# Petition — Wolski v. Illinois

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## Record

- **Collection:** Supreme Court brief
- **Document type:** Petition
- **Published:** January 1, 1981
- **Citation:** 450 U.S. 915

## Text

ie Supreme Court, U.S,
; FILED
ba
80-863 NOV 28 1980
No.

In THE

Supreme Court of the Gnited States

Ocroser Trerm, 1980

DAVID A. WOLSKI,
Petitioner,

VS.

PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS,

Respondent.
_

PETITION FOR A WRIT OF CERTIORARI TO THE
APPELLATE COURT OF ILLINOIS,
SECOND DISTRICT

FREDERICK F. COHN
JOEL KERSTETTER
35 East Wacker Drive
Chicago, Illinois 60601
(312) 641-0692

Attorneys for Petttioner

Midwest Law Printing Co., Chicago 60601, Financial 6-3988

i

QUESTIONS PRESENTED FOR REVIEW

1. Where the sole evidence allegedly connecting
petitioner to a dead body found in the woods was a
credit card receipt from petitioner’s account, is a police
officer’s statement in the affidavit to support the search
warrant, that such receipt was found “near” the body, a
statement of “fact”, as distinct from a “conclusion”, which
permits the magistrate to make an independent deter-
mination of probable cause?

2. Where crucial to the finding of probable cause is
an allegation that deceased was last observed hitch-
hiking on the same date as that borne on the credit card
receipt, does the Fourth Amendment require that the
affiant state who observed deceased hitchhiking and
how that person knew it was deceased?

3. Was a statement in an affidavit for a search
warrant that an item was found near the body, an affir-
mative misrepresentation where the affiant knew it was
six feet from the body, on a path, commonly used by
others?

4. Was there probable cause to search petitioner’s
house, where a credit card slip signed by him on the
same date deceased was seen hitchhiking in the vicinity
was found six feet from deceased on a path commonly
used by the public?

5. Was there probable cause to search petitioner’s
house on the basis that he committed an offense, where
the prosecution admits that there was not “any evidence
to support defendant’s arrest” and the search was
necessary because “investigation had not eliminated

ii

defendant from suspicion and no further information
could be obtained except by confrontation with defen-
dant in some way.”?

6. Where the State admits there is not probable
cause for petitioner’s arrest, is the seizure of petitioner
outside his house and bringing him into his house for in-
terrogation while the police conduct a search of the
house pursuant to a warrant, an illegal arrest, causing
statements obtained during the period of interrogation
to be obtained in violation of the United States Con-
stitution?

7. Was petitioner’s right to a jury trial and due
process violated, where the trial court refused to in-
struct on the defense of self-defense because he personal-
ly had determined that petitioner’s belief that he acted
in self-defense was unreasonable?

8. Does the Illinois “farce or sham” standard applied
by the State reviewing court in evaluating petitioner’s
representation by private counsel, violate the Sixth
Amendment to the United States Constitution and the
Fourteenth Amendment right to equal protection of the
laws, where a different standard is applied to represen-
tation by court-appointed counsel?

9. Did the failure of retained counsel to sufficiently
prepare so as to know the law on crucial issues result in
denial of effective assistance of counsel?

ili

TABLE OF CONTENTS ©

PAGE
QUESTIONS PRESENTED FOR REVIEW .............. i
TABLE OF AUTHORITIES v
JUDGMENTS AND OPINION BELOW ...................... 2
JURISDICTIONAL STATEMENT 2

CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISIONS AND STAT-
UTES INVOLVED

STATEMENT OF THE CASE oo... ececcccecceees
Unconstitutional Search Of Defendant’s Home ....
Illegal Arrest Of Defendant
Failure To Properly Instruct Jury
Ineffective Assistance Of Counsel 10

REASONS FOR GRANTING THE WRIT:

1

The affidavit in support of the warrant failed to
satisfy the Fourth Amendment because (a) the
description of the relationship of a credit card
receipt to deceased’s body—the sole evidence link-
ing the defendant to the offense—as ‘‘near’’ the
body, is not a fact but a conclusion that does not
permit the magistrate to make an independent de-
termination of probable cause; (b) there is no
description by the affiant of the source of infor-
mation concerning deceased’s presence hitchhiking
on the date of the credit card receipt, preventing
the magistrate from making any determination of
the reliability of that information; and (c) all the
evidence presented in the affidavit demonstrated

onan ow

iv

merely that a credit card receipt bearing the same
date deceased was last seen in the vicinity was
found in proximity to the body—evidence which
the State admits would not support the ‘‘arrest
of the defendant’’—does not rise to the level of
probable cause to search the defendant’s home be-
cause, as asserted by the State, ‘‘the investiga-
tion had not eliminated defendant from suspicion
and no further information could be obtained ex-
cept by confrontation with the defendant in some
way

2

The affidavit for the warrant affirmatively mis-
states facts and is invalid under Franks v. Dela-
ware, 438 U.S. 154 (1978) ...----c-seceenecececeesnsnessnenensenes

3

Where there is not evidence sufficient to sup-
port defendant’s arrest, seizing the defendant out-
side his house and bringing him into his house
and interrogating him, is an arrest and cannot be
justified ‘‘so as to prevent the defendant from
interfering with the search within the house’’;
and a statement obtained during the illegal ar-
rest must be sUPPTessed .........------c-ceesee-seeeneesneeereenerees

4

The right to jury trial and due process is denied
where the trial court refuses to instruct the jury
on an affirmative defense, i.e., self-defense, because
he personally evaluates defendant’s testimony that
he acted in self-defense as being unreasonable ......

5

The Illinois Courts’ application of the ‘‘farce
or sham”? standard in evaluating the quality of
petitioner’s representation abridged petitioner’s
Fourteenth Amendment rights to the effective as-
sistance of counsel and equal protection of the
laws basin

11

18

19

21

Vv

The ‘‘farce or sham’’ test is not a constitu-
tionally permissible standard for review of
ineffective assistance of counsel claims 23

Petitioner was deprived of the equal protec-
tion of the laws because the quality of his rep-
resentation by retained counsel was evaluated
by the ‘‘farce or sham’ standard, while the
quality of representation by appointed counsel
is evaluated according to a different, higher

standard 25
CONCLUSION jebeincadieinonsatebh 27
TABLE OF AUTHORITIES
Cases
Aguilar v. Texas, 378 U.S. 108 (1964) 00... 12, 16

Beck v. Alabama, ...... US. ....... 65 L.Ed.2d 392 (1980)
22, 23
Beck v. Ohio, 379 U.S. 89 (1964 12, 16
Brinegar v. U.S., 338 U.S. 160 (1949) 12, 16
Brown v. Illinois, 422 U.S. 590 (1975 19, 20
Chimel v. California, 395 U.S. 752 ( eee 20
Coolidge v. New Hampshire, 403 U.S. 443 CREED cincticen 17
Cuyler v. Sullivan, 100 S.Ct. 1708 re 26
Dunaway v. N.Y., 442 U.S. 200 (1979) 19, 20
Franks v. Delaware, 438 U.S. 154 (1978) .. 18
Giordenello v. U.S., 357 U.S. 480 ( 1958) . 12, 16
Grosso v. U.S., 390 U.S. 62 (1968) .......... 18
McCreary v. Sigler, 406 F.2d 1264 (9th Cir. 1969) ....... 15
McMann v. Richardson, 397 U.S. 759 en 24
Mincy v. Arizona, 437 U.S. 385 Ne 17
Payton v. N.Y., 100 S.Ct. 1371 (1980) 17
People v. Bach, 45 Tll.2d 140 (1970) 18

People v. Damon, 32 Ill.App.3d 987, 337 N.E.2d 262
(1975) 15

People v. Hester, 39 Ill.2d 489, 237 N.E.2d 466 (1968). 27

vi

People v. Hainline, 77 Ill.App.3d 30, 395 N.E.2d 1224
(1979) 26
People v. Ibarra, 60 Cal.2d 460, 386 P.2d 487 (1963) .... 26
People v. King, 12 Ill.App.3d 355, 298 N.E.2d 715 (1973) 15
People v. Martin, 46 Ill.App.3d 9438, 361 N.E.2d 595
(1977) 15
People v. Morris, 3 Il].2d 437, 121 N.E.2d 810 (1954) .. 25
People v. Murphy, 72 Tll.2d 421, 381 N.E.2d 677 (1978) 26
People v. Ramey, Cal. Sup. Ct. 545 P.2d 1333, 16 Cal.

3d 263 (1976) : 15
People v. Slago, 58 Ill.App.3d 1009, 374 N.E.2d 1270

| Seas al 27
People v. Vanco, 55 Ill.App.3d 151, 371 N.E.2d 82

4. 3 ; 15
People v. Wolski, 83 Ill.App.3d 17, 403 N.E.2d 528

TED aiclaschoinions ee 2
Plazda v. U.S., 291 F.2d 56 (9th Cir. 1961) .................... 18
Sibron v. N.Y., 392 U.S. 40 (1968) ............. ; 16
Spinelli v. N.Y., 394 U.S. 410 (1969) ..... 16
Stevenson v. United States, 162 U.S. 314 (1896) ........ 22, 23
Terry v. Ohio, 392 U.S. 1 (1977) .... 17
U.S. v. Chadwick, 443 U.S. 1 (1977) .............:seecsscssceeeeoees 17
Vale v. Louisiana, 399 U.S. 30 (1970) 20
Wolf v. Briton, 509 F.2d 304 (8th Cir. 1975) .................. 26
Zemina v. Solom, 573 F.2d 1027 (8th Cir. 1978) ............ 22

Constitutional Provisions and Statutes

Fourth Amendment, United States Constitution ............ 3
Fifth Amendment, United States Constitution .............. 3
Sixth Amendment, United States Constitution .............. 3
Fourteenth Amendment, United States Constitution... 3
Tilinois Revised Statutes, Chap. 38, Sec. 7-1 .................-.- 4

Tllinois Revised Statutes, Chap. 38, Sec. 9-2 ............ 3, 21, 26

In Tue

Supreme Court of the United States

Ocroser Tzrm, 1980

DAVID A. WOLSKI,
Petitioner,

VB.

PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS,
Respondent.

