXIS 1578
CourtAppellate Court of Illinois
DecidedJune 9, 1971
Docket70-9
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 270 N.E.2d 864 (People v. Hardnett) 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. Hardnett, 270 N.E.2d 864, 132 Ill. App. 2d 843, 1971 Ill. App. LEXIS 1578 (Ill. Ct. App. 1971).

Opinion

Mr. JUSTICE GUILD

delivered the opinion of the court:

Defendant appeals from an order entered August 14, 1969, by the Circuit Court of Winnebago County, wherein the Court revoked the probation and sentenced defendant to not less than 4 nor more than 10 years in the penitentiary.

On July 19, 1968, defendant was tried by a jury for the offense of burglary and on November 12, 1968, he was admitted to probation for a period of 5 years.

On April 11, 1969, the State’s Attorney of Winnebago County filed a petition to vacate the defendant’s probation in which he charged the defendant with contributing to the sexual delinquency of a child under the age of 18 years. Defendant appeared in court on this charge April 14th.

On May 16, 1969, an amended petition to vacate the probation was filed which contained the original charge of contributing and further charged that he had committed the offense of battery against another girl on May 14, 1969. The Public Defender was appointed to represent the defendant, a list of witnesses was given, and the State filed an answer relative to disclosure of evidence. The first hearing for the revocation of probation was heard on July 7th, 1969, and the matter was continued for several hearings during the months of July and August.

At the conclusion of the first part of the hearing the judge found that the defendant had violated his probation by contributing to the sexual delinquency of a child under the age of 18 years. The court then proceeded with the hearing as to the alleged offense of May 14th, 1969. The allegation there was that the defendant assaulted another girl by striking her and choking her. The court considered the alibi defense of the defendant and found him "not guilty” of this charge. Technically, the finding of the court should have been that the defendant was not guilty of violating his probation under this portion of the charge. A final hearing was held on August 14, 1969, at which time six witnesses, who had worked with the defendant before and during his probation, testified in his behalf. The Court thereupon entered the order revoking his probation and sentencing him to 4-10 years in the penitentiary. This appeal concerns itself solely with the first allegation of violation of probation involving the contributing to the sexual delinquency of a child.

First contention of the defendant is that he was entitled to a trial by jury upon his hearing for revocation of probation. This is not the law in Illinois. The leading case in Illinois on this subject is People v. Price, 24 Ill.App.2d 364, 164 N.E.2d 528, 1960. The contention in Price was in substance that the defendant must be found guilty of the subsequent offense before an order may be entered revoking the original order of probation. The court went on to say in citing People v. Kostaken (1958), 16 Ill.App.2d 395, 148 N.E.2d 615, that the defendant “upon a proceeding to revoke an order admitting him to probation is entitled to a fair hearing but not entitled to a jury trial.” The court further stated:

“A defendant in every case where probation has been granted is entitled to a conscientious judicial determination according to accepted and well recognized procedural methods upon the question whether the conditions imposed upon the defendant when he was admitted to probation have been violated. Such a defendant is entitled to know the nature of the charge in advance of any hearing wherein he is alleged to have breached the order granting him probation and must be given an opportunity to answer any charge that has been preferred against him.”

In Kostdken the court distinguished, as this court does from the instant case, the case of People v. Burrell (1948), 334 Ill.App. 253, 79 N.E.2d 88, where that court held that the state was not required to prove a violation of the probation order beyond a reasonable doubt. This is and has been the law of this state for many years. However, in People v. Burrell, the court reversed the lower court as the defendant was not afforded counsel as was done in the instant case. The court further distinguished People v. Warren (1942), 314 Ill.App. 198, 40 N.E.2d 845, where the revocation of probation was predicated upon hearsay statements.

Defendant further alleges error and denial of due process in that the State was permitted to establish the offense in violation of probation by a preponderance of the evidence. This court is unable to find any case in Illinois that holds that the probationer must be proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt or convicted of the subsequent crime as a basis for the revocation of probation. (Ill. Rev. Stat, ch. 38, par. 117 — 3.) The law of Illinois interpreting this section is clear and replete with cases holding that the State need not prove the probationer guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, but that the violation may be proved by the greater weight of, or the preponderance of the evidence.

Counsel for defendant assiduously contends that the law should be to the contrary. When a defendant is found guilty of a felony and placed on probation, the first condition of that probation in every case is that he shall “not violate any penal statute or ordinance of any jurisdiction.” Probation is revoked in many instances for a variety of reasons other than commission of a criminal offense.

The court believes that a concise statement of the law regarding revocation of probation is that the defendant is entitled to a conscientious judicial determination by a preponderance of the evidence under orderly procedural methods. He is not entitled to a jury for this purpose. He is entitled to the appointment of counsel and is to be furnished with all information as to the offense charged for revocation. The question of revocation of probation normally rests within the sound discretion of the trial judge. People v. Brooks (1966), (214 N.E.2d 498, 67 App.2d 479); People v. Fields (1959), (161 N.E.2d 606, 23 App.2d 128); People v. Dotson (1969), (111 App.2d 306, 250 N.E.2d 174); People v. Morgan (1965), (55 Ill.App.2d 157, 204 N.E.2d 314).

People v. Dwyer (1965), 57 Ill.App.2d 343, 206 N.E.2d 113, cited by defendant is distinguishable from the instant case as the revocation order was based upon the alleged possession of beer and the theft of a tire by the defendant. However, the defendant’s brother testified that he in fact had stolen the tire, and that the defendant did not know about it nor was there any evidence that the case of beer in the car was in the possession of, or purchased by the defendant in violation of the terms of his probation. The court reversed the case upon the facts which are not applicable to the instant case.

The further case cited by the defendant, People v. Moore (1886), 62 Mich.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
270 N.E.2d 864, 132 Ill. App. 2d 843, 1971 Ill. App. LEXIS 1578, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-hardnett-illappct-1971.