People v. Murdock

279 N.E.2d 159, 3 Ill. App. 3d 746
CourtAppellate Court of Illinois
DecidedJanuary 18, 1972
Docket70-43
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 279 N.E.2d 159 (People v. Murdock) 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. Murdock, 279 N.E.2d 159, 3 Ill. App. 3d 746 (Ill. Ct. App. 1972).

Opinion

Mr. JUSTICE CREBS

delivered the opinion of the court:

Defendant, James Murdock, was convicted of armed robbery after a jury trial in the Circuit Court of St. Clair County, Illinois, and was sentenced to the penitentiary for a term of not less than ten nor more than 20 years. On appeal he contends that his constitutional right to a speedy trial was violated in that he was not brought to trial within 120 days from the date on which he was taken into custody as prescribed by statute or, in the alternative, that the delay between the court order directing a competency hearing and the hearing itself was so oppressive and unreasonable as to constitute denial of the right to a speedy trial. He also argues that the evidence was insufficient to prove. Defendant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, and that he was denied a fair and impartial trial by virtue of certain comments made by the State’s Attorney in his closing argument. He further claims that the sentence imposed was excessive.

Defendant was taken into custody on March 16, 1968, and was arraigned on June 14, 1968. At the arraignment the Court first appointed the Public Defender, Mr. Trotier, to represent the accused, whereupon there was a discussion off the record, after which the Court stated that it would also appoint Mr. Cohn as attorney in the case. Mr. Cohn had previously been appointed to represent defendant on a charge of murder and it was suggested that Mr. Cohn conduct the defense of the armed robbery charge. It is apparent from the record, however, that Mr. Cohn acted as Defendant’s attorney only on the murder charge. Thereafter, Mr. Cohn brought it to the attention of the Court that Defendant had previously been treated by a psychiatrist and might, therefore, be incompetent to stand trial. On June 15, 1968, precisely 120 days after Defendant was taken into custody on the armed robbery charge, the Court ordered a psychiatric examination and a competency hearing to determine whether Defendant was competent to stand trial. The Order applied to both the armed robbery charge and the murder charge. On January 16, 1969, the competency hearing was held. Prior to the taking of evidence in said hearing, the Court held that the jury’s determination concerning Defendant’s competency would apply to both the murder and armed robbery charges. The hearing was held and Defendant adjudged competent. On January 23, 1969, the Public Defender filed a motion for discharge alleging that Defendant’s right to a speedy trial had been jeopardized. That motion was denied, and on February 17, 1969, the trial was commenced.

A defendant’s constitutional right to a speedy trial has been implemented by a statute requiring that every person in custody for an alleged offense be tried within 120 days from the date he was taken into custody. This period is tolled, however, when an examination for competency or a competency hearing is ordered. (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1969, ch. 38, par. 103— 5(a).) A competency hearing which will toll the 120 day period shall be held when the court has reason to believe that the defendant is incompetent, in which event the court shall suspend the proceedings and empanel a jury to determine the defendant’s competency. (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1969, ch. 38, par. 104 — 2(a).) In this case the Court ordered the competency hearing on its own motion and by its own action made the competency hearing applicable to both the murder and armed robbery charges.

Defendant claims that the question of his competency to stand trial for armed robbery was never placed in issue since it was the attorney appointed to represent Defendant in the separate and independent charge of murder who raised that question. It is Defendant’s argument that the Court cannot ascribe a motion for a competency hearing to the Defendant in the armed robbery case when he has not made the motion or raised the issue in that case. Defendant’s argument is without merit for although, as was pointed out by Defendant in his Brief, the issue of competency is generally raised by Defendant, the Court not only can, but has an absolute duty to order on its own motion a competency hearing where the issue of Defendant’s competency to stand trial is brought to its attention. The Supreme Court has held that “(I)f before * * 9 trial, facts are brought to the attention of the court, either from its own observation or by suggestion of counsel, which raises a bona fide doubt as to defendant’s present sanity, it becomes the duty of the court not to proceed until a jury has been empaneled and the doubt removed by a sanity hearing.” People v. Shrake, 25 Ill.2d 141, 143.

What is at issue in a competency hearing is whether Defendant has the capacity to make a rational defense. “He should be capable of understanding the nature and objects of the proceedings against him, his own condition in reference to such proceedings, and have sufficient mind to conduct his defense in a rational and reasonable manner, although upon other subjects his mind may be unsound or deranged.” (People v. Burson, 11 Ill.2d 360, 369.) In view of the limited scope of the inquiry at such a competency hearing we cannot assume that a defendant could be found simultaneously competent to stand trial on one charge and incompetent to stand trial on another. When, therefore, the court has reasonable doubt of a defendants competency to stand trial on one charge, a reasonable doubt must exist as to another charge then pending. In such a case the court cannot disregard such doubt and in the exercise of its duty must order a competency hearing before the defendant is brought to trial on either charge. We find, therefore, that the Court properly exercised its duty by, on its own motion, ordering a competency hearing and that such hearing tolled the running of the statutory period and that Defendant was, therefore, not denied a speedy trial by failure to bring him to trial within 120 days from the date he was taken into custody.

We likewise find no basis for Defendant’s claim that the delay of approximately six months from the time the competency hearing was ordered and the hearing on same was unreasonable and oppressive, therefore violating Defendant’s right to a speedy trial. The Supreme Court has held that the mere lapse of time in and of itself does not constitute a denial of defendant’s right to a speedy trial. In People v. Young, 46 Ill.2d 82, 85-86, the court, citing United State v. Ewell, 383 U.S. 116, 120; 86 S.Ct. 773, 776, held that “The right of a speedy trial is necessarily relative. It is consistent with delays and depends upon circumstances. The delay must not be purposeful or oppressive. The essential ingredient is orderly expedition and not mere speed.” In this case the delay between the Court Order and the date of the competency hearing was not purposeful. It was incurred as the result of the inability of one of the Court-appointed psychiatrists to examine Defendant and the necessity to finally appoint another examiner. This delay was not occasioned as claimed by the defense in order to accommodate the State in procuring witnesses, for the witness was not a State witness, but an independent examiner, and the delay was, therefore, as much for the benefit of Defendant as it was for the State. Furthermore, there is no showing that Defendant’s right or ability to conduct his defense was in any way impaired or that he has otherwise prejudiced by this delay. We find, therefore, that the record does not demonstrate that the delay was excessive or that Defendant was denied his right to a speedy trial.

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Bluebook (online)
279 N.E.2d 159, 3 Ill. App. 3d 746, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-murdock-illappct-1972.