——="lIclooooooooooooooNooooo——

PETITION FOR A WRIT OF CERTIORARI TO THE
APPELLATE COURT OF ILLINOIS,
SECOND DISTRICT

Petitioner, David A. Wolski, (hereafter, defendant)
respectfully prays that a Writ of Certiorari be issued to
the Appellate Court of Illinois, Second District, to
review its decision affirming his conviction for murder,
as adjudged by the Circuit Court of Kendall County, I)-
linois.

oo
JUDGMENTS AND OPINION BELOW

The opinion of the Appellate Court of which we seek
review by Certiorari is reported, People v. Wolski, 83 Ill.
App.3d 17, 38 Ill.Dec. 297, 403 N.E.2d 528 (2 Dist.) (set
forth as Appendix A hereto).

JURISDICTIONAL STATEMENT

———

On March 24, 1980, the Appellate Court of Illinois,
Second District, entered its judgment affirming peti-
tioner’s conviction and sentence. (App. A) A petition
for leave to appeal to the Illinois Supreme Court, timely
filed, was denied on September 29, 1980, No. 53538.
(App. B) This Petition is filed within the time allowed.
Jurisdiction of this Court is invoked under 28 U.S.C.
1257(3) and Rule 20.1 of this Court.

—

CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISIONS AND
STATUTES INVOLVED

The Fourth Amendment to the United States Con-
stitution provides, in part:

“The right of the people to be secure in their per-
sons, houses, papers, and effects, against un-
reasonable searches and seizures, shall not be
violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon
probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation,

The Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitu-
tion provides, in part:

“No By shall ... be compelled in any
criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor
be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due
process of law;... ”

The Sixth Amendment to the United States Constitu-
tion provides, in part:

“In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall
enjoy the right ... to have the Assistance of
Counsel for his defence.”

The Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Con-
stitution provides, in part:

“. ». nor shall any State deprive any person of
life, liberty, or property, without due process of law:
nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the
equal protection of the laws.”

Illinois Revised Statutes, Chap. 38, Sec. 9-2, provides:
“Voluntary Manslaughter

“(a) A person who kills an individual without
lawful justification commits voluntary manslaughter

a a

if at the time of the killing he is acting under a sud-
den and intense passion resulting from serious
provocation by:

(1) The individual killed, or

(2) Another whom the offender endeavors to
kill, but he negligently or accidentally causes
the death of the individual killed.

Serious provocation is conduct sufficient to excite
an intense passion in a reasonable person.

(b) A person who intentionally or knowingly
kills an individual commits voluntary manslaughter
if at the time of the killing he believes the cir-
cumstances to be such that, if they existed, would
justify or exonerate the killing under the principles
stated in Article 7 of this Code, but his belief is un-
reasonable.”

Illinois Revised Statutes, Chap. 38, Sec. 7-1, provides:
“Use of Force in Defense of Person

A person is justified in the use of force against
another when and to the extent that he reasonably
believes that such conduct is necessary to defend
himself or another against such other’s imminent
use of unlawful force. However, he is justified in
the use of force which is intended or likely to cause
death or great bodily harm only if he reasonably
believes that such force is necessary to prevent im-
minent death or great bodily harm to himself or
another, or the commission of a forcible felony.”

a
STATEMENT OF THE CASE

To the extent that the Appellate Court’s Opinion (App.
A) contains material to meet the requirements of Rule
21.1(g), such is here incorporated by reference to avoid
unnecessary duplication.

The specific facts pertaining to the Points which
follow, including the raising of the federal questions
below per Rule 21.1(h), are as follows:

Unconstitutional Search Of Defendant’s Home.

On the morning of July 22, 1977, Joy E. Lewis was
found dead in some bushes about 15 feet from a lane
which was 60 feet from Hafenrichter Road. Late in the
evening of July 22, 1977, police officers pulled up behind
defendant’s car as defendant drove into the driveway of
his house (Tr. H. 20)! with his wife. With guns drawn,
(Tr. H. 111), police officers placed defendant against his
car (Tr. H. 88-89) and searched him, (Tr. H. 89) took
him into his house, caused him to remain seated, and in-
terrogated him while they searched his house. Defen-
dant “would not have been allowed to leave. . .” (Tr. H.
73-74) His car was transported to the Naperville Police
Garage, dismantled and submitted to scientific tests.

The police had a search warrant that commanded
that:

“The person of David N. Wolski and/or Residence
at 1321 Frederick St., Naperville, IL 1976 Mercury

\ Ir. H.” refers to Transcript of Proceedings at Motion to
Suppress; “Tr.” to Transcript of proceedings at Trial; “C.” to
the Common Law Record; “SC.” to Supp! emental Common
Law Record; “App.” refers to Appendix to this petition.

=

2-Door Vin #6Z64S570032 Recent model Ford LTD
4-door IL 1977 regist. #238154 be searched and the
following instrument, articles and things which
have been used in the commission of, or which con-
stitute evidence of the offense of murder be seized
therefrom: blood, articles of clothing with blood or
male or female secretions thereon, jewelry and
other personal items formerly in possession of Joy
E. Lewis, hair from the head of Joy E. Lewis, dirt,
grass or other materials or things from the area
where the body of Joy E. Lewis was found.”

The search warrant was based upon an affidavit by Of-

ficer Michael Alsup. The complaint for search warrant
reads:

“1. That on the 22nd day of July, the dead body of
one Joy E. Lewis was discovered in a wooded
area adjacent to Hafenrichter Road near the in-
tersection of Hafenrichter Road and U.S. Route
34 in Kendall County.

2. That a 2 x 4 board with protruding nails was
found near the body of Joy E. Lewis with blood
thereon, which board apparently inflicted the
mortal wounds.

38. That near the body was also a charge receipt
from a Master Charge account of one David N.
Wolski of 1321 Frederick Street, Naperville, IL
bearing a date of July 21.

4. “hat Joy E. Lewis was last observed hitchhiking
on Washington Street near Bailey Road in Naper-
ville at 8:15 p.m. on July 21, 1977.

5. That the residence of David N. Wolski, 1321
Frederick Street is near the point of last observa-
tion of Joy E. Lewis and is approximately 1 to 1%
miles therefrom.

6. That several homes near 1321 Frederick Street
are under construction and miscellaneous lumber
is scattered thereabout.

~~ a

7. That the aforesaid David N. Wolski is the
registered owner of a 1976 Mercury 2-door VIN
#686455/0032.

8. That many items found at the scene of the crime
which may contain fingerprints of the person
causing the death of Joy E. Lewis.

9. That a recent model Ford LTD 4-door, Illinois
registration #238154, has been located for a
period of time prior to the execution of this Af-
fidavit in the immediate area of 1321 Frederick
St., Naperville, IL and is believed that said vehi-
cle was recently acquired by David N. Wolski.

The dead body was nude from the waist down
and appeared to be sexually molested.” (SC. 16)

Testimony demonstrated that the body was found in
bushes and the receipt described in the warrant was
found on a path six feet from the body. (Tr. 339, 354,
373, 582)

Prior to trial, defendant moved to quash the warrant,
asserting:

“The . . . complaint for search warrant contained
insufficient facts to find probable cause . . .” (SC. 1, 3)

The trial court denied the motion, stating the warrant
was based on sufficient facts. (SC. 30) The error was
preserved in the motion for new trial. (SC. 37) The con-
stitutional insufficiency of the affidavit in support of the
search warrant was raised in the Appellate Court which
considered the affidavit to be sufficient (App. fa-7a) and
raised on petition for leave to appeal.

Illegal Arrest Of Defendant

Defendant at 12:30 a.m. drives into his driveway, a
car drives in behind him, blocking his car, (Tr. H. 20);
police officers with drawn guns place him against the

~~

car and search him; (Tr. 89) he is made to put his hands
on the hood of the car; (Tr. 20) he is read Miranda-type
warnings; (Tr. H. 21, 72-73) and not allowed to leave,
(Tr. H. 14, 73-74) and moved to inside his house and
ordered him to sit in a secured area of the living room,
(Tr. H. 74-77) where he is interrogated (Tr. H. 74-78);
and after 45 minutes, he makes a statement.

In the Appellate Court, defendant argued that the
trial court erroneously denied his pre-trial motion to
suppress his statement obtained in violation of the
Fourth and Fifth Amendments. The Appellate Court
held defendant’s seizure was not an arrest, and hence,
that the statements were not obtained in violation of the
Fourth Amendment. (App. 9a-10a) That defendant’s
statement was obtained in violation of the Fourth
Amendment was raised in his petition for leave to appeal.

Failure To Properly Instruct Jury

In his statements (Tr. 539-580), defendant related how
he had picked up the victim as she was hitchhiking, how
she directed him to a side road and, while parked, an
altercation occurred; that after being kicked twice in the
groin, he grabbed a piece of metal and hit her once in
the head and placed her out of the car. (Tr. 543)

At trial, defendant testified in further detail concern-
ing the incident. He testified how she initially pretend-
ed she had a gun in her purse and threatened him, and
as he got out of the car, he grabbed her purse and she
had no weapon (Tr. 741-743); that she then agreed to
have sex, but when he got on top of her, she attacked
him. (Tr. 746, 789, 818-819, 828-829)

ss

He testified:

“She kicked me hard in the groin.

Q. And, did she say anything to you prior to
kicking you in the groin?

A. No, after she did that she said that because
she knew my name and she saw there was a baby
carriage in your back seat, which she said that she
was going to tell my wife, and she was struggling to
get up off the seat to sit up, aud she was again try-
ing to kick me, and she was using her hands to
scrape my face and punch me, and at that point she
again, she was able to kick me or knee me in the
groin again, and—

Q. Dave, did that first kick she kicked you with
before she said anything, did that hurt you?

A. Yes, I was in a lot of pain.

Q. Did the second kick hurt you?

A. Yes.” (Emphasis added.)

He testified further that after twice being kicked in
the groin he hit her with his left fist on the face, (Tr.
746-747) “. . . she fell back on the seat and then con-
tinued to struggle and attempt to kick me (Tr. 747) and
there was a piece of steel . . . on the floor, and I picked
it up and hit her with it at that time.” (Tr. 474)

The trial judge refused to give a self-defense instruc-
tion because he believed defendant’s actions were un-
reasonable self-defense, even though defendant testified
that he acted in self-defense. The trial court stated:

“The Court: Despite what the defendant may have
testified to he believed, I don’t agree there is anything
in the record insofar as the facts are concerned
reasonably justify anybody feeling their life was in
danger of great bodily harm. Here was a bulky man
weighing 265, and she weighed 120, and all he
received was a couple of kicks in the groin, and un-
der all those circumstances and other circumstances
alluded to by the State’s Attorney, I don’t think

—19—

there is any legitimate question of fact on that to
present to the jury, so I am sustaining the objec-
tions to the giving of that instruction. Again, it is
what a reasonable person would believe under the
circumstances not just the defendant's belief.” (Tr.
876-87") (Emphasis added.)

