People v. Kraman

421 N.E.2d 346, 96 Ill. App. 3d 390, 51 Ill. Dec. 838, 1981 Ill. App. LEXIS 2643
CourtAppellate Court of Illinois
DecidedMay 15, 1981
Docket79-406
StatusPublished
Cited by17 cases

This text of 421 N.E.2d 346 (People v. Kraman) 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. Kraman, 421 N.E.2d 346, 96 Ill. App. 3d 390, 51 Ill. Dec. 838, 1981 Ill. App. LEXIS 2643 (Ill. Ct. App. 1981).

Opinion

Mr. JUSTICE WILSON

delivered the opinion of the court:

Following a jury trial, defendant was convicted of murder and sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 14 to 20 years. On appeal, he argues that (1) statements allegedly made by him were obtained from him in violation of his fourth, fifth and sixth amendment rights; (2) the court erred in denying a motion for a mistrial after prosecutorial comments; (3) the court abused its discretion in refusing to fulfill a jury request for transcripts; (4) the court erred in refusing to give a jury instruction; and (5) the juvenile court erred in waiving its jurisdiction over defendant. We affirm. The pertinent facts follow.

At the hearing on the State’s motion to permit prosecution of defendant because of his age under the criminal laws, Officer Donald Janke testified that at approximately 7 a.m. on November 7,1977, he proceeded to Madison School where he spoke with the custodian. He was directed to the place where the custodian discovered the body of Andrea Sax. He observed the body in the bushes but did not see any signs of a struggle, or blood in the vicinity.

Officer John Ryan testified that when he arrived at the scene he observed the body lying near some bushes. On the south side of the building, the officers found tire tracks, a knife, a purse and several personal belongings of the victim.

At 7 p.m. on November 7, 1977, he was present in the police station when defendant was being fingerprinted. He did not say anything to defendant but defendant said to him: “What would you do with a kid that’s as f-d up as me?” He later overheard defendant tell the officer who was fingerprinting him that she was evil and that someone had to do it.

Dr. Robert Stein testified that he performed an autopsy on the body of Andrea Sax on November 7,1977. The cause of death was stab wounds to the neck and chest with perforation and laceration of the carotid artery and the aorta. He found 24 incised wounds on the head, neck, shoulder, chest and back, of which he identified 6 as stab wounds.

Officer William Zerfass testified that he is a juvenile officer with the Skokie Police Department. On November 7, 1977 he first went to the scene where the body was found and then to the area where the victim’s car was located. Several police officers and four young people, whom he identified as Laura King, David Gerber, Julie Derichs and defendant were present. These young people accompanied him to the police station, where he spoke with them individually.

King told Zerfass that on the morning of November 7, 1977, she was late for school because defendant failed to appear at the place where they normally met to walk to school. She walked to defendant’s house and they walked to school. On the way, he pointed out a car belonging to Andrea. At school, she, defendant, Derichs and Gerber met in the cafeteria and discussed the disappearance of Andrea, whereupon defendant commented that he thought that he had observed her car parked on a side street enroute to school. They encountered a police car after leaving the school and directed the officer to where the police found Andrea’s car.

Zerfass interviewed defendant, who told him that the last time he saw Andrea was on November 6, 1977, as he and Tony Gene were riding their bicycles. They conversed with Andrea in front of her house and then the three of them decided to go for a ride in Andrea’s car. They drove around for an hour and returned to Andrea’s house, where he and Tony picked up their bicycles and departed.

At 9 p.m. that evening, defendant received a telephone call from Andrea. She was upset and wanted to come and speak with him. When she did not appear, he telephoned Mrs. Sax at 10 or 10:15 p.m. and told her that Andrea never showed up. He made another telephone call and then left to meet Tony Gene.

Officer Zerfass noticed blood stains on defendant’s pants. Defendant stated that the pants belonged to David King and he agreed to turn them over to the police.

Ramazón “Tony” Gene was brought to the station and interviewed by Detective Dennis Degelmann, who informed Zerfass of the contents of their conversation. Gene denied being with defendant or Andrea on November 6, 1977, and claimed that he had spent the evening with Howard Getner from 6:30 to 11 p.m. He further denied knowing defendant and claimed that he had been staying in Room 221 of the Holiday Inn. The officers checked the hotel and found that Gene was not staying there, whereupon they brought defendant back to the station to identify Gene.

Gene was interviewed again at 6 p.m. on November 6, 1977, and indicated that he was walking near the “7-11” at Lincoln Avenue and Gross Point when he encountered defendant driving Andrea’s car. He got in and defendant told him that he had killed Andrea and offered to show him the body. He declined to go but defendant drove anyway to Madison School and he observed the body lying in some bushes. He indicated that he saw defendant throw the knife away and scatter Andrea’s belongings. They drove away and parked the car before returning to defendant’s home.

Zerfass said that he and a detective proceeded to defendant’s home, where he was arrested in the presence of his parents. He was advised of his rights and his father accompanied him to the station. Defendant and his father indicated that they wanted to speak with their attorney and did not wish to make a statement.

Getner was questioned by the police and indicated that he had met defendant on October 28, 1977, at defendant’s home. On that day, he indicated that he was returning from work when they encountered Gene and Edgar Dones. They conversed and Gene went to get something to eat. He and Edgar picked up his car and they went out looking for Gene, where they found him with defendant. Defendant suggested that they all go to his home. They went into the basement of defendant’s home, where they found a knife and threw it for awhile before smoking some pot. Getner identified the knife as the one discovered by the police near Madison School.

Zerfass interviewed Dones, who related the same account as Getner. Dones further stated that defendant demonstrated to him how to kill with the knife by grabbing someone by the back of the head and striking the person in a downwardly manner in the head, shoulder and neck. Dones also indicated that defendant mentioned Andrea in the course of the demonstration, but he did not know the context in which it was used. He also indicated that the knife had “Chicago” written on it. Zerfass stated that the knife found near the school had the words “Chicago Cutlery” on it.

Officer Carl Cacioppo testified that he was present at the police station while defendant was being held in a detention room. He entered the room to check on him, whereupon defendant looked up and said, “She got what she deserved.” He responded, “Who?” and defendant replied, “You and I both know who.” He again asked, “Who?” and defendant said, “Andy, I killed her.” Cacioppo informed Zerfass of this statement.

Shirley Sax, Andrea’s mother, testified that Andrea received a phone call from defendant around 9 p.m. She told her she was going to visit him and left home around 9:15 p.m. Defendant called the house around 10:15 p.m.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
421 N.E.2d 346, 96 Ill. App. 3d 390, 51 Ill. Dec. 838, 1981 Ill. App. LEXIS 2643, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-kraman-illappct-1981.