People v. LaFond

799 N.E.2d 518, 343 Ill. App. 3d 981, 278 Ill. Dec. 800, 2003 Ill. App. LEXIS 1287
CourtAppellate Court of Illinois
DecidedOctober 23, 2003
Docket3-02-0426
StatusPublished
Cited by10 cases

This text of 799 N.E.2d 518 (People v. LaFond) 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. LaFond, 799 N.E.2d 518, 343 Ill. App. 3d 981, 278 Ill. Dec. 800, 2003 Ill. App. LEXIS 1287 (Ill. Ct. App. 2003).

Opinion

JUSTICE HOLDRIDGE

delivered the opinion of the court:

The defendant, James E. LaFond, was charged with aggravated battery (720 ILCS 5/12 — 4(b)(6) (West 2000)) and resisting a peace officer (720 ILCS 5/31 — 1(a) (West 2000)). Following the first jury trial, the judge declared a mistrial, stating that the defendant had not agreed to proceed with 11 jurors after 1 juror was hospitalized. At the conclusion of a second jury trial, the defendant was found guilty of both offenses. He was sentenced to 3 years’ imprisonment for, aggravated battery and 364 days in the county jail for resisting a peace officer, to be served concurrently. On appeal, the defendant argues that (1) it was error for the trial judge to, sua sponte, declare a mistrial and hold a second trial in violation of his double jeopardy rights; and (2) his trial counsel was ineffective by failing to preserve an adequate record in order to protect his double jeopardy rights. We affirm.

BACKGROUND

At the conclusion of the first trial, the judge excused the alternate juror on Thursday, April 5, 2001, and allowed the remaining 12 jurors to go home for the evening. When the jury returned the following Friday morning, April 6, 2001, the judge stated that one of the remaining 12 jurors had been hospitalized that morning. The judge said, “As there’s [sic] now only 11 [jurors], I need to declare a mistrial.” After the jury left the courtroom the following exchange took place:

“THE COURT: All right. [Defense counsel], I just want to make sure it’s clear on the record. I had 11 jurors, but I believe you and Mr. LaFond would not agree to 11 jurors; is that correct?
[DEFENSE COUNSEL]: That’s correct, Judge.
THE COURT: Okay. And that’s why the Court declared a mistrial. There was no agreement as to 11 jurors. The defense was objecting.
Show mistrial was declared as the case could not be continued over to Monday as three or four of the jurors were unable to return on Monday.”

The trial court’s docket sheet entry for April 6, 2001, states: “Court is informed that one of the remaining 12 jurors has been hospitalized earlier this morning. As there was no agreement ofthe [sic] parties to continue with less than 12 jurors, court declares a mistrial.” The defendant did not file a written posttrial motion between the end of the first trial and the beginning of the second trial.

The defendant was convicted of the offenses in the second trial. Following that trial, the defendant filed a motion for a judgment notwithstanding the verdict or, alternatively, for a new trial. In this motion, the defendant did not raise the issues he now raises on appeal. The defendant was sentenced and he appealed.

ANALYSIS

The defendant did not preserve the issues raised on appeal in a written posttrial motion. The State contends, therefore, that these issues are waived. The defendant asks that these issues be analyzed for plain error.

I. Waiver and Plain Error

Failure to include an issue in a posttrial motion results in waiver of a defendant’s issue on appeal. People v. Ramos, 339 Ill. App. 3d 891, 791 N.E.2d 592 (2003). However, plain errors affecting substantial rights may be noticed by an appellate court despite the defendant’s failure to raise the errors in a posttrial motion. 134 Ill. 2d R. 615(a). The plain error doctrine allows an appellate court to review defects affecting substantial rights if the evidence is closely balanced or if required by fundamental fairness rather than to find the defendant’s claims waived. People v. Donoho, 204 Ill. 2d 159, 788 N.E.2d 707 (2003). Because the defendant in this case did not raise his double jeopardy or ineffective assistance of counsel issues in a post-trial motion, we review these issues for plain error.

II. Mistrial and Double Jeopardy

The defendant submits that it was plain error for the trial judge to, sua sponte, declare a mistrial and hold a second trial in violation of his double jeopardy rights.

Both the constitutions of the United States and the State of Illinois prohibit subjecting a criminal defendant to jeopardy twice for the same offense. U.S. Const., amend. V; Ill. Const. 1970, art. I, § 10. In Illinois, a subsequent prosecution is barred if the defendant was formerly prosecuted for the same offense, based upon the same facts, and the former prosecution was improperly terminated after the jury was impaneled and sworn. 720 ILCS 5/3 — 4(a)(3) (West 2002).

The prohibition against placing a defendant in double jeopardy does not preclude a second trial after a mistrial. People v. Daniels, 187 Ill. 2d 301, 718 N.E.2d 149 (1999). A second prosecution generally is not barred if a mistrial was declared on the defendant’s own motion or with his consent. United States v. Jorn, 400 U.S. 470, 27 L. Ed. 543, 91 S. Ct. 547 (1971). A second trial is permitted when the mistrial was justified by manifest necessity. People v. Hudson, 171 Ill. App. 3d 1029, 526 N.E.2d 164 (1987).

The doctrine of manifest necessity commands a trial judge not to foreclose a defendant’s right to have a particular tribunal decide his fate unless the ends of justice would be defeated by continuing the proceedings. Jorn, 400 U.S. 470, 27 L. Ed. 543, 91 S. Ct. 547; People v. Street, 316 Ill. App. 3d 205, 735 N.E.2d 1052 (2000). The question concerning whether manifest necessity warranted a mistrial is determined by the facts of each case. Among the factors an appellate court may consider in making a “manifest necessity” determination are: (1) whether the difficulty was the product of events over which the court and the parties had no control; (2) whether the difficulty could have been cured by an alternative that would have preserved the trial’s fairness; (3) whether the trial judge considered alternatives to a mistrial; and (4) whether a subsequent conviction would be subject to reversal on appeal. Street, 316 Ill. App. 3d 205, 735 N.E.2d 1052.

A criminal defendant has a constitutional right to a trial by jury. U.S. Const., amend. VI; Ill. Const. 1970, art. I, § 13. In Illinois, the jury for a criminal trial shall consist of 12 members. 725 ILCS 5/115 — 4(b) (West 2002). Violation of a defendant’s right to a 12-person jury is plain error.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
799 N.E.2d 518, 343 Ill. App. 3d 981, 278 Ill. Dec. 800, 2003 Ill. App. LEXIS 1287, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-lafond-illappct-2003.