The Appellate Court affirmed this refusal by saying
there was not even “some evidence” that defendant acted
in self-defense. (App. lla-18a) That the trial court’s
refusal properly to instruct the jury violated defendant’s
constitutional right was raised in his petition for leave to
appeal.

Ineffective Assistance Of Counsel

Trial counsel was unaware that under the Illinois
statute defining voluntary manslaughter, an “unreason-
able belief” that one had to act in self-defense reduces
the offense from murder to manslaughter, and hence, he
failed to request a manslaughter instruction under such
provision, although he requested other manslaughter
instructions, as the offense is otherwise defined. (C. 36)

Trial counsel voir dired the jury substantially on how
they would evaluate psychiatric testimony, intending to
introduce such testimony on the “credibility of defen-
dant’s confession,” unaware that under prevailing law,
such evidence was inadmissible.

The Appellate Court rejected the assertion that trial
counsel rendered ineffective assistance of counsel, apply-
ing to retained counsel’s performance the “sham and
mockery” test. (App. 14a-15a) The insufficiency of coun-
sel was raised in the petition for leave to appeal.

a on
REASONS FOR GRANTING THE WRIT

1.

The affidavit in support of the warrant failed to satisfy
the Fourth Amendment because (a) the description of the
Nengece agp: of a credit card receipt to deceased’s body—
the sole evidence linking the defendant to the offense—as
“near” the body, is not a fact but a conclusion that does
not permit the magistrate to make an independent deter-
mination of probable cause; (b) there is no description by
the affiant of the source of information concerning
deceased's presence hitchhiking on the date of the credit
card receipt, preventing the magistrate from making any
determination of the reliability of that information; and
(c) all the evidence presented in the affidavit demon-
strated merely that a credit card receipt bearing the
same date deceased was last seen in the vicinity was
found in proximity to the body—evidence which the State
admits would not support the “arrest of the defendant”?—
does not rise to the level of probable cause to search the
defendant's home because, as asserted by the State, “the
investigation had not eliminated defendant from suspicion
and no further information could be obtained except by
confrontation with the defendant in some way.”

Prior to authorization of the search of a home, the
Fourth Amendment requires (1) assertion of cir-

ane State in its Brief in the Appellate Court so admitted. It
8 :

“If the search had not revealed o- incriminating
evidence such as described in the searc warrant, it is
clear the police would have departed the residence
without arresting the defendant since there would not

aye been any evidence to support that arrest.” (St. Br., p.

8 and also:

“Investigation had not eliminated defendant from suspi-
cion and no further information could be obtained except
by —— with the defendant in some way.” (St.

r.. D.

=<

cumstances sufficient to warrant a prudent man in
believing that the suspect had committed the offense,
Beck v. Ohio, 379 U.S. 89, 91 (1964); Brinegar v. United
States, 338 U.S. 160 (1949), and (2) allegation of facts,
not conclusions, because a magistrate
“must judge for himself the persuasiveness of the
facts relied upon by the complaining officer to show
probable cause. He must not accept without ques-
tion the complainant’s mere conclusion that the per-

son whose arrest is sought has committed a crime.”
Giordenello v. United States, 357 U.S. 480 (1958).

Cf. Aguilar v. Texas, 378 U.S. 108 (1964).

Here, the affidavit (1) failed to demonstrate evidence
with sufficient certainty as to rise to the level of
probable cause, and (2) failed to provide the magistrate
with crucial facts as distinct from conclusions.

Crucial to link defendant to the crime is finding the
credit card receipt in close proximity to the deceased’s
body, and that her death was of recent origin. The af-
fiant attempted so to do in Paragraphs 1, 3 and 4.4
These allegations are defective, for they fail to supply
the magistrate with facts as opposed to conclusions.

Allegation 3—That near the body was also a charge
receipt from a Master Charge account of one David N.
Wolski of 1821 Frederick Street, Naperville, IL bearing
a date of July 21—merely advised the magistrate that,

4 The State reviewing court stated:

“The third allegation would lead a reasonable person to

lieve evidence of the crime could be found in the places
sought to be searched; the sales receipt, bearing so recent
a date and found near the body, established the probabili-
ty that defendant was linked to the offense so as to
moms gy | permit the search for which authorization was
sought. (App. 5a)

= 1G—

in the opinion of the affiant, the receipt was found near
the body. This is a conclusion, not a fact.

The magistrate was not advised of crucial facts as to
distance, nor was he advised as to the locale. Does the
warrant advise the magistrate:

(1)
(2)

(3)

(4)

How close the receipt § No; it merely uses the
was to the body? general term “near.”

Whether the body was No.
visible from where the
receipt was found?

Whether the receipt No.
was found within the
woods or the path?

Whether it was an No.
area secluded from

the general public or

used by the general
public?

That “near” is a conclusion is evident in an af-
fidavit that used the term “near” five times to de-
fine clearly distinct and different distances. Because

° I.

That on the 22nd day of July, the dead body of one Joy
. Lewis was discovered in a wooded area adjacent to

Hafenrichter Road NEAR the intersection of Hafen-

richter Road and U.S. Route 34 in Kendall County.

That a 2 x 4 board with protruding nails was found

NEAR the body of Joy E. Lewis.

That NEAR the body was also a charge receipt from
. Wols

a Master Charge account of one David ki of 1821
zrenereen Street, Naperville, IL bearing a date of July

That Joy E. Lewis was last observed hitchhiking on
Washington Stree. NEAR Bailey Road in Naperville at
8:15 p.m. on July 21, 1977.

That the residence of David N. Wolski, 1321 Frederick
Street is NEAR the point of last observation of Joy E.
Lewis and is approximately 1 to 1% miles therefrom.

wiltinie

near® is the affiant’s conclusion, Allegation 3 is merely
the affiant’s opinion that something belonging to the
defendant was found in such a manner as to give proba-
ble cause to believe the defendant was involved in the
homicide. This fails to satisfy the Fourth Amendment.
Aguilar v. Texas, 378 U.S. 482 (1958).

Allegation 4,’ necessary to create a temporal rela-
tionship between deceased’s death and the presence
in the area of the receipt, similarly fails to satisfy the
Fourth Amendment. Absent are facts from which the
magistrate could determine the reliability and credibili-
ty of the assertion that Joy E. Lewis was observed
hitchhiking on Washington Street near Bailey Road in
Naperville at 8:15 p.m. on July 21, 1977.

The magistrate did not know: (1) Who provided that
information? (2) How that person knew they saw Joy E.
Lewis? Even when information is supplied by a citizen,
the affidavit must convey information demonstrating
that the citizen had a basis for making and forming the

6 The lack of specificity permitted the police to present their
conclusion, where presenting the “true” facts would have
resulted in an allegation less forceful than Allegation 3. The
statement in Allegation 3, highly material that the receipt
was near, is false. “Near”, a non-specific term, as here used,
implies that the receipt was in very close proximity. It was
not. If Allegation 3 stated the “true” facts, 2.¢., the y was
found within bushes and shrubs (‘I'r. 339) and on a path com-
monly used by others (Tr, 373) about six feet or more from the
body was found the receipt from a Master Charge account of
David Wolski of 1321 Frederick Street, Naperville, Illinois,
bearing the date of July 21, it would be beyond ment that
there is not sufficient linking of defendant to the body so as to
demonstrate probable cause. See also Point 2, infra.

7 Allegation 4 reads:

“That Joy E. Lewis was last observed hitchhiking on
Washington Street near Bailey Road in Naperville at 8:15
p.m. on July 21, 1977.”

—15—

opinion conveyed by the affidavit. McCreary v. Sigler,
406 F.2d 1264, 1269 (9 Cir. 1969); People v. Ramey, Cal.
Sup. Ct. 545 P.2d 1333, 16 Cal.8d 263 (1976). Without
any indication of the source of the information in Allega-
tion 4, there was no means for the magistrate to make
an independent determination of the persuasiveness and
accuracy the conclusions there alleged.

The State reviewing court avoided the requirement
that the source of information be stated in the affidavit
by holding (a) that no source need be provided so long as
the affiant (even though not relating personal obser-
vations) could be charged with perjury if the statement
is not true;* and (b) that the rule requiring specification
of the source of facts alleged applies only to non-warrant
situations; and (c) that the issue was waived, because,
although defendant moved to suppress based on an in-
sufficient allegation of probable cause, he failed to assert
that “specific contention in the trial court.” These
reasons are erroneous and the record fails to support the
reviewing court’s conclusion.

8 The Appellate Court stated:

“The police officer's sworn representations of fact in the
complaint were sufficiently definite so that, if false, per-
jury could be assigned.” (App. 7a)

® The State reviewing court stated:

“We note, moreover, that defendant has cited no rele-
vant authority which supports his argument. (People v.
Martin (1977, 46 Ill. App. 3d 948, 361 N.E.2d 595

robable cause for an arrest); ine v. Vanco (1977), 55

l, App. 3d 151, 371 N.E.2d 82 (affidavit devoid of factual
allegations) People v. King (1973), 12 Ill. App. 3d 355, 298
N.E.2d 715 (warrantless stop and search o automobile);
and Aye v. Damon (1975), 32 Ill. App. 3d 987, 337
prong - \stop and frisk, i legal arrest) are inapposite.”

Pp. 0a-/a

—16—

The affidavit in support of a warrant is not sufficient
merely because it is a police officer’s sworn representa-
tion of fact—“sufficiently definite so that, if false, per-
jury could be assigned.” (App. 7a) if there are not facts,
so the magistrate can make an independent determina-
tion Giordenello v. United States, 357 U.S. 482 (1958);
Spinelli v. New York, 393 U.S. 410 (1969).

