People v. York

2024 IL App (1st) 240308-U
CourtAppellate Court of Illinois
DecidedApril 30, 2024
Docket1-24-0308
StatusUnpublished

This text of 2024 IL App (1st) 240308-U (People v. York) 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. York, 2024 IL App (1st) 240308-U (Ill. Ct. App. 2024).

Opinion

2024 IL App (1st) 240308-U No. 1-24-0308B Order filed April 30, 2024 Fourth Division

NOTICE: This order was filed under Supreme Court Rule 23 and is not precedent except in the limited circumstances allowed under Rule 23(e)(1).

IN THE APPELLATE COURT OF ILLINOIS FIRST DISTRICT

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, ) Appeal from the Circuit ) Court of Cook County. Plaintiff-Appellee, ) ) v. ) No. 20 CR 5833 ) DEVANTE YORK, ) Honorable ) Maria Kuriakos Ciesil, Defendant-Appellant. ) Judge, presiding.

JUSTICE MARTIN delivered the judgment of the court. Presiding Justice Rochford concurred in the judgment. Justice Ocasio specially concurred in the judgment.

ORDER

¶1 Held: The circuit court’s order granting the State’s petition for detention affirmed where the court’s findings that the State proved by clear and convincing evidence that the proof is evident or the presumption great that York committed an eligible offense, that he poses a real and present threat to public safety, and that no conditions of release would mitigate that threat was not against the manifest weight of the evidence.

¶2 Defendant Devante York appeals the circuit court’s order granting the State’s petition for

pretrial detention, pursuant to Illinois Supreme Court Rule 604(h) (eff. Sept. 18, 2023). York was

arrested and charged prior to the effective date of Public Act 101-652 (eff. Jan. 1, 2023), commonly No. 1-24-0308B

known as the Safety, Accountability, Fairness and Equity-Today (SAFE-T) Act (Act).1 On January

18, 2024, York filed a petition seeking pretrial release in accordance with the new statutory

standards. In response, the State filed a verified petition for pretrial detention. Following a hearing,

the circuit court denied York’s petition and ordered York to remain detained. For the following

reasons, we affirm.

¶3 I. BACKGROUND

¶4 York was charged with first degree murder in May 2020, for a November 2019 shooting

of a 53-year-old woman. 2 He was ordered held “no bail” following a bond hearing. In June 2020,

the case was superseded by indictment. A motion for bail reduction was denied on September 22,

2020, and York has since remained in pretrial custody.

¶5 York filed a “Petition to Grant Pretrial Release” on January 18, 2024, noting that he had

been in custody for 1,326 days and would be amenable to any combination of electronic monitoring

(EM) or GPS monitoring if he were released. Even though York was in custody, the State filed a

responsive verified petition to deny pretrial release, pursuant to sections 5/110-2 and 5/110-6.1 of

the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963 (Code) (725 ILCS 5/110-2, 110-6.1 (West 2022)). The

petition alleged that York committed an eligible offense (first degree murder) as listed in Section

5/110-6.1(a)(1.5) of the Code, and that he “poses a real and present threat to the safety of any

person or persons in the community.” Specifically, the State relayed that:

¶6 “On November 6, 2019, [York] and six co-offenders met up on the west side of the

Altgeld Gardens all armed with firearms. [York] and his co-offenders moved in

1 “The Act has also sometimes been referred to in the press as the Pretrial Fairness Act. Neither name is official, as neither appears in the Illinois Compiled Statutes or public act.” Rowe v. Raoul, 2023 IL 129248, ¶ 4 n. 1. Raoul lifted the stay of pretrial release provisions and set an effective date of September 18, 2023. Id. ¶ 52; Pub. Acts 101-652, § 10-255, 102 1104, § 70 (eff. Jan. 1, 2023). 2 Throughout the record, the victim is referred to interchangeably as either 53 or 54 years old. For ease of clarity, we will use 53 throughout the order.

2 No. 1-24-0308B

coordinated fashion through rival gang territory to the east side of the complex at a time

taking up positions and aiming their weapons at various locations. Upon arriving on the

east side of the complex, [York] and his co-offenders encountered 53 year old Kimberly

Underwood driving in a parking lot as she returned home. Co-defendant Jay York walked

up to the car and fired multiple shots into the car. [York] also fired toward Ms.

Underwood’s car along with a third co-offender. Kimberly Underwood was killed as a

result of these actions.”

¶7 The court conducted a hearing on the petitions on January 24, 2024. In support of York’s

motion, defense counsel argued that 31-year-old York, 27 years of age at the time of the offense,

was born and raised in Altgeld Gardens. York is a high school graduate, has earned an associate

degree, and was enrolled for his bachelor’s degree at his time of arrest. He played basketball in

college, in the City Pro-Ams, and the ABA. At the time of the offense, he was living with his

girlfriend, and he has family in the area. Counsel argued that York would thrive on release, obeying

any court orders, and could be on EM in a safe, appropriate place.

¶8 The State proceeded on their petition by proffer, arguing that the proof is evident, or the

presumption great that York committed the forcible felony of first degree murder on November 6,

2019, at approximately 10:24 p.m. Shortly before the shooting occurred, York, co-defendant Jay

York 3, co-defendant Avion King, and four other uncharged co-offenders gathered near block five

of the Altgeld Gardens. This area of the Altgeld Gardens is controlled by the Gangster Disciples,

and more specifically, a faction known as the Barnone GDs. Surveillance cameras from within the

Altgeld Gardens allowed officers to track York and his co-offenders—all either members of the

Barnone faction or closely connected to other Barnone members—as they moved in coordinated

3 To avoid confusion, we will refer to defendant’s brother Jay York as “Jay.”

3 No. 1-24-0308B

fashion from the west side of the Altgeld Gardens to block nine on the east side of the Altgeld

Gardens. Block nine is the territory of the Duffle Bag Gang, or Take Some Gang, a faction of the

rival gang the Black Disciples.

¶9 York and his six co-offenders can be seen on video surveillance, all armed with weapons.

York brandishes a semiautomatic handgun and is clothed in a distinctive Puma jacket with white

lettering on the left chest and sleeve. Co-defendant King is armed with an AK-style rifle, while

another uncharged co-offender is seen with a weapon equipped with a red laser sight. As the

offenders move in a coordinated fashion through the Altgeld Gardens toward the rival gang

territory, they can be seen at times separating into groups, signaling to each other via hand gestures,

taking up various positions, and aiming their weapons at various locations.

¶ 10 York and his co-offenders encounter no one until they arrive at block nine at 1023 East

132nd Street. As they arrive, the 53-year-old victim is arriving home to the same block, driving in

an adjacent parking lot. Jay emerges from the nearby courtyard, walks to within feet of the victim’s

vehicle, and fires multiple shots into the car. York is then captured on video firing his weapon

towards the victim’s vehicle, with the muzzle flashes apparent. Another co-offender fires as well.

The victim was shot and killed as a result of this gunfire.

¶ 11 The offenders then flee from the scene of the murder to various locations in and round the

Altgeld Gardens. York can be seen on his cell phone at 10:29 p.m., during his flight to a residence

on the west side of the Altgeld Gardens. York is then seen leaving the address in the same gray

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
2024 IL App (1st) 240308-U, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-york-illappct-2024.