People v. Morris

365 N.E.2d 424, 47 Ill. App. 3d 732, 8 Ill. Dec. 186, 1977 Ill. App. LEXIS 2490
CourtAppellate Court of Illinois
DecidedApril 7, 1977
Docket62850
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 365 N.E.2d 424 (People v. Morris) 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. Morris, 365 N.E.2d 424, 47 Ill. App. 3d 732, 8 Ill. Dec. 186, 1977 Ill. App. LEXIS 2490 (Ill. Ct. App. 1977).

Opinion

Mr. JUSTICE MEJDA

delivered the opinion of the court:

Petitioner, Ronald Morris (above referred to as defendant-appellant), appeals from an order of the circuit court of Cook County denying his petition for post-conviction relief. We affirm. The pertinent facts follow.

On February 5, 1964, Morris was indicted for the murder of an elderly woman by repeated stabbing. After a jury trial, he was found guilty and sentenced to a term of 50 to 100 years in the penitentiary. Upon appeal, this court found that the record disclosed sufficient evidence whereby a jury could reasonably have found Morris guilty, but his conviction was reversed and the cause remanded for a new trial because the trial court had erred in refusing his tendered instruction on alibi. People v. Morris (1967), 90 Ill. App. 2d 208, 234 N.E.2d 52 (abstract).

When the matter was retried, Morris waived a jury. The transcript of testimony of the first trial was read into evidence. On July 9, 1969, Morris was found guilty of murder and sentenced to a term of 25 to 75 years in the penitentiary. He again appealed and this court affirmed the conviction. (People v. Morris (1972), 6 Ill. App. 3d 136, 285 N.E.2d 247.) We there found that Morris had clearly stipulated that the transcript from his first trial was to be considered for all purposes in his new trial, and knowingly, intelligently and completely waived the right to confront witnesses against him. The facts surrounding the stipulation are set forth in the opinion.

Thereafter, on September 25, 1972, Morris filed a pro se petition for relief pursuant to the Post-Conviction Hearing Act (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1971, ch. 38, par. 122—1 et seq.) contending that he had not waived his constitutional right to confront witnesses at the retrial. The State filed a motion to dismiss the petition on the grounds that there were no constitutional questions of a substantial nature, and that the doctrine of res judicata applied in light of the appellate court’s affirmance of the conviction and sentence after retrial. Defense counsel then filed a “supplemental” petition which included the grounds alleged in Morris’ pro se petition, and in addition asserted that despite defense requests at trial the State failed to provide petitioner with police reports involving two persons other than Morris in the murder. 1 On November 8, 1972, the trial court denied both the petition for post-conviction relief and the State’s motion to dismiss. Morris appeals from the denial of his petition.

Opinion

Petitioner first argues that although it was stipulated that the transcript of testimony from the first trial would be admitted into evidence at his new trial, his approval of the stipulation procedure did not constitute a valid waiver of his right to confront witnesses against him as guaranteed by both the Illinois and the United States constitutions. This contention is set forth in the petition, to which Morris attached an affidavit by his attorney at the second trial. Affiant states that he did not explain to Morris the meaning or legal significance of the word “stipulation.”

This stipulation was the subject of petitioner’s second appeal (6 Ill. App. 3d 136, 285 N.E.2d 247), where we considered the facts and circumstances surrounding the stipulation as well as its effect. There we held that Morris had clearly stipulated that the transcript was to be considered for all purposes at his new trial, that the use of the stipulation violated no principle of law or public policy, and that Morris knowingly, intelligently and completely waived the . right to confront witnesses by entering into the stipulation.

The instant appeal arises from the trial court’s denial of Morris’ petition for relief under the Post-Conviction Hearing Act. A proceeding under this Act is a new proceeding for the purpose of inquiring into the constitutional phases of the original conviction which have not already been adjudicated. (People v. Beckham (1970), 46 Ill. 2d 569, 264 N.E.2d 149.) We have consistently held that where an allegation has been previously considered and rejected by this court on direct appeal, any reconsideration of the same allegation is barred by the doctrine of res judicata. (People v. Lynch (1975), 32 Ill. App. 3d 350, 336 N.E.2d 626; People v. Walker (1972), 6 Ill. App. 3d 909, 286 N.E.2d 812.) Further, all issues which could have been presented to the reviewing court, and were not, are waived. (People v. Adams (1972), 52 Ill. 2d 224, 287 N.E.2d 695; People v. Derengowski (1970), 44 Ill. 2d 476, 256 N.E.2d 455.) The rule of waiver will be relaxed only where required by fundamental fairness. People v. Mamolella (1969), 42 Ill. 2d 69, 245 N.E.2d 485.

With respect to the stipulation, we find that Morris sought to relitigate in post-conviction proceedings an issue which had been decided adversely to him in a prior appeal, upon evidence which could have been presented to this court in the first instance. The circumstances do not require that application of the doctrine of res judicata and waiver be relaxed.

Morris also argues that the trial court erred in denying his post-conviction petition since it presented facts showing that the State suppressed evidence linking two persons other than Morris with the crime. In the petition he alleged that he made timely requests at both trials to obtain evidence which might have been favorable to him and material to the issue of guilt or punishment; that, nevertheless, the State failed to provide him with police reports and statements of witnesses which would have implicated two men, Joseph Mayfield and an individual known as Bimbo, in the crime. Attached to Morris’ petition were various discovery motions made by him at both trials, police reports, witnesses’ statements, and the aforementioned affidavit of his attorney at his second trial.

When properly pleaded, an allegation in a post-conviction petition that the State suppressed evidence favorable to the accused, raises a constitutional question within the purview of the Post-Conviction Hearing Act. (People v. Matthews (1976), 37 Ill. App. 3d 1024, 347 N.E.2d 385; see People v. Sawyer (1971), 48 Ill. 2d 127, 268 N.E.2d 689.) However, proceedings under the Act are civil in nature, and the burden of proof is on the petitioner to show that he was deprived of a constitutional right. (People v. Harper (1969), 43 Ill. 2d 368, 253 N.E.2d 451.) The petition must clearly set forth how the petitioner’s constitutional rights were violated. (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1971, ch. 38, par.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
365 N.E.2d 424, 47 Ill. App. 3d 732, 8 Ill. Dec. 186, 1977 Ill. App. LEXIS 2490, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-morris-illappct-1977.