The State reviewing court’s position, that the require-
ment of “underlying facts and source” only applies to
non-warrant situations, is absurd. Cf. Aguilar v. Texas,
378 U.S. 108 (1964).

And the issue was raised. Defendant moved to quash
the warrant, asserting:
*** *

“The complaint for search warrant contained in-
sufficient facts to find probable cause * * *; (SC. 13)

The trial court denied the motion to suppress, stating
that the warrant was based on sufficient facts. (CS. 30)
The error was preserved in the motion for new trial.'°

As demonstrated above, the affidavit in support of the
warrant contains conclusions, not facts, and fails to
satisfy the Fourth Amendment.

The affidavit fails to satisfy the Fourth Amendment
requirement that it demonstrate probable cause and not
mere suspicion. Beck v. Ohio, 379 U.S. 89; Brinegar v.
United States, 338 U.S. 160; Sibron v. New York, 392
U.S. 40 (1968).

0 The State, in the Appellate Court, never raised any waiver
argument.

= =

What was presented to the magistrate is that at some
time before or after deceased was last seen alive at 8:15
p.m. on July 21, 1977, a credit card receipt on defen-
dant’s account for a purchase on that date was discarded
and was found somewhere near the body of deceased.
The State admits there was not probable cause to arrest
defendant.

“If the search had not revealed any incriminating
evidence * * * the police would have departed the
residence without arresting the defen caged since

there would not have been any evidence to
that arrest.” (St. Br., p. 32) (Emphasis added

Although certain intrusions may require less justifica-
tion than that necessary to justify an arrest, Terry v.
Ohio, 392 U.S. 1, the evidence justifying a search of a
man’s house based on belief that he committed a crime,
must be sufficient to justify his arrest. There is no
greater invasion than the “ransacking of a man’s house”.
Cf. Payton v. New York, ..... US. ...... 100 S.Ct. 1871
(1980).

In a most candid statement, the State explains why
the warrant was obtained, as follows:

“Investigation had not eliminated defendant from
suspicion and no further information could be ob-
tained except by confrontation with the defendant
in some way.” (St. Br., p. 20)

The State’s position—that where there is suspicion and
further investigation would not eliminate it, the police
are justified in obtaining a warrant to search and
seize—is but another way of asserting that a search is
justified where it is good police work—a position often
refuted by the Court. See Coolidge v. New Hampshire,
403 U.S. 443 (1971); Mincey v. Arizona, 487 U.S. 385;
United States v. Chadwick, 443 U.S. 1, (1977).

** *

—18—

The affidavit in support of the warrant satisfied
neither the “more than suspicion” requirement of
probable cause, nor the requirement that the magistrate
be provided with facts upon which he can make an in-
dependent determination. The search conducted pur-
suant to the warrant violated the Fourth Amendment.

2.

The affidavit for the warrant affirmatively misstates
facts _ is invalid under Franks v. Delaware, 438 U.S. 154
(1978).

The affidavit for the warrant stated, “That near the
body was also a receipt from a Master Charge account
of David N. Wolski.” This statement, highly material, is
false. “Near”, a non-specific term, as here used, implies
that the receipt was in very close proximity. It was not.
It was found some six feet or more from the body (Tr.
354), on the path (Tr. 354) commonly used by others. (Tr.
373) This was known by the police when the term “near”
was deceptively used. Officer Alsup, the affiant, found
the receipt. (Tr. 354)

The deceptively false material statement violates the
Fourth Amendment. Franks v. Delaware, 488 U.S. 154
(1978).

11 This issue was raised in ap ny Fe grad Brief, pp. 20
and 28, but was not considered by the S reviewing court.
Though this issue was not raised in the trial court, this cannot
be considered waiver, because the prevailing iy in mots at
the time of trial (Jan. 1978) was ut Bach, 45 Ill. 2d 140,
which prohibited goi hind four adn of the
warrant. The decision of this Court in Franks v. Delaware,
488 U.S. 154, was not rendered until June 26, 1978. Hence,
failure to raise this constitutional issue at trial shouid not be
“waiver.” Grosso v. United States, 390 U.S. 62 (1968);

v. United States, 291 F.2d 56 (9th Cir. 1961).

—19—

Where there is not evidence sufficient to mppest defen-
dant’s arrest, seizing the defendant outside his house and
bringing him into his house and interrogating him, is an
arrest and cannot be justified “so as to prevent the
defendant from interfering with the search within the
house”; and a statement obtained during the illegal arrest
must be suppressed.

Confronted with the State’s admission that at the time
defendant was seized outside his house, brought into his
house and interrogated, there was not sufficient
probable cause for the defendant’s arrest, i.e.,

“If the search had not revealed any incriminating
evidence such as was described in the search
warrant, it is clear that the police would have
departed the residence without arresting the defen-
dant since there would not have been any evidence to
<5 that arrest.” (St. Br., p. 32) (Emphasis add-

the State reviewing court avoided the holding required
by Dunaway v. New York, 442 U.S. 200 (1979), and
Brown v. Illinois, 422 U.S. 590 (1975), that defendant’s
statement must be suppressed if his arrest was illegal,
erroneously holding that the “detention” of the defendant
was not an “arrest.” (App. 10a) This holding is consti-
tutionally impermissible.

Defendant was under arrest when, at 12:30 a.m., he
drives into his driveway, a car drives in behind him,
blocking his car, (Tr. H. 20); police officers with drawn
guns place him against the car and search him, (Tr. 89);
he is made to put his hands on the hood of the car, (Tr.
20); he is read Miranda-type warnings, (Tr. H. 21, 72-
73); and not allowed to leave, (Tr. H. 14, 73-74); and he
is moved inside his house and ordered to sit in a secured
area of the living room, (Tr. H. 74-77), where he is in-
terrogated. (Tr. H. 74-78)

—20—

His “arrest” for interrogation cannot be justified “in
order for the police to execute the search of his person
authorized by the search warrant,” (App. 10a), because,
“defendant was searched as soon as he got out of his
car.” (App. 10a) Once the authorized search of defendant
was completed, holding him for investigation and in-
terrogation violated his constitutional rights. The
further seizure of defendant cannot be justified to
“preserve the scene and to secure the safety of the of-
ficers conducting the search.” (App. 10a) Defendant was
not arrested in the premises, but outside. The police can-
not justify his detention—to prevent him from interfer-
ing with their search inside the house—when it was they
who brought him in. The police cannot expand their
authority to detain by moving the apprehended person
for their benefit. Cf, Vale v. Louisiana, 399 U.S. 30
(1970); Chimel v. California, 395 U.S. 752 (1969).

Defendant was arrested and, as admitted by the State,
his arrest was without probable cause.

Defendant’s initial statement was obtained within one
hour of his illegal arrest; his further statement was ob-
tained one hour after the initial statement. During this
entire time, defendant was in custody of the same of-
ficers or their associates; there was continued attempt to
interrogate defendant from the time of defendant’s
arrest. The taint of the initial illegality was never
attenuated. Brown v. Illinois, 422 U.S. 590 (1975);
Dunaway v. New York, 442 U.S. 200 (1979).

The statement was obtained in violation of defendant’s
Fourth Amendment rights.

oo

4.

The right to jury trial and due process is denied where
the trial court refuses to instruct the jury on an affir-
mative defense, ie., self-defense. ‘xecause he personally
evaluates defendant's testimony that he acted in self-
defense as being unreasonable.

Petitioner’s right to trial by jury and due process of
law was violated because the trial judge refused to in-
struct on the defense of self-defense because in his opin-
ion, defendant’s belief that he had to act in self-defense
was unreasonable. The trial court stated:

“The Court: Despite what the defendant may have
testified to he believed, I don’t agree there is anything
in the record insofar as the facts are concerned
reasonably justify anybody feeling their life was in
danger of great bodily harm. Here was a bulky man
weighing 265, and she weighed 120, and all he
received was a couple of kicks in the groin, and un-
der all those circumstances and other circumstances
alluded to by the State’s Attorney, I don’t think
there is any legitimate question of fact on that to
present to the jury, so I am sustaining the objec-
tions to the giving of that instruction. Again, it is
what a reasonable person would believe under the
circumstances not just the defendant’s belief.”2 (Tr.
876-877) (Emphasis added.)

It is constitutionally impermissible for a trial court to
refuse to give an instruction on a defendant’s affirmative

2 Under the Illinois statutory scheme, a person can be guilty
of voluntary manslaughter either if defendant is “acting un-
der a sudden intense passion resulting from serious provoca-
tion” Chap. 38, Sec. 9-2(a), or “if at the time of the killing he
believes the circumstances to be such that, if they existed,
would agg? or exonerate the killing under the ———
stated in Article 7 of this Code [(said Article sets out the affir-
mative defenses such as self-defense, defense of others, defense
of Nig mg ye his belief is unreasonable.” Chap. 38, Sec. 9-
2b). Here, the trial court did instruct pursuant to Sec. 9-2(a),
but did not instruct as to Sec. 9-2(b).

anililiiss

defense or on a lesser included offense because the court
personally evaluated the evidence. “So long as there is
some evidence... , the proper weight to be given is for
the jury to determine” Stevenson v. United States, 162
U.S. 314 (1896). Beck v. Alabama, ..... US. ..... 65 L.Ed.
2d 392 (1980); Zemina v. Solom, 573 F.2d 1027 (1978).

The State reviewing court affirmed by evaluating the
evidence and erroneously concluding that the record is
“devoid of evidence of self-defense.” (App. 11a-18a) This
is not true.

Defendant testified that deceased originally tried to
rob him (Tr. 742-743); that after he prevented such initial
attempt she solicited a sexual encounter (Tr. 744); that
after enticing him, she began to attack him, kicking him
twice in the groin (Tr. 746); that to prevent further at-
tack, in defense of himself, “while she was attempting to
kick me, punch me or scratch my face,” (Tr. 804), he hit
her with his fist and when this would not prevent her
continued attack, he hit her once with the pipe. (Tr. 747)
His testimony as to the extent of the kicks in the groin is
corroborated: his blood was on his undershorts. (Tr. 636)

The State reviewing court rejected the position that
the bloody shorts corroborated the claim of self-defense:

“There is no evidence in the record, nor did defen-
dant suggest in his testimony, that any conduct of
the deceased caused him pain, injury or bleeding.”
(App. 12a) (Emphasis added.)

