People v. Vaughn

2011 IL App (1st) 092834, 961 N.E.2d 887, 356 Ill. Dec. 498
CourtAppellate Court of Illinois
DecidedNovember 23, 2011
Docket1-09-2834
StatusPublished
Cited by22 cases

This text of 2011 IL App (1st) 092834 (People v. Vaughn) 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. Vaughn, 2011 IL App (1st) 092834, 961 N.E.2d 887, 356 Ill. Dec. 498 (Ill. Ct. App. 2011).

Opinion

961 N.E.2d 887 (2011)
356 Ill. Dec. 498

The PEOPLE of the State of Illinois, Plaintiff-Appellee,
v.
Eric VAUGHN, Defendant-Appellant.

No. 1-09-2834.

Appellate Court of Illinois, First District, Sixth Division.

November 23, 2011.

*889 Michael J. Pelletier, State Appellate Defender, Alan D. Goldberg, Deputy Defender (Rachel Moran, of counsel), for Appellant.

Anita M. Alvarez, Cook County State's Attorney, (Alan J. Spellberg, Yvette Loizon, Tasha-Marie Kelly, Charles J. Prochaska, of counsel), for the People.

OPINION

Justice LAMPKIN delivered the judgment of the court, with opinion.

¶ 1 Following a bench trial, defendant, Eric Vaughn, was convicted of 56 counts of criminal sexual assault, sexual abuse, and sexual relations within families as a result of two incidents involving defendant's 14-year-old daughter, T.V. The counts were later merged into six convictions for which defendant was sentenced to a total of 30 years' imprisonment. On appeal, defendant contends: (1) the State failed to prove one of the convictions beyond a reasonable doubt where defendant's admission was not corroborated independently; (2) the State failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that defendant committed the acts of criminal sexual assault by the use of force or the threat of force; (3) defense counsel was ineffective for failing to file a motion to suppress defendant's inculpating statements; and (4) defendant is entitled to 707 days of presentence detention credit. Based on the following, we affirm.

¶ 2 FACTS

¶ 3 At trial, T.V. testified that she was 14 years old at the relevant time. On September 3, 2007, T.V. was visiting defendant.[1] They, along with T.V.'s brother and defendant's girlfriend, had been shopping for school clothes and had returned to defendant's home for a sleepover. Defendant lived with his girlfriend. At some point, T.V. went to sleep. She was wearing a t-shirt and boxer shorts. T.V.'s brother was also asleep in the same bed. T.V. later awoke and found defendant was between her legs with his mouth on her vagina. T.V. noticed that her shirt had been pulled up over her head and her shorts had been removed. T.V. testified that she was scared. Defendant then inserted his finger into her vagina and inserted his penis into her vagina as well. T.V. added that defendant's penis made contact with her anus.

*890 ¶ 4 The following morning, defendant asked T.V. if she liked what had occurred the prior night. T.V. refused to answer. Defendant then told T.V. that she was his special girl and that if she told anybody about the incident he would kill her. Defendant and T.V. were alone during the conversation. T.V. did not tell anyone about the incident.

¶ 5 On September 14, 2007, T.V. again spent the night at defendant's home. The purpose of the visit was for defendant to take T.V. to get contact lenses; however, the store was closed, so they planned to have a sleepover. That night, T.V. fell asleep in the same bed as her brother, wearing a t-shirt and boxer shorts. T.V. again awoke and found defendant between her legs with his mouth on her vagina. T.V. continued to lie on the bed while defendant had his mouth on her vagina for 30 minutes. T.V. testified that she was scared at the time. According to T.V., defendant penetrated her vagina and anus with his penis. T.V. did not scream; however, she squirmed and attempted to turn from defendant penetrating her, but defendant continued to "com[e] back" and "do it again." T.V. could not recall whether defendant ejaculated.

¶ 6 The following morning, T.V. returned to her mother's house and told her best friend about the incidents, adding that she was afraid to inform her mother. At approximately 11 p.m. that night, T.V. told her mother, Shaunta Douglas, about the incidents. T.V. was crying when she reported what had occurred. Douglas called the police. The officer that responded to the call advised Douglas to take T.V. to the hospital. Douglas took T.V. to Mount Sinai Hospital. While at the hospital, T.V. spoke with a nurse and a doctor, separately telling them about the incidents. T.V. was examined by the doctor.

¶ 7 Sharlene Rivera testified that she was a registered nurse who interviewed T.V. and assisted in the sexual assault examination on September 16, 2007. According to Rivera, T.V. reported that "she was raped by her father on two occasions, on September 3 and September 15," and that she was penetrated vaginally and anally and that defendant licked her vagina. Rivera assisted in performing the rape kit examination.[2] On cross-examination, Rivera said T.V. only stated that defendant put his penis in her vagina and licked her vagina.

¶ 8 Doctor Michael Slater examined T.V. on September 16, 2007. T.V. told Dr. Slater that defendant performed oral sex on her and inserted his penis into her vagina. Dr. Slater's physical examination did not reveal any physical injury or vaginal trauma. Dr. Slater testified that this was normal because generally there is no injury inflicted on a sexual assault victim that has engaged in intercourse prior to the attack.

¶ 9 Detective Ian Barclay was assigned to investigate the incidents. At approximately 7:45 a.m. on September 27, 2007, Barclay and his partner, Detective Morris, arrested defendant at his workplace and transported him to the 11th district police station. At approximately 8:30 a.m., defendant was advised of his Miranda rights. Defendant stated that he understood his rights. At 4 p.m. or 5 p.m., Barclay interviewed defendant. Defendant was readvised of his Miranda rights. Defendant waived his rights and provided an oral statement. Defendant said that he touched T.V.'s breast with his hand. Defendant continued that, on September 3, *891 2007, he penetrated T.V.'s vagina with his finger and penis and kissed her vagina with his mouth. Defendant added that the incident occurred after his girlfriend received a phone call and left their home. Defendant further said that, on September 14, 2007, he forced T.V.'s legs apart by virtue of his weight and size and kissed her vagina. On the second date at issue, defendant also penetrated T.V.'s vagina and held his arm around her. The incident lasted approximately 30 minutes. After the interview concluded, Detective Barclay called the State's Attorney's office.

¶ 10 Assistant State's Attorney (ASA) Martha Kross arrived at the police station at approximately 8 p.m. on September 27, 2007. ASA Kross testified that defendant waived his Miranda rights and agreed to provide an oral statement. Defendant admitted that he fondled T.V.'s breast and vagina and attempted to put his penis into her vagina during the first incident. Defendant further admitted that he fondled T.V.'s breast and vagina, kissed her vagina, placed his finger into her vagina, and penetrated her vagina and anus with his penis during the second incident. Defendant then agreed to have his statement memorialized in writing. Defendant signed each page of the statement. Defendant instructed ASA Kross to make a number of corrections to the statement, which he then initialed.

¶ 11 Defendant's statement was read into the record. The statement related to the September 3 incident provided:

"Eric states that [his girlfriend] got a call and left the house with her daughter. Eric states that he then went into the bedroom where [T.V. and her nine-year-old brother D.V.] were. Eric states that [D.V.] was [asleep]. Eric states that [T.V.] [was] also asleep. Eric states that he laid on the bed with [T.V.] Eric states that he fondled [T.V.] on her breast under her t-shirt.

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Bluebook (online)
2011 IL App (1st) 092834, 961 N.E.2d 887, 356 Ill. Dec. 498, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-vaughn-illappct-2011.