People v. Wright

601 N.E.2d 817, 234 Ill. App. 3d 880, 176 Ill. Dec. 119, 1992 Ill. App. LEXIS 1381
CourtAppellate Court of Illinois
DecidedAugust 31, 1992
Docket1-87-0506
StatusPublished
Cited by20 cases

This text of 601 N.E.2d 817 (People v. Wright) 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. Wright, 601 N.E.2d 817, 234 Ill. App. 3d 880, 176 Ill. Dec. 119, 1992 Ill. App. LEXIS 1381 (Ill. Ct. App. 1992).

Opinion

PRESIDING JUSTICE BUCKLEY

delivered the opinion of the court:

On July 31, 1985, defendant Sharlette Wright allegedly beat E.R., 23 months old at the time, resulting in E.R. sustaining multiple skull fractures, herniation of the brain and paralyzation of a portion of her body’s left side. Defendant was hired to care for E.R. while E.R.’s parents were at work. After a jury trial, defendant was found guilty of aggravated battery of a child and cruelty to children. The circuit court sentenced defendant to seven years’ imprisonment for the aggravated battery of a child and three years for cruelty to children to run concurrently.

Defendant appeals her sentence and conviction arguing that the circuit court (1) erred in admitting the statements of E.R. and testimony of B.W.’s conduct; (2) erred in admitting Sharmin Powell’s testimony regarding other abusive acts by defendant; (3) abused its discretion by finding K.W. incompetent to testify; (4) violated her sixth amendment rights by precluding the cross-examination and impeachment of the State’s witnesses; (5) erred in excluding character evidence that defendant was a loving and caring child-care worker; (6) violated defendant’s sixth amendment right to present a defense by denying the admission of evidence relating to the child abuse syndrome; (7) erred in failing to find that she demonstrated a prima facie case of purposeful discrimination by the State in its use of peremptory challenges; (8) placed her in double jeopardy; (9) erred in denying her motion for substitution of judge for cause; (10) violated her fifth and fourteenth amendment rights to due process by denying discovery of the records of the child protection committee of Evanston Hospital; (11) deprived her of a fair trial by its rulings and bias; and (12) denied her the eighth amendment right to a fair and impartial sentence.

Prior to trial, defendant filed a motion for change of venue, arguing that the change would provide a venue with a better racial mix and a jury which was not exposed to media coverage of the allegations. The circuit court denied the motion. Later, defendant, again, moved for a change of venue, specifically to 26th Street and California Street in Chicago. This motion was also denied.

Then, the State moved to quash a subpoena served on Evanston Hospital to obtain the child protection agency’s files and reports on E.R. Defendant opposed the motion. After hearing argument, the circuit court granted the State’s motion.

Next, defendant filed motions in limine to preclude any testimony regarding “excited utterances” of B.W., a friend of E.R.’s, who was present the day of the alleged beating, and S.R., E.R.’s mother, from testifying to any of E.R.’s “excited utterances.” The circuit court granted defendant’s motion as to E.R. and as to B.W.’s statements, but denied defendant’s motion as to B.W.’s conduct.

The circuit court held a hearing to determine the competency of K.W., E.R.’s seven-year-old sister. The circuit court initially found K.W. competent. However, after considering S.R.’s statements, along with K.W.’s psychiatrist Dr. Bernard Lifson’s testimony, the circuit court reversed its ruling. Reconsideration was requested and denied.

Next, the State filed a motion in limine to limit character evidence of the defendant. The court ruled that the character traits of a skilled, loving and caring child-care provider and traits consistent with the child abuse syndrome were irrelevant. The court ruled it would allow evidence that defendant was a peaceable and law-abiding citizen. The State also moved to preclude evidence of its key witness, Sharmin Powell, dealing or using drugs. This motion was granted. Further, the circuit court granted the State’s motion to preclude any reference to the Department of Children and Family Services’ (DCFS’s) investigation which indicated that Powell was abused as a child.

Before jury selection, defense counsel moved that counsel be able to participate in voir dire and sequestering of the jury. The motion was denied, but the court invited counsel to suggest questions and voir dire was done in camera. Defense counsel tendered proposed voir dire questions to the court, including questions pertaining to possible racial prejudices and “bad race” experiences. The court refused to use the race-based questions. After jury selection began, defendant moved for mistrial pursuant to Batson v. Kentucky (1986), 476 U.S. 79, 90 L. Ed. 2d 69, 106 S. Ct. 1712, based on the limited representation of blacks in the venire. The motion was denied. Defendant renewed the motion after jury selection was completed. Again, the motion was denied.

Defense counsel was given a file on Powell from the juvenile court and the DCFS after the jury had been sworn. Defense counsel responded by moving for a mistrial. The motion was initially denied, but after hearing argument and talking with counsel, the court declared a mistrial. Defense counsel acknowledged that the mistrial was granted at his request. Disregarding this admission, defendant moved to dismiss the indictment on the basis of double jeopardy. The court denied the motion.

Prior to the second trial, both the State and defendant renewed all of their previous motions. The circuit court made the same rulings on the renewed motions as it had on the original motions. The court did, however, agree to question the venire on whether defendant’s race would enter into their judgment. Then, defendant moved to dismiss the venire as only 1 of 65 was black. The motion was granted. A new venire was used for jury selection. After the first panel, two of four of whom were black, was accepted, defendant moved to require the State give race-neutral reasons for using its peremptory challenges on four of six blacks and five of six women. The motion was denied.

At trial, Powell testified that she and defendant knew each other from high school. Powell was employed to take care of two-year-old B.W. Powell and defendant, who took care of 23-month-old E.R. and E.R.’s sibling K.W., who was five years old at the time of the alleged offenses, would get together while they took care of the children.

Powell testified that on July 31, 1985, she and B.W. went with defendant and E.R. to the library. After being at the library, they stopped off for doughnuts and pizza. E.R. did not want a doughnut, but defendant “stuffed it in her mouth and told her she was going to eat it because she paid for it.” When the four arrived at E.R.’s home, defendant changed into black wool pants and went into the kitchen to prepare lunch. E.R. did not want all of her pizza, so defendant, again, “stuffed it in her mouth.” Powell testified that after lunch, the four went into the family room. E.R. was playing in the toy area. Defendant told E.R. to come to her. According to Powell, E.R. “took her time coming.” In response to E.R.’s actions, defendant grabbed her by the shirt and “knocked her back.” Then, defendant “started hitting [E.R.’s] head on the floor.” After this, defendant “grabbed [E.R.] around her ankles” and “threw [E.R.] over the sofa.” Powell testified that E.R. “laid [sic] on the sofa in the same position she landed.” Powell stated that E.R. looked scared and her eyes were watery. Powell told E.R. to come to her, but defendant threatened E.R. by saying that E.R. had “better not go to [Powell].”

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
601 N.E.2d 817, 234 Ill. App. 3d 880, 176 Ill. Dec. 119, 1992 Ill. App. LEXIS 1381, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-wright-illappct-1992.