Not true. Defendant testified that as he was attempting
to get on top of her after she had solicited him to do so,
then suddenly:

“she kicked me hard in the groin...

Q. Dave, did that first kick she kicked you with
before she said anything, did that hurt you?

A. Yes, I was in a lot of pain.

Q. Did the second kick hurt you?

A. Yes.” (Tr. 746) (Emphasis added.)

fins

And as that statement of the Appellate Court is not
true, so is its conclusion that there is no evidence that
defendant acted in self-defense. His further testimony is
that after twice being kicked in the groin, he hit her
with his left fist on the face, (Tr. 746-747); “. . . she fell
back on the seat and then continued to struggle and
attempt to kick me (Tr. 747) And there was a piece of
steel . . . on the floor, and I picked it up and hit her with
it at that time.” (Tr. 747) This is evidence that defen-
dant, having been twice kicked in the groin, which caus-
ed him to “be in a lot of pain,” (Tr. 746), and in order to
prevent his being kicked again, hit her with the iron
pipe. (Tr. 747) This is testimony requiring the giving of
a self-defense instruction. The court’s refusal denied
defendant due process and his right to a jury trial.
Stevenson v. United States, 162 U.S. 314 (1896); Beck v.
Alabama, ..... USS. ..... 65 L.Ed.2d 392 (1980).

5.

The Illinois Courts’ application of the “farce or sham”
standard in evaluating the quality of petitioner’s represen-
tation abridged petitioner’s Fourteenth Amendment
rights to the effective assistance of counsel and equal pro-
tection of the laws.

The “farce or sham” test is not a constitutionally
permissible standard for review of ineffective assis-
tance of counsel claims.

Petitioner contended in the Illinois Appellate Court
that he was entitled to reversal of his conviction because
of incompetence of his trial counsel. The Appellate Court
noted that “[t]he standard applied in Illinois to judge the
competence of retained counsel is whether the caliber of
representation was so low as to amount to no representa-
tion at all or to reduce the court proceedings to a farce
or sham.” (App. 14a) The petitioner’s claim was rejected
on the ground that “the representation afforded to defen-
dant did not violate that standard.” Jd. The petitioner’s
conviction cannot stand because the “farce or sham”

=

standard applied to petitioner’s claim by the Illinois
court is constitutionally infirm. Effective assistance of
counsel as guaranteed by the Sixth and Fourteenth
Amendments requires a higher caliber of representation
than that implied in the “farce or sham” test. This is
clearly indicated in McMann v. Richardson, 397 US.
759 (1970), where this Court, noting that “defendants
cannot be left to the mercies of incompetent counsel,”
397 U.S. at 771, declared that a guilty plea made on ad-
vice of counsel is open to attack if counsel’s advice was
not “within the range of competence demanded of at-
torneys in criminal cases.” Jd.

The United States Courts of Appeal in ten of the
eleven circuits have clearly rejected the “farce or sham”
test and its equivalents.’

13 First Circuit—United States v. Bosch, 584 F.2d 11138 (1
Cir. 1978);
i Circuit—Moore v. United States, 482 F.2d 730 (3 Cir.

Fourth Circuit—Marzullo v. Maryland, 561 F.2d 540 (4 Cit.
ae Coles v. Peyton, 398 F.2d 224 (4 Cir. 1968), cert. d,
393 U.S. 849;

Fifth Circuit Herring v, Estelle, 491 F.2d 125 (5 Cir. 1974);
Mac Kenna v. Ellis, 280 F.2d 592 (5 Cir. 1960), modified, 289
F.2d 928 (5 Cir. 1961), cert. denied, 386 U.S. 877;
sae Circuit—Beasley v. United States, 491 F.2d 687 (6 Cir.

Seventh Circuit—United States ex rel. Williams v. Twomey,
510 F.2d 634 (7 Cir. 1975);

~~ Circuit—United States v. Easter, 539 F.2d 663 (8
Cir. 1976);

Ninth Circuit—C v. Fitzharris, 586 F.2d 1825 (9 Cir.
1978), cert. denied, 440 U.S. 974;

Tenth Circuit—Dyer v. Crisp, 618 F.2d 275 (10 Cir. 1980);

District of Columbia Circuit—United States v. DeCoster, 487
F.2d 1197 (D.C. Cir. 1973).

(Footnote continued on following page)

—25—

The “farce or sham” test is so opposed to the
overwhelming weight of current Sixth Amendment
jurisprudence that this Court cannot suffer it to be
applied to deny defendant his constitutional right to the
effective assistance of counsel.

Petitioner was deprived of the equal protection of the
laws because the quality of his representation by
retained counsel was evaluated by the “farce or sham”
standard, while the quality of representation by
appointed counsel is evaluated according to a differ-
ent, higher standard.

The Illinois courts adopt different standards for
evaluating the effectiveness of counsel’s representation
depending on whether counsel was retained or ap-
pointed.

“Where the defendant selects his own attorney
** * that the failure of such counsel to exercise
care and skill in the trial of the case does not afford
a basis for reversing a judgment of conviction.

*“* *

* * * [hjowever, in those cases where the defendant
is represented by court-appointed counsel * * * [it
is] the duty of the trial court to see that counsel is
assigned who has sufficient ability and experience
to fairly represent the defendant, present his
defense and protect him from undue oppression.”
People v. Morris, 3 Ill.2d 487, 444-45, 121 N.E.2d
810, 815 (1954).

‘8 continued

In the Second Circuit, in Brinkley v. evre, 621 F.2d 45
(2d Cir. 1980), the issue of whether the gleun and mockery”
standard should be abandoned was not reached, because the
majority found no Sixth Amendment violation regardless of
what alternative standard ought to apply. 621 F.2d at 47. A
strong dissenting opinion urged immediate consideration of
the issue in order to articulate a proper standard for
evaluating criminal representation. Jd. at 47-48.

—26—

The farce or sham test, applicable to private counsel,
People v. Murphy, 72 Ill.2d 421, 381 N.E.2d 677 (1978),
is inapplicable to appointed counsel. People v. Hainline,
77 Ill. App. 3d 80, 38, 395 N.E.2d 1224, 1227 (1979).

Application of the “farce or sham” test, thus affording
the petitioner less protection against prejudice resulting
from incompetent retained counsel than he would have
enjoyed had he been an indigent for whom counsel
would have been appointed is constitutionally imper-
missible. Cuyler v. Sullivan, ..... Tide wes. wep Se ae
1708, 1716 (1980).

There is ineffective assistance of counsel here, because
of lack of preparation and “unawareness” of a rule of law
basic to the case. People v. Ibarra, 60 Cal.2d 460, 386
P.2d 487 (1968); Wolf v. Briton, 509 F.2d 304 (8 Cir. 1975).
Here, counsel’s failure to read the controlling statutes
caused him to fail to request an instruction on voluntary
manslaughter. Under the Illinois statutory scheme, a
person can be guilty of voluntary manslaughter and not
murder if, when he kills, he believes he is acting in self-
defense, but his belief is unreasonable. Chap. 38, Sec. 9-
2(b).

Hence, even if the trial court was correct in con-
cluding that defendant’s belief that he had to act in self-
defense was unreasonable; once the court having concluded
that defendant had such a belief, defendant had a right
to have the jury instructed on the lesser included offense
of voluntary manslaughter. He and his lawyer desired
that the jury be instructed on a lesser included offense;
counsel requested an instruction on the lesser included
offense of voluntary manslaughter (murder reduced if
the killing is by provocation). Chap. 38, Sec. 9-2(a).
Hence, the failure specifically to request the instruction
on voluntary manslaughter as defined as “unreasonable
self-defense” must be because the lawyer failed to read
the statute.

= =

Further evidence of ineffective assistance of counsel is
the attorney’s substantial voir diring of the jurors as to
how they would respond to psychiatric expert testimony
(Tr. 43, 55-57, 66-67, 84-85, 115-116, 138, 170, 171, 216,
217, 224-225, 238, 280, 294-295), where his intent was to
introduce such expert evidence on the “credibility of
defendant’s confession” (Tr. 707-705), where the most
superficial research’ would demonstrate that such
testimony is inadmissible on the issue of “credibility of
the confession.” Voir diring the jury improperly prej-
udiced the defendant by destroying his credibility in
the eyes of the jury, and because the jury selection by
the lawyer was based upon an irrelevant issue.

Defense counsel was unprepared, and could not and
did not render effective assistance of counsel.

CONCLUSION

Petitioner requests grant of a Petition for Writ of
Certiorari.

Respectfully submitted,

FREDERICK F. COHN
JOEL KERSTETTER
35 East Wacker Drive
Chicago, Illinois 60601
(312) 641-0692
Attorneys for Petitioner

«People v. Slago, 58 Ill. App. 34 1009, 874 N.E.2d 1270: Peo-
ev, Hester, BE Til ad ae Big 0 374 D He made no ot
(e) 0 sO.

—la—

APPENDIX A

(No. 78-306—Filed March 24, 1980)

IN THE
APPELLATE COURT OF ILLINOIS
SECOND DISTRICT

PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS,
Plaintiff-Appellee,
vs.

DAVID A. WOLSKIT,
Defendant-Appellant.

Appeal from the 16th Judicial Circuit,
Kendall County, Illinois.

MR. JUSTICE NASH delivered the opinion of the court:

After trial by jury defendant, David A. Wolski, was
convicted of murder (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1977, ch. 38, par.
9-1(a)(2)) and was thereafter sentenced to a term of 20
to 25 years imprisonment.

He brings this appeal asserting numerous grounds of
error: (I) that the warrant for a search of his person,
house and automobile was issued without probable cause
and should have been quashed and the articles seized there-
under suppressed; (II) that his inculpatory statements to
investigating officers should have been suppressed; (III)

—2a-—

that the trial court erred in failing to instruct the jury
on self-defense and on voluntary and involuntary man-
slaughter; (IV) that he lacked effective assistance of coun-
sel; (V) that two prospective jurors should have been
excused for cause; (V1) that testimony as to defendant’s
reputation, and (VII) the victim’s alleged character trait
for violence, was improperly excluded; (VIII) that his
statement to the police was erroneously characterized as
a confession in the instructions; and (IX) finally, that his
conviction should be reduced to manslaughter or the sen-
tence imposed for murder be reduced.

