The People v. Schoeneck

274 N.E.2d 483, 1 Ill. App. 3d 395, 1971 Ill. App. LEXIS 1906
CourtAppellate Court of Illinois
DecidedSeptember 17, 1971
Docket70-108, 70-128 cons.
StatusPublished
Cited by12 cases

This text of 274 N.E.2d 483 (The People v. Schoeneck) 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
The People v. Schoeneck, 274 N.E.2d 483, 1 Ill. App. 3d 395, 1971 Ill. App. LEXIS 1906 (Ill. Ct. App. 1971).

Opinion

Mr. JUSTICE GUILD

delivered the opinion of the court:

The People of the State of Illinois bring this appeal of two orders of the Circuit Court of the 18th Judicial Circuit, DuPage County, which are here consolidated.

Two questions are raised: (1) whether statements of defendants were properly suppressed by the trial court; and (2) whether the defendants, who had been incarcerated for a period of more than 120 days, were properly discharged under the statutory provision for speedy trial. Ill. Rev. Stat. 1969, ch. 38, par. 103—5.

We consider first suppression of the statements. The two defendants, Schoeneck aged seventeen years, Robbins aged sixteen years, and a third defendant named James Fiene, were arrested in the Fiene residence by four police officers of the City of Elmhurst about 8:30 in the morning on August 30, 1969, the Saturday of Labor Day weekend. The youths were handcuffed and taken to the Elmhurst police station. During the course of the day, from about 9:00 o’clock that morning until the early evening they were variously, interrogated by two other Elmhurst police officers.

During the early afternoon a complaining witness was present in the police station for the purpose of viewing the defendants through a one-way glass. In the course of a hearing on defendants’ motions to suppress line-up identification, the witness testified he looked into a room containing only the defendants and saw someone else come in whom he did not know. There was testimony that an officer about ten years older than defendants was present in the room with them when defendants were viewed by the witness, and that although the officer was similarly clothed he was clean and well groomed in contrast to the disheveled appearance of defendants. Although the issue of line-up identification is not before us as the State agreed to its suppression by stipulation, a police officer told defendants, after the viewing, that they might as well confess as they had been identified, and one defendant was told that the other had confessed.

The arresting officers who allegedly advised the defendants of their rights under Miranda v. Arizona (1966), 384 U.S. 436, 86 S.Ct. 1602, did not testify at the hearing on suppression of the confessions. Two officers who were present in the police station, but not at the arrest, did testify and made various references to advice of rights given to defendants by the arresting officers. This testimony is conclusional, obviously hearsay, and denied in substance by defendants. These interrogating officers variously stated that during the course of the day they warned the defendants of then rights but the testimony is not persuasive that adequate warnings were given. The challenged confessions were obtained at approximately 7:00 o’clock in the evening. The following colloquy is an example of one officer’s testimony in this regard:

“A: Well, from time to time throughout the day he was advised of his rights under the Miranda decision and he was also advised before he made the written statement.
The Court: The question is, Lieutenant, just what did you say to him?
The Witness: I advised him before he made a written statement that he could have his attorney or his father present.
The Court: Is that all?
The Witness: Yes, sir.
By Mr. Fitzsimmons: (State’s Attorney)
Q: That is all that you said to him?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: AH right.”

Lt. Erber of the Elmhurst police department further testified that defendant Schoeneck “had been warned of his rights three or four times that day and he was warned again of his rights before he made out the oral — the written statement.” Lt. Erber testified further: “I was told that he was informed of his rights” and further: “The way I knew they were given their warnings is when they were brought into the station and the officers told me when I asked them whether they were given their warnings.”

Upon redirect examination, Lt. Erber testified for the first time that he had read the Miranda warnings to the defendants from a card. One defendant denied the material on the card had been read to him and the other did not recall. One defendant testified that he had asked for a particular attorney and the other testified he had phoned, but had not reached an attorney during the course of the day. The written statements were on forms containing a printed waiver of rights and that waiver apparently was read to or by defendants, but the record indicates this occurred after oral statements had been made and was in the context of: “Read that. Sign it.”

Under the circumstances, the order of the trial court suppressing oral and written statements of the defendants was correct.

The second issue concerns defendant’s discharge. It is difficult to determine from the record the exact commencement date of each defendant’s incarceration. Although they were arrested simultaneously on August 30, 1969, various references indicate that the continuous incarceration of one of them commenced a day or several days after the other. It is clearly conceded, however, that both defendants had remained incarcerated for more than 120 days prior to entry of orders releasing them from custody on January 28,1970. Orders entered February 2,1970, vary in form as the order concerning Schoeneck dismisses the cause and the order concerning Robbins discharges the defendant, but both orders are based on the failure of the State to bring them to trial within 120 days as required by statute.

The State contends the discharge was erroneous because the delay was “occasioned by the defendants” within the meaning of Ill. Rev. Stat. 1969, ch. 38, sec. 103-5(a), and that motions made by defendants tolled the running of the statute.

Schoeneck was represented by private counsel, and Robbins by the public defender. Shortly after indictment, both defendants filed various motions including demand for a fist of prosecution witnesses at trial, a fist of witnesses to any oral statements by defendants, a copy of any written statements by defendants, preparation of a transcript of grand jury testimony for use at trial, and opportunity to examine any physical evidence, which were granted in an order directing the State to furnish the lists of witnesses and copy of any written statement on or before October 24, 1969. Bail for both defendants was reduced by order entered October 29, 1969, pursuant to defendants’ motions. These motions were timely and do not appear to have occasioned any delay which would interfere with trial within 120 days.

On November 21, 1969, the matter came up for hearing on defense motions to suppress the line-up identification and suppress defendants’ statements. Defendant Robbins’ statement had not yet been furnished to his attorney.

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

Related

People v. Jump
468 N.E.2d 1278 (Appellate Court of Illinois, 1984)
People v. Perkins
414 N.E.2d 110 (Appellate Court of Illinois, 1980)
People v. Coleman
380 N.E.2d 829 (Appellate Court of Illinois, 1978)
People v. Kemp
364 N.E.2d 944 (Appellate Court of Illinois, 1977)
People v. Murphy
361 N.E.2d 842 (Appellate Court of Illinois, 1977)
People v. Donalson
336 N.E.2d 539 (Appellate Court of Illinois, 1975)
People v. Green
333 N.E.2d 478 (Appellate Court of Illinois, 1975)
People v. Wilson
311 N.E.2d 759 (Appellate Court of Illinois, 1974)
People v. McDonald
278 N.E.2d 91 (Appellate Court of Illinois, 1972)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
274 N.E.2d 483, 1 Ill. App. 3d 395, 1971 Ill. App. LEXIS 1906, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/the-people-v-schoeneck-illappct-1971.