People v. Sosa

552 N.E.2d 1298, 195 Ill. App. 3d 828, 142 Ill. Dec. 557, 1990 Ill. App. LEXIS 406
CourtAppellate Court of Illinois
DecidedMarch 30, 1990
Docket2—88—1105, 2—88—1268 cons.
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 552 N.E.2d 1298 (People v. Sosa) 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. Sosa, 552 N.E.2d 1298, 195 Ill. App. 3d 828, 142 Ill. Dec. 557, 1990 Ill. App. LEXIS 406 (Ill. Ct. App. 1990).

Opinion

JUSTICE REINHARD

delivered the opinion of the court:

In appeal No. 2—88—1105, defendant, Jose Sosa, Jr., was indicted in the circuit court of Kane County on two counts of attempted first-degree murder (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1987, ch. 38, par. 8—4) and two counts of armed violence (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1987, ch. 38, par. 33A—2). Following a bench trial, he was found guilty of one count of attempted first-degree murder and one count of armed violence, which was subsequently vacated, and sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment and fined $5,000 on the attempted murder conviction.

In appeal No. 2—88—1268, the State filed a petition to revoke defendant’s probation on a separate aggravated battery conviction based on the attempted murder conviction, which was granted, and he was sentenced to a five-year concurrent term of imprisonment.

Defendant raises the following issues in the consolidated appeals: (1) whether he was denied his right to a jury trial because he was compelled to waive his right to a jury after the trial court denied his motion for a mistrial based upon the State’s failure to disclose a statement made by defendant to the arresting officer; (2) whether the trial judge misapplied the law and failed to find defendant had the intent to kill in finding defendant guilty of attempted murder; (3) whether the trial court abused its discretion in imposing a $5,000 fine; and (4) whether the revocation of defendant’s probation, premised upon his attempted murder conviction, must be reversed.

The victim, Victor Barrera, testified that on July 26, 1987, at about 5 to 6 p.m., he was a passenger in a car driven by a friend named Juan Anaya. As they drove down a street in Aurora, Illinois, he observed defendant, who was sitting on a bicycle talking to a couple of girls and blocking their path. Juan asked defendant to move, and defendant started using profanity towards Barrera and Juan. Defendant then kicked Juan’s vehicle and grabbed Barrera by the hair.

Barrera observed what appeared to be a screwdriver in defendant’s hand and took a small screwdriver with him as he left the vehicle. As Barrera exited, he heard something go by his ear, felt a buzzing in his ear, and felt blood running down his neck. He then ran down a side street, observed a car with its trunk lid open, and grabbed a tire iron from the trunk.

Barrera then began chasing defendant on foot. As Barrera chased defendant, defendant turned and, at a distance of about eight steps, fired a pistol at him, striking him in the groin area. After Barrera was shot in the groin, he continued to chase defendant. Defendant got into a vehicle driven by a female and drove away.

Dr. Abraham Steinberg, the physician who treated Barrera in the emergency room, stated that the bullet entered Barrera where his penis joins his scrotum, which means the bullet entered from the front of his scrotum. There were no other signs of damage to Barrera’s body possibly caused by a bullet except the injury to his ear.

Juan Anaya, who was driving the vehicle in which Barrera was a passenger, essentially corroborated Barrera’s testimony up to the point Barrera exited the vehicle. Anaya did not observe the subsequent encounter between Barrera and defendant but did hear a shot fired.

Salvador Gallegos, who was present at the time of the encounter, stated that he observed a group of people gathered together as though there was going to be a fight. He observed Barrera running after another person, saw the other person gesture as if shooting a gun, and heard a shot. He did not see a gun in the other person’s hand, and both Barrera and the other individual continued running after the shot was fired. He did not observe Barrera with anything in his hands. He also heard a second shot.

Officer Virgil Null of the Aurora police department observed a tire iron lying next to Barrera, who was lying in the street when Null arrived.

Officer Joseph Ramos of the Aurora police department testified regarding a photographic array displayed to Barrera when he was in the hospital. Barrera quickly pointed to defendant as the man he chased on the date in question and indicated that he was positive of his identification.

Officer Kevin Baxter, another Aurora police officer, testified regarding his arrest of defendant four days after the occurrence pursuant to an arrest warrant issued as a result of this incident. According to Baxter, he observed defendant riding his bicycle, and defendant, who knew Baxter was a police officer, looked at him and began peddling faster. Baxter gave chase in his squad car, and defendant entered a home. After back up officers arrived, Baxter and several officers went and knocked on the door of the home, and one of its occupants answered. Baxter explained that they were going to search for defendant, and the occupant went into the home and returned with defendant.

The prosecutor then asked Baxter, “What, if anything, happened at that time?” Baxter responded, “At that time, I advised him we had a warrant for attempted murder, handcuffed him, and he told me [he] would have shot me if he had his chance.” Defendant objected and moved for a mistrial. In doing so, he argued that the State’s failure to reveal the statement prior to trial constituted a discovery violation and that the statement was irrelevant and inadmissible. The trial court sustained the objection but refused to grant a mistrial. Rather, it struck the testimony and instructed the jury to disregard it.

The following morning defendant renewed his motion for mistrial. The assistant State’s Attorney stipulated that she became aware of the statement defendant made to Baxter about one hour before Baxter testified and that she forgot to advise defense counsel of the statement. The trial court again denied defendant’s motion for a mistrial. Defendant then asked to waive his right to a jury trial. The trial court, after admonishing defendant of his right to a jury trial, granted defendant’s request and dismissed the jury.

Robert Hunton, a forensic scientist employed by the State of Illinois, testified that the bullet recovered from Barrera’s scrotum was partially flattened. According to Hunton, a bullet would have to have hit a hard surface to have flattened and striking soft flesh would not cause it to flatten. Hunton further elaborated that the bullet could be flattened by striking bone, a tire iron, or upon being removed from the body.

At the conclusion of the State’s case, defendant moved for a direeled finding on all four counts, and the trial judge granted the motion as to the armed violence count premised upon Barrera being shot in the ear.

Officer Ramos, testifying for defendant, stated that he interviewed Barrera at the hospital on the date of the incident and that Barrera told him that defendant shot him in the ear as he exited the vehicle and that he reached in and grabbed a tire iron and chased defendant. According to Ramos, Barrera told him that defendant shot at him several times, hitting him once in the groin.

Defendant testified that he was blocking traffic while talking to his girlfriend’s sister and that he and the occupants of a vehicle began cussing at each other.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
552 N.E.2d 1298, 195 Ill. App. 3d 828, 142 Ill. Dec. 557, 1990 Ill. App. LEXIS 406, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-sosa-illappct-1990.