People v. Struck

483 N.E.2d 1047, 136 Ill. App. 3d 842, 91 Ill. Dec. 561, 1985 Ill. App. LEXIS 2468
CourtAppellate Court of Illinois
DecidedSeptember 27, 1985
DocketNo. 84-1191
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 483 N.E.2d 1047 (People v. Struck) 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. Struck, 483 N.E.2d 1047, 136 Ill. App. 3d 842, 91 Ill. Dec. 561, 1985 Ill. App. LEXIS 2468 (Ill. Ct. App. 1985).

Opinions

JUSTICE SULLIVAN

delivered the opinion of the court:

Following a bench trial defendant was convicted of deviate sexual assault and armed violence and sentenced to concurrent six-year terms. Defendant states the issues on appeal to be that (1) there was insufficient proof of force; (2) the trial court erred “in considering out-of-court pre-seizure description of weapon not testified to by complainant,” and (3) the armed violence conviction should be vacated because it arose out of the same physical act giving rise to his conviction for deviate sexual assault.

Pertinent testimony is as follows: Complainant, a 19-year-old college student, testified that at 3:30 p.m. on August 8, 1983, he was working as a grounds keeper at a church in Northbrook when defendant drove his blue truck into the church parking lot and while seated in the truck pointed a gun at complainant. Defendant then left the truck and with the gun pointed at complainant’s chest told him to go over to some nearby bushes. Complainant, who stated that he was scared because he had been, shot once before, went behind the bushes with defendant who, with the gun in his hand, forced complainant to perform an act of oral copulation. When it was completed defendant, still holding the gun, kissed complainant on the mouth and asked him to drop his pants, which he did, and defendant “kissed his butt.” Complainant stated defendant then went back to his truck, which was about 15 to 25 feet away, and, upon his return, still holding the gun, gave complainant a bottle of Jack Daniels whiskey and a business card bearing his name, address and telephone number. He asked complainant to call him “Uncle Marv” and told him that if he ever needed any money he would give it to him. Defendant then left and complainant said that after he had “a couple of swigs,” he drove to a park and called his girlfriend. He denied consenting to perform the act of copulation.

On cross-examination the complainant testified that the gun was black, thin and about six inches to eight inches long; that he didn’t know what kind of gun it was; that he didn’t know what a pellet gun looked like; that the rectory of the church was about a block and a half away and that no one else was around there; and that he didn’t run away when defendant went back to his truck because there was nowhere to run.

Complainant’s girlfriend stated that when she arrived at the park he was crying and said that “he had been taken advantage of” by a man. He said that he was too embarrassed to go to the police. That same evening they drove to the address printed on the business card he had received from the man and they saw the blue truck he had been driving. Complainant then attempted to call a friend but the friend was not at home. On the following day, after speaking with her employer, she reported the incident to the police and gave them defendant’s business card. She later prevailed upon complainant to talk to the police.

Northbrook Police Detective Willis testified that he and Officer Jordan arrested defendant on August 9 at his home. At that time defendant took them to his truck, where they recovered a Crossman pellet gun from the front seat. The gun was received in evidence without objection.

Defendant testified that he was a 50-year-old, self-employed landscaper and at about 3 p.m. on August 8, 1983, he was driving past a church when he saw complainant working and decided to offer him a beer. When he handed him the beer, complainant stated, “You startled me. I thought you had a gun,” to which defendant replied, “Why would I pull a gun? I do have one in the [truck] but there is no need to pull a gun on you. I am offering you a can of beer.” Defendant said that after talking for a while he asked complainant if he wanted a shot of vodka, and when defendant stated he would rather have Jack Daniels whiskey, he drove to a nearby liquor store, purchased a bottle and on his return gave it to complainant. As they talked he said the conversation turned to sex and he asked complainant “if he had ever gotten it on with another guy.” Complainant replied that he hadn’t but indicated he would be interested in doing so, and they went into the bushes, where defendant performed an act of oral copulation on complainant. When he asked complainant to orally copulate him he said that he would have to think about it. Complainant then said that he had to meet his girlfriend at 4:30 p.m. and drove his car to the place where they had been sitting. Defendant described complainant’s car as a dark brown Pontiac, two-door sedan with a bench seat. When complainant started to leave, defendant said he gave him a business card and told him he would give him money if he needed it. Defendant also testified that the gun in his truck had been loaned to him by his landlord, and, although he kept it at his shop, he was taking it home that day for safekeeping but had forgotten to take it out of the truck when he arrived home after the occurrence.

Charles Ferrer, owner of a liquor store, testified that defendant came to his place of business to buy beer at about 3 p.m. on the day in question and then returned a half hour later to purchase a bottle of Jack Daniels whiskey. The witness said that although defendant was a frequent customer this was the first time he had purchased Jack Daniels whiskey.

In rebuttal the State presented the testimony of Officer Jordan, who stated that before he arrested defendant on August 9 he went with him to his truck, where Jordan saw and recovered the pellet gun. Prior thereto, complainant had described the gun to him as being long, thin and black.

In finding defendant guilty, the trial court concluded that complainant would not have been able to accurately describe the gun to Officer Jordan had he not seen it at the time of the occurrence.

The first issue presented in defendant’s brief — that there was insufficient proof of force — was not supported by any argument; rather, defendant argued only two issues: (a) that it was error for the trial court “to consider rebuttal police hearsay that complainant described gun prior to seizure where consent was defense, complainant’s testimony was impeached, uncorroborated, and otherwise unconvincing, and where State never asked him if he did in fact give such a description”; and (b) that “double punishment for the same conduct was improper.”

Concerning the first of those arguments, we note that in the rebuttal testimony of Officer Jordan he stated that prior to his arrest of defendant and before Jordan had seen him or-his truck, complainant had given him a description of the gun used by defendant as being long, thin and black. Defendant maintains “that the court erred in accepting this hearsay testimony.” However, the court is not required to exclude or stop the introduction of improper testimony where, as here, defendant makes no objection to such testimony and “it is to be considered and given its natural probative effect.” (People v. Akis (1976), 63 Ill. 2d 296, 299, 347 N.E.2d 733, 735.) Moreover, no prejudice resulted to the defendant since Officers Jordan and Willis had each previously testified that the gun found in defendant’s truck was a long, dark gun which matched the description complainant had given them of the gun.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

People v. Ortiz
508 N.E.2d 490 (Appellate Court of Illinois, 1987)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
483 N.E.2d 1047, 136 Ill. App. 3d 842, 91 Ill. Dec. 561, 1985 Ill. App. LEXIS 2468, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-struck-illappct-1985.