The body of Joy E. Lewis, age 14, was found on July
22, 1977, in underbrush approximately 60 feet from Hafen-
richter Road on a farm in Kendall County. The body
was not clothed below the waist and large quantities of
blood were found within a radius of three to four feet
from it; the girl had suffered multiple blows to the head,
crushing her skull and causing death. A Master Charge
sales slip dated July 21, 1977, in defendant’s name and
signed by him, was found about six feet from the body.
The remaining evidence introduced at trial consisted sub-
stantially of clothing belonging to defendant, the purported
murder weapon, inculpatory pre-trial statements attrib-
uted to defendant, and his own testimony in the course
of trial.

Defendant’s testimony in trial differed little from his
pre-trial statements to the investigating police officers.
As given in evidence both disclosed that about 7 p.m.
on July 21, 1977, defendant drove from his home in
Naperville to pick up a television set from a friend’s house.
While en route he picked up a hitchhiker, subsequently
determined to be the decedent, Joy E. Lewis, who asked
to be driven to her brother’s apartment in Aurora, and

—8a—

defendant agreed to do so. In Aurora, however, although
defendant followed her directions they were unable to
find the apartment. He stated that she giggled and talked
continuously and that at one point she suddenly aimed
her purse at him as if it contained a gun and instructed
him to drive out on a country road. He complied, but
after stopping the car he said he managed to grab the
purse and discovered then that it did not contain a gun.
In his statement to the investigating officers defendant
said that he ‘‘made a pass at her’’, but in his testimony at
trial he stated that it was the girl who suggested that
they have sexual relations. This is the only essential dif-
ference between defendant’s pre-trial and in-trial accounts
of this incident.

Defendant stated that when he unzipped his trousers
and turned to her a struggle began in which she struck
him in the groin with her knee and tried to scratch his
face; he said he hit her with his fist to stop the struggle
and struck her head with a steel rod that had been laying
on the floor of his car. She then fell limp and he removed
her from the car; he was uncertain whether or not he
hit her again outside the car with the steel bar. Defend-
ant stated he threw her belongings, a purse, radio and
camera, from the car and, although he noticed his Master
Charge receipt had fallen to the ground, he drove away
from the scene without retrieving it. Defendant told the
investigating officers that he disposed of the steel bar
by throwing it into a field away from the scene; it was
subsequently recovered by police officers following his di-
rections.

Defendant stated he then drove to a gas station where
he washed blood from his hands, completed the errand to
his friend’s house and returned home. At home he changed

—da—

his clothing and placed his bloodstained undershorts in a
bathrobe pocket.

Based upon the complaint and affidavit of an investi-
gating police officer a judge issued a warrant on July 22,
1977, for the search of defendant’s person, home and
automobile for evidence of the murder. Defendant was
not at home when the officers first arrived for the purpose
of executing the warrant but he came shortly thereafter
in his automobile. The officers exhibited the search war-
rant to defendant, informed him that he was a suspect in
a homicide case, advised him of his Miranda rights and
proceeded to carry out the search as directed by the war-
rant. As a result of this search the officers seized de-
fendant’s bloodstained undershorts in the house and seized
from his automobile samples of hair which were later
determined to have the same characteristics as the de-
cedent’s hair.

Defendant thereafter gave a detailed statement relating
his contact with the decedent.

I,

Defendant contends first that the warrant issued for
the search of his person, house and automobile, failed to
satisfy the requirements of the Federal and Illinois con-
stitutions and section 108-3 of the Code of Criminal Pro-
cedure of 1963 (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1977, ch. 38, par. 108-3).
He asserts the search warrant should have been quashed
as defective on these grounds:

A) that the complaint and affidavit for the search
warrant did not establish probable cause;

B) that the complaint failed to list the items to
be seized; and

—5a—

C) that it contained unexplained handwritten ad-
ditions.

A.

A complaint and affidavit for the issuance of a search
warrant must be considered by the issuing judge and re-
viewing court in a common-sense, realistic fashion (People
v. McGram (1967), 38 Ill. 2d 189, 230 N.E.2d 699), and
great deference should be paid to the issuing judge’s de-
termination of probable cause (Spinelli v. United States
(1969), 393 U.S. 410, 419, 21 L. Ed. 2d 687, 645, 89 S. Ct.
584, 590). Our supreme court has held that the probable
cause required for the issuance of a search warrant has
two dimensions: first, facts must be related which would
cause a reasonable man to believe a crime has been com-
mitted; second, facts must be set forth which would cause
a reasonable man to believe that evidence of the crime
is in the place to be searched. People v. George ( 1971), 49
Ill. 2d 372, 274 N.E.2d 26; People v. Francisco (1970), 44
Ill. 2d 373, 255 N.E.2d 413.

The complaint and affidavit in this case, signed under
oath by one of the investigating police officers, alleged in
relevant part:

“1, That om the 22nd day of July, the dead body of
one Joy E. Lewis was discovered in a wooded
area adjacent to Hafenrichter Road near the in-
tersection of Hafenrichter Road and U.S. Route
34 in Kendall County.

2. That a 2 x 4 board with protruding nails was
found near the body of Joy E. Lewis with blood
thereon, which board apparently inflicted the
mortal wounds.

3. That near the body was also a charge receipt
from a Master Charge account of one David N.

—6a—

[sis] Wolski of 1321 Frederick Street, Naper-
ville, IL bearing a date of July 21, 1977.

4. That Joy E. Lewis was last observed hitchhiking
on Washington Street near Bailey Road in Na-
perville at 8:15 p.m. on July 21, 1977.

5. That the residence of David N. [sic] Wolski,
1321 Frederick Street is near the point of last
observation of Joy E. Lewis and is approxi-
mately 1 to 1144 miles therefrom.’’

We are satisfied, contrary to defendant’s argument, that
the complaint established probable cause. The first and
second factual allegations establish the probability that
a homicide had taken place. The third allegation would
lead a reasonable person to believe evidence of the crime
could be found in the places sought to be searched; the
sales receipt, bearing so recent a date and found near
the body, established the probability that defendant was
linked to the offense so as to reasonably permit the search
for which authorization was sought. See People v. Weimger
(1978), 63 Ill. App. 3d 171, 379 N.E.2d 810.

Defendant also suggests the form of the complaint was
defective in that it failed to specify the source of each
fact alleged in it. This contention is waived on appeal as
defendant failed to raise it at the hearing of his motions
to quash the search warrant and suppress the evidence;
nor was it preserved by the general averment in his post-
trial motion that the complaint contained insufficient facts
to establish probable cause. (People v. Pickett (1973), 54
Ill. 2d 280, 296 N.E.2d 856; People v. Limas (1977), 45 IIl.
App. 3d 643, 359 N.E.2d 1194.) We note, moreover, that
defendant has cited no relevant authority which supports
his argument. (People v. Martin (1977), 46 Ill. App. 3d 943,
361 N.E.2d 595 (probable cause for an arrest); People

—J7a—

v. Vanco (1977), 55 Til. App. 3d 151, 371 N.E.2d 82 (af-
fiidavit devoid of factual allegations) ; People v. King
(1973), 12 Ill. App. 3d 355, 298 N.E.2d 715 (warrantless
stop and search of automobile); and People v. Damon
(1975), 32 Ill. App. 3d 937, 387 N.B.2d 262 (stop and
frisk, illegal arrest) are inapposite. The police officer’s
sworn representations of fact in the complaint were suf-
ficiently definite so that, if false, perjury could be assigned
(People v. Bak (1970), 45 Til. 2d 140, 258 N.B.2d 341;
Franks v. Delaware (1978), 438 U.S. 154, 57 L. Ed. 2d
667, 98 S. Ct. 2674), and the warrant will not be quashed
on the basis urged by defendant.

B.

Defendant also argues that the complaint was defective
in that it failed to list any of the items to be searched
for and seized, and he takes exception to the search war-
rant’s broad authorization of seizure of ‘‘articles of cloih-
ing with blood or male or female secretions thereon.”’

Article I, section 6 of the Illinois Constitution and
section 108-3 of the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963
(Tll. Rev. Stat. 1977, ch. 38, par. 108-3) require that a com-
plaint for a search warrant describe with particularity
the ‘‘place or person, or both, to be searched and the
things to be seized.’’ The purpose of that requirement is
to prevent the issuance of general search warrants. Peo-
ple v. Elias (1925), 316 Ill. 376, 147 N.E. 472; People v.
Holmes (1974), 20 Ill. App. 3d 167, 312 N.E.2d 748.

The complaint in this case sought authorization to seize
**the following instruments, articles and things which have
been used in the commission of, or which constitute evi-
dence of, the offense of murder’’, but it did not further

satin

describe in greater detail the items to be seized. The search
warrant, however, did describe the items which could be
seized under its authority: ‘‘blood, articles of clothing
with blood or male or female secretions theron [sic],
jewelry and other personal items formerly in possession
of Joy E. Lewis, hair from the head of Joy E. Lewis,
dirt, grass on [sic] other materials or things from the
area where the body of Joy E. Lewis was found. finger-
prints [sic] of Joy E. Lewis.”’ The record discloses that
both the complaint and warrant were drafted by the same
persons and were presented simultaneously to the issuing
judge who affixed his signature to both documents.

It has been held that, in accordance with sound legal
practice, the issuing judge may be presumed to have read
both the warrant and accompanying complaint before is-
suing the search warrant. (People v. Mays (1974), 25 Til.
App. 3d 435, 323 N.E.2d 409 (abstract).) Under the cir-
cumstances of this case, therefore, we see no error in the
trial court’s ruling on this point. The failure of the com-
plaint to specify the items to be seized, while not a prac-
tice to be encouraged, was in the nature of a technical
defect not affecting the substantial rights of the accused
(Ill. Rev. Stat. 1977, ch. 38, par. 1018-14) and did not con-
stitute a basis for quashing the search warrant or sup-
pressing the evidence seized thereunder. The warrant de-
scribed the items to be seized with as much exactitude as
was possible at that stage of the investigation (see People
v. Raicevich (1978), 61 Tl. A'pp. 3d 143, 377 N.E.2d 1266),
and sufficiently limited the discretion to be exercised by
the officers in conducting the search. (See People v. Prall
(1924), 314 Ill. 518, 145 N.E. 610; People v. Sovetsky
(1931), 343 Tll. 583, 175 N.E. 844.) The present case must
be distinguished from People v. Prall and People v. Bishop

—9Ia—

(1979), 71 Ill. App. 3d 52, 388 N.B.2d 1144, referred to
by defendant, wherein the warrants themselves failed to
describe the items to be seized.

