People v. Phipps

933 N.E.2d 1186, 238 Ill. 2d 54, 342 Ill. Dec. 893, 2010 Ill. LEXIS 973
CourtIllinois Supreme Court
DecidedJuly 15, 2010
Docket107016
StatusPublished
Cited by121 cases

This text of 933 N.E.2d 1186 (People v. Phipps) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Illinois Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
People v. Phipps, 933 N.E.2d 1186, 238 Ill. 2d 54, 342 Ill. Dec. 893, 2010 Ill. LEXIS 973 (Ill. 2010).

Opinions

JUSTICE KILBRIDE

delivered the judgment of the court, with opinion.

Chief Justice Fitzgerald and Justices Freeman, Thomas, Karmeier, and Burke concurred in the judgment and opinion.

Justice Garman specially concurred, with opinion.

OPINION

Defendant Craven F. Phipps pled guilty to aggravated driving under the influence of alcohol (625 ILCS 5/11— 501(d)(1)(F) (West 2004)). The circuit court of Winnebago County sentenced him to 12 years’ imprisonment. The appellate court reversed defendant’s conviction, holding his trial counsel was ineffective for failing to seek dismissal of the charge on speedy-trial grounds. 382 Ill. App. 3d 1047. We allowed the State’s petition for leave to appeal (210 Ill. 2d R. 315(a)) and hold that defendant has failed to establish his claim of ineffective assistance of counsel. We, therefore, reverse the judgment of the appellate court and affirm the circuit court’s judgment.

I. BACKGROUND

Defendant was originally charged by indictment with one count of reckless homicide. The indictment alleged that on April 5, 2004, defendant:

“while under the influence of alcohol, while acting in a reckless manner, and without lawful justification, performed acts likely to cause death or great bodily harm to another in that he drove a motor vehicle upon a public highway *** in a manner that was not proper with regard to the safety of others on the roadway, in that he drove at a high rate of speed ***, failed to stop for the red light at [an] intersection, and hit a car being driven by Malocka Gille, who was proceeding lawfully through the intersection, thereby causing the death of Malocka Gille, in violation of 720 ILCS 5/9 — 3(a). (Class 2 — Special Sentencing).” (Emphasis in original.)

On August 20, 2004, defendant’s attorney informed the trial court that the parties had reached a plea agreement calling for defendant to plead guilty to reckless homicide in exchange for the State’s agreement to a 12-year sentencing cap. Defense counsel and the prosecutor confirmed that the sentencing range was 3 to 14 years’ imprisonment based on the special sentencing provision. The trial court admonished defendant in accordance with Supreme Court Rule 402 (177 Ill. 2d R. 402). Defendant acknowledged he understood the sentencing range and that he could be sentenced to 12 years’ imprisonment based on the plea agreement. The trial court then accepted defendant’s guilty plea and ordered a presentence investigation report.

On November 19, 2004, the State filed a motion to vacate defendant’s guilty plea to reckless homicide. The State asserted “the Illinois legislature found [the reckless homicide statute] as void,” and the appropriate charge was aggravated driving under the influence. During a hearing that day, defense counsel stated the parties had discovered “some difficulty” with the reckless homicide statute. Counsel asserted “the same course of conduct is most likely covered under the aggravated DUI statute.” The matter was then continued for the parties to discuss a procedural issue. At the following hearing, defense counsel explained:

“I believe it’s our intention at this time to vacate the previous plea entered on the reckless homicide, the same exact behavior encompassed in the aggravated driving under the influence of alcohol statute. We believe it eliminates any question regarding the validity of the statute if we vacate the plea on the reckless homicide, enter a plea instead to the charge of aggravated DUI.”

Defense counsel noted defendant’s guilty plea to aggravated driving under the influence would be subject to the “previously agreed-upon cap of 12 years.” The State agreed with defense counsel’s statement. The trial court granted the motion to vacate defendant’s guilty plea to reckless homicide.

The State then filed an information charging defendant with aggravated driving under the influence of alcohol. The information alleged that on April 5, 2004, defendant:

“drove a motor vehicle within this state while under the influence of alcohol, in violation of 625 ILCS 5/11 — ■ 501(a)(2), was involved in a motor vehicle accident upon a public highway *** with a motor vehicle being driven by Malocka Gille, said motor vehicle accident causing the death of Malocka Gille, and said violation was the proximate cause of the death of Malocka Gille, in violation of 625 ILCS 5/11 — 501(d)(1)(F). (Class 2 Felony — Special Sentencing Range of 3 to 14 years of imprisonment — Max. Fine $25,000).”

The trial court accepted defendant’s guilty plea to that offense. Following a hearing, the trial court sentenced defendant to 12 years’ imprisonment.

Defense counsel subsequently filed motions to withdraw defendant’s guilty plea and for reconsideration of his sentence. In the motion to withdraw his guilty plea, defendant alleged only that he did not knowingly and voluntarily waive his right to a jury trial and he did not fully understand the trial court’s admonitions before entering his plea.

After the matter was continued several times to obtain transcripts of the proceedings, defense counsel informed the trial court that defendant had raised some issues indicating he may want to pursue an ineffective assistance of counsel claim. Defense counsel asserted, “it seemed from our conversation that there were some things that he would have liked addressed by the court *** either by bringing in another witness or filing a separate motion.” Defense counsel asked the trial court to appoint an attorney to represent defendant on his posttrial motions because counsel could not allege his own ineffective assistance. The trial court did not question defense counsel or defendant about the specific concerns. Instead, the trial court appointed the public defender to represent defendant, review his allegations, and determine whether he intended to assert a claim of ineffective assistance of counsel.

At the following hearing, defense counsel was present and stated defendant had brought up a mechanical problem with his car that he thought could have been explored at sentencing. The trial court explained the public defender had been appointed to determine whether there was going to be an ineffective assistance of counsel claim. Defendant’s appointed attorney then informed the trial court that she had consulted with defendant, “went over the issues in this case with him,” and also spoke with defendant’s trial counsel. Appointed counsel stated defendant did not wish to raise an ineffective assistance claim, but wanted to proceed with his posttrial motions with his trial counsel. The trial court, therefore, vacated the appointment of the public defender.

At a subsequent hearing, defense counsel presented the previously filed motions to withdraw defendant’s guilty plea and for reconsideration of his sentence. The trial court denied defendant’s motions. In denying the motion to withdraw defendant’s guilty plea, the trial court found the plea was knowing and voluntary.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
933 N.E.2d 1186, 238 Ill. 2d 54, 342 Ill. Dec. 893, 2010 Ill. LEXIS 973, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-phipps-ill-2010.