C.

Defendant also objects to certain handwritten interlinea-
tions on the face of the typewritten complaint and in the
body of the search warrant, and suggests the warrant was
thereby invalidated. To the complaint was added: ‘10,
The dead body was nude from the waist down and ap-
peared to be sexually molested’’, initialed by the affiant
Officer; to the warrant was added ‘(clothing with blood]
or male or female secretions’’ and ‘‘fingerprints of Joy
KE. Lewis’’, both items clearly initialed by the issuing
judge. These alterations did not affect the substantial
rights of defendant. (See People v. Fitegerald (1975), 35
Til. App. 3d 58, 340 N.E.2d 591.) We find no parallel be-
tween these facts and those in People v. West (1977), 48
il. App. 3d 132, 362 N.E.2d 791, relied on by defendant,
wherein the issuing judge materially altered the search
warrant pursuant to the ‘‘unsworn, factually unsupported
oral speculation’’ of a police officer not the affiant in the
complaint. 48 Ill. App. 3d at 135, 362 N.E.2d at 794.

Defendant next contends that the inculpatory statement
he gave to the investigating officers at the police station

I.

should have been suppressed and asserts, first, that it was
the fruit of a warrantless arrest made without probable
cause. His argument is grounded on a claim that he was
illegally placed under arrest when he first encountered
the officers on alighting from his car on the driveway to
his house, and that at that moment the arresting officers

—10a—

did not have enough facts or evidence to constitute prob-
able cause that defendant had committed an offense. At
the hearing of his motion to suppress defendant testified
that officers informed him at that time he was under ar-
rest; three officers who were present during the search
testified, however, that defendant had not been placed
under arrest before the search of his home disclosed his
bloodstained undershorts. Testimony further disclosed that
defendant was searched as soon as he got out of his car
and he was then taken into the house where he was in-
structed to remain in a chair while the search of his
house and car were carried out.

An arrest is effected by ‘‘an actual restraint of the
person or by his submission to custody.’’ (Ill. Rev. Stat.
1977, ch. 38, par. 107-5(a).) Defendant’s argument, that
the initial restraint of his person amounted to an illegal
arrest requiring suppression of his statement defies logic.
He must necessarily have been reasonably restrained in
order for police officers to execute the search of his per-
son authorized by the search warrant. As defendant was
lawfully restrained under the authority of the search war-
rant, that restraint cannot form a basis for suppression
of the fruits of the search or of his subsequent arrest.

We note further that section 108-9 of the Criminal Pro-
cedure of 1963 (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1977, ch. 38, par. 108-9)
approves detention of persons on the premises to be
searched in order to preserve the scene and to assure the
safety of the officers conducting the search. It is apparent
the restraint and search of defendant was carried out at
the earliest opportune moment. See People v. One 1968
Cadillac Automobile VIN #J8316714 (1972), 4 Ill. App.
8d 780, 281 N.E.2d 776.

—lla—

The second prong of defendant’s argument for the sup-
pression of his statement is that he did not make a know-
ing and voluntary waiver of his rights under Miranda v.
Arizona (1966), 384 U.S. 436, 16 L. Ed. 2d 694, 86 S. Ct.
1602. We cannot agree. It is undisputed in the record that
defendant was twice fully advised of his rights, the first
time before any questioning, and he acknowledged this fact
in his own testimony. He also testified at trial that he
did in fact understand his Miranda rights and had volun-
tarily waived them. While he suggests now on appeal that
he did not knowingly and voluntarily waive his rights, we
are unimpressed by his present argument in light of his
testimony at trial.

. We find that the trial court correctly refused to sup-
press defendant’s statement and that defendant’s response
to an inquiry from a police officer as to whether he wished
to waive his rights, ‘‘I don’t wish to but I certaining [sic]
will,’’? does not require a contrary finding.

II.

Defendant next contends that the trial court erred in
failing to instruct the jury as to voluntary manslaughter
(Ill. Rev. Stat. 1977, ch. 38, par. 9-2(b)), and self-defense
(Ill. Rev. Stat. 1977, ch. 38, par. 7-1), and involuntary man-
slaughter (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1977, ch. 38, par. 9-3). Defend-
ant’s tendered instructions relating to the latter two sub-
jects were refused by the trial court; no instruction on
voluntary manslaughter was tendered by him, however,
so he has waived consideration of that question on appeal.
People v. Roberts (1979), 75 Tl. 2d 1, 387 N.E.2d 331.

Initially we address the question whether there was
“‘some evidence’’ of self-defense presented at trial, in
accordance with section 3-2(a) of the Criminal Code of

—12a—

1961 (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1977, ch. 38, par. 3-2(a)), and based
on the record before us we agree with the trial court’s
refusal to instruct on self-defense. In his statement to
the police defendant said he had attempted sexual rela-
tions with the decedent and that she thereupon struck him
in the groin with her knee, an action which ‘‘startled’’
him. He further acknowledged that although she hit him
in the face with her fist, ‘‘it wasn’t much of a, of a blow.’’
Defendant then hit her on the head with a 23% lb., 1114”
long steel bar while positioned on top of her on the front
seat of his car; he was 26 years old, a veteran, and weighed
approximately 265 pounds while decedent was 14 years
old and weighed about 120 pounds. Responding ‘to a ques-
tion during his post-arrest interrogation as to whether
he again struck decedent outside the car, defendant said
“‘T don’t recall doing it. I, I just say I must have because
there was, there was blood all over me, my hands.”’

As evidence of self-defense, defendant points to his
undershorts, stained with blood of his own type, not of
decedent’s. We find this insufficient to lend support to his
claim of self-defense. There is no evidence in the record,
nor did defendant suggest in his testimony, that any con-
duct of decedent cause him pain, injury or bleeding. The
bloodstains on his clothing are generally unexplained and
it cannot be determined from the record when they oc-
curred.

As the record is devoid of evidence of self-defense, the
trial court need not have instructed as to that issue. (See
People v. Allen (1972), 50 Tl. 2d 280, 278 N.E.2d 762.)
For the same reasons we reject defendant’s argument
that the trial court should have instructed sua sponte on
voluntary manslaughter. People v. Wilkins (1976), 36 Ill.
App. 3d 761, 344 N.E.2d 724.

—13a—

In support of his contention that the trial court erred
in refusing his tendered instruction on the lesser included
offense of involuntary manslaughter, defendant theorizes
that a jury might have found he hit Joy Lewis only once,
and was merely reckless in leaving her lying injured at
the roadside where some unknown person killed her. Where
there is some evidence in the record which, if believed by
a jury, would reduce the crime to involuntary manslaugh-
ter, a defendant is enti‘led to an instruction defining the
lesser included offense if he so requests (People v. Joyner
(1972), 50 Ill. 2d 302, 306, 278 N.E.2d 756, 759), but such
evidence is lacking in this case.

Recklessness in the performance of an act is an essen-
tial element of the offense of involuntary manslaughter.
(Ill. Rev. Stat. 1977, ch. 38, par. 9-3.) The offense is also
characterized by the absence of an intent to kill or inflict
injury. (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1977, ch. 38, par. 9-3; People v.
Farmer (1977), 50 Ill. App. 3d 111, 365 N.E.2d 177.)
Defendant’s own description of the incident militates
against a finding that he acted recklessly or lacked the
requisite knowledge for a finding of murder (Ill. Rev.
Stat. 1977, ch. 38, par. 9-1(a)(2)); to the contrary, his
acknowledged conduct in striking the girl on the head with
a steel bar can only be viewed as deliberate and volitional.
He stated he believed she was dead when he left the scene.
The trial court therefore correctly refused defendant’s
tendered instruction on involuntary manslaughter. See
People v. Cannon (1971), 49 Ill. 2d 162, 273 N.E.2d 829;
People v. Latimer (1966), 35 Ill. 2d 178, 220 N.B.2d 314;
and People v. Boisvert (1975), 27 Ill. App. 3d 35, 325 N.E.
2d 644.

For these same reasons, we also decline to reduce de-
fendant’s murder conviction to either voluntary or in-
voluntary manslaughter.

—l4a—
IV.

Defendant next contends that he lacked effective as-
sistance of counsel at trial because his attorney was in-
competent. The standard applied in Illinois to judge the
competence of retained counsel is whether the caliber of
representation was so low as to amount to no representa-
tion at all or to reduce the court proceedings to a farce
or sham. (People v. Murphy (1978), 72 Ill. 2d 421, 381 N.E.
2d 677; People v. Anderson (1978), 65 Ill. App. 3d 783, 382
N.E.2d 866.) From our examination of the record we find
the representation afforded to defendant did not violate
that standard.

As evidence of his attorney’s incompetence, defendant
points to his failure to request a voluntary manslaugh-
ter instruction. We find no prejudice to defendant by this
omission, however, for his previously tendered self-defense
instruction was correctly refused on the ground that there
was no evidence of self-defense; in that light, it would
have been a meaningless act to seek a voluntary man-
slaughter instruction based on unreasonable self-defense,
the only remotely possible version of voluntary manslaugh-
ter under this evidence.

Defendant also maintains that his attorney ‘‘floun-
dered’’ in his attempts to introduce testimony of char-
acter witnesses; that his counsel failed to know defend-
ant’s statement was an admission and not a confession;
and that his final argument consisted of ‘‘organized ram-
blings.’’ To the contrary, defendant’s attorney did suc-
cessfully introduce character testimony; defendant’s state-
ment was indeed a confession, not merely an admission;
and we do not agree with his characterization of his coun-
sel’s closing argument.

—15a—

Finally, contrary to defendant’s argument, we do not
believe defense counsel’s voir dire examination of prospec-
tive jurors regarding psychiatry and psychiatric testi-
mony, when he later failed to offer such testimony, ren-
dered the trial a farce or sham.

V.

Defendant contends next that the trial court erred in
refusing to challenge for cause two prospective jurors
who were former clients of the prosecutor, thereby forcing
defendant to use his peremptory challenges. He argues
that these persons as jurors could not have maintained
objectivity and impartiality in view of the nature of the
former lawyer-client relationship and, therefore, the im-
pairment of his right to a full allotment of challenges
requires reversal. (United States v. Boyd (5th Cir. 1971),
446 F.2d 1267.) Under the circumstances of this case, how-
ever, we do not agree. The prosecutor had represented
one of the prospective jurors in a real estate closing about
3 years before this trial, and had draftm? ‘ie will of
another prospective juror 10 years before it. \«/ther of
the prospective jurors had employed his professional serv-
ices at any other time, and both responded in their ex-
aminations that they would be impartial regardless of their
prior contact with the prosecutor.

We do not find the former relationship between these
jurors and the prosecutor was such as to require their
exclusion for cause, particularly in that they stated under
oath that it would not affect their resolution of the issues
in this case. We see no prejudice to defendant in the fact
that he used two peremptory challenges to exclude these
jurors for, after exhausting his ten peremptories, he did
not seek to challenge any remaining prospective jurors

—16a—

for cause, and he does not now suggest he wished to chal-
lenge any of the last few jurors chosen to hear this case.
The determination of whether a challenge for cause should
be allowed rests within the sound discretion of the trial
court ( People v. Harris (1968), 38 Til. 2d 552, 232 N.E.2d
721) and that discretion was not abused here.

VI.

Defendant next asserts the trial court erred in exclud-
ing certain testimony by three witnesses relating to his
reputation for truth, veracity and peacefulness. Defense
counsel asked one witness, Tom Zrout, about defendant’s
honesty, but in response to an objection, he withdrew the
question without a ruling by the court. He then questioned
Zrout about defendant’s reputation for integrity, an ob-
jection to which was sustained. We find no error in that
ruling, as Mr. Zrout’s testimony later had to be stricken
in its entirety when it became clear that he was inade-
quately acquainted with defendant’s reputation. People v.
Moretti (1955), 6 Ill. 2d 494, 129 N.E.2d 709.

Defense counsel also sought to elicit reputation testi-
mony from Richard Modell, a Lisle resident who knew
defendant only from defendant’s visits to relatives re-
siding in Lisle. Defendant, however, lived in Berwyn un-
til about the time of the homicide in this case and did
not move to Lisle until a week after the homicide. Modell’s
testimony was correctly stricken as it related to the time
defendant lived in Berwyn for Modell was not familiar
with defendant’s reputation in that community. (People
v. Moretti.) We also note that the portion of Modell’s
testimony which related to the period defendant resided
in Lisle could have also been stricken. Evidence of char-
acter must be confined to proof of the accused’s general

—17a—

reputation among his neighbors and associates at or be-
fore the commission of the offense. People v. Willy (1922),
301 Ill. 307, 183 N.E. 859; People v. Bascomb (1979), 74
Ill. App. 3d 392, 392 N.E.2d 1130.

William Hoy, a co-worker of defendant, was also called
to testify and when asked by counsel for defendant’s
‘‘reputation in the community for violence,’’ he replied,
**T wouldn’t know of any.’’ When asked ‘‘[w]hat is [de-
fendant’s] community reputation whether you know of
any or not?’’, Hoy replied, ‘‘I would say good.’’ At the
prosecutor’s request the court struck the testimony in its
entirety. Defendant now argues this was testimony as to
his reputation for peacefulness to which he was entitled.

We find no error in the court’s ruling. Where an ac-
cused is charged with a crime of violence, as here, evi-
dence of his good reputation for peacefulness is relevant
(People v. Bridgewater (1938), 369 Ill. 633, 17 N.E.2d 556),
but one cannot, however, have a good reputation for vio-
lence. See People v. Partee (1974), 17 Ill. App. 3d 166, 308
N.E.2d 18.

VIL.

Defendant next contends the trial court erred in ex-
cluding evidence that decedent had participated in fights
at school. He argues that as the excluded evidence of par-
ticular acts was offered to reveal a character trait of the
decedent, not her general reputation, it was relevant and
admissible to establish her alleged propensity for aggres-
sion.

It is well-established that where a claim of self-de-
fense is made, and at the time of the incident the accused
knew of the victim’s reputation for violence or knew of

a

specific violent acts by the victim, proof of such reputa-
tion or acts together with the accused’s knowledge there-
of is relevant and admissible to establish the reasonable-
ness of the accused’s apprehension of danger. People v.
Stepheny (1970), 46 Ill. 2d 153, 263 N.E.2d 83; People v.
Allen (1941), 378 Ill. 164, 37 N.E.2d 854; People v. Adams
(1979), 71 Ill. App. 3d 70, 388 N.E.2d 1326; People v. Ortie
{1978), 65 Ill. App. 3d 525, 382 N.E.2d 303; People v.
Peeler (1973), 12 Tl. App. 3d 94U, 299 N.E.2d 382.

In arguing for the admissibility of evidence of the vic-
tim’s prior conduct defendant relies in part on People
v. Stombaugh (1972), 52 Ill. 2d 130, 284 N.E.2d 640, where-
in our supreme court said that ‘‘evidence concerning the
violent temper and disposition of the deceased and his
prior threats to the defendant is admissible as tending to
show the circumstances confronting the defendant, the
extent of his apparent danger, and the motive by which
he was influenced. Such circumstances are relevant in that
they tend to show the defendant’s state of mind. People
v. Davis (1963), 29 Ill. 2d 127, 129, 130 [other citations
omitted].)’’ 52 Til. 2d at 139, 284 N.E.2d at 645.

The Davis opinion upon which the Stombaugh court
relied clearly qualified, however, the admissibility of evi-
dence of a decedent’s character trait by stating it must
be a trait of which defendant was aware at the time of
the killing. (29 Ill. 2d 127 at 130, 193 N.E.2d 841 at 843.)
The Stombaugh decision did not purport to overrule Davis
in this regard. Thus the law in Illinois still requires the
exclusion of evidence of a victim’s propensity for aggres-
sion unless the accused knew the victim had that trait.
To the extent that they suggest a departure from this
rule, we do not follow People v. Robinson (5th Dist. 1977),

ee RN ee nena

—19a—

56 Ill. App. 3d 832, 371 N.E.2d 1170; People v. Montgomery
(1st Dist. 1977), 51 Ill. App. 3d 324, 366 N.E.2d 623; and
People v. Baer (1st Dist. 1976), 35 Ill. App. 3d 391, 342
N.E.2d 177.

We therefore find the trial court correctly excluded that
testimony. Decedent was a hitchhiker first seen by defend-
ant on the day of her death; they were strangers to each
other and he had no prior knowledge of her character.

VIiil.

Defendant further contends the trial court improperly
instructed the jury by Illinois Pattern Instruction, Crim-
inal, No. 3.07. that defendant made a confession. He ar-
gues the statement he gave to the investigating police of-
ficers was at most an admission, not a confession to mur-
der, as it raised issues of self-defense or provocation. Since
defendant made no objection in trial to the instruction the
issue is waived. (People v. Roberts (1979), 75 Tll. 2d 1,
387 N.E.2d 331; People v. Mailett (1970), 45 Ill. 2d 388,
259 N.E.2d 241.) We decline to consider this issue as plain
error under Supreme Court rules 451(c) and 615(a) (III.
Rev. Stat. 1977, ch. 110A, pars. 451(c) and 615(a)), as
on examination of the statement we have determined that
it cannot fairly be said to raise issues of self-defense or
provocation (People v. Weeks (1976), 37 Tll. App. 3d 41,
344 N.E.2d 791), and it was correctly characterized as a
confession.

IX.

Detendant’s final contention is that his sentence of 20
to 25 years imprisonment is excessive and should be re-
duced to a minimum of 14 years. We decline to do so. The
sentence imposed is within the range permitted by stat-

—20a—

ute (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1977, ch. 38, par. 1005-8-1(c)) and does
not reflect an abuse of the trial court’s discretion under
the circumstances of this case. People v. Perruquet (1977),
68 Ill. 2d 149, 368 N.E.2d 882.

Defendant’s conviction for murder and sentence there-
on is therefore affirmed in all respects.

Affirmed.
UNVERZAGT and WOODWORD, JJ. concur.

—2la—
APPENDIX B

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

State of Illinois
Supreme Court—ss.

At a Term of the Supreme Court, begun and held in
Springfield, on Monday, the eighth day of September in
the year of our Lord, one thousand nine hundred and
eighty, within and for the State of Illinois.

Present:

JosepH H. GoupenuersH, Cuier Justice
Justice Ropert C. UnpERwoop
Justice Howarp C. Ryan
Justice THomas J. Moran
Justice Danie, P. Warp
Justice Wittiam G. CLark
Justice Tuomas E. Kivuczynsx1
Tyrone C. Fanner, ATToRNEY GENERAL
Loviz F. Dean, MarsHau
Attest: Ciett L. Woops, CLerk

Be It Remembered, that, to-wit: on the 29th day of Sep-
tember 1980, the same being one of the days of the term
of Court aforesaid, the following proceedings were, by
said Court, had and entered of record, to-wit:

People State of Illinois, 7
Resp ondent, ——' an home to >
t
No. 53538 vs. > Court, Second District,
No. 78-306.
David A. Wolski,
Petitioner. |

And now on this day the Court having duly considered
the Petition for Leave to Appeal herein and being now

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fully advised of and concerning the premises, doth over-
rule the prayer of the petition and denies Leave to Appeal
herein.

I, CLELL L. WOODS, Clerk of the Supreme Court of
the State of Illinois and keeper of the records, files and
Seal thereof, do hereby certify that the foregoing is a
true copy of the final order of the said Supreme Court in
the above entitled cause of record in my office.

(Seal) In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto subscribed
my name and affixed the Seal of said Court this
19th day of November, 1980.

/s/ Clell LL. Woods Clerk,
Supreme Court of the State of Illinois.

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Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/documents/brief%3Amicro_IA40385007_0862%3A1. Public record. Not legal advice.
