People v. Thomas
| Decision Date | 27 April 1979 |
| Docket Number | No. 78-177,78-177 |
| Citation | 27 Ill.Dec. 908,72 Ill.App.3d 28,389 N.E.2d 1316 |
| Parties | , 27 Ill.Dec. 908 PEOPLE of the State of Illinois, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. J. C. THOMAS, Defendant-Appellant. |
| Court | United States Appellate Court of Illinois |
Bernard Carey, State's Atty., Chicago (Lee T. Hettinger, Mary Ellen Dienes, Bruce E. Brandwein, Asst. State's Attys., Chicago, of counsel), for plaintiff-appellee.
Following a jury trial, defendant was convicted of murder, two counts of aggravated kidnapping, and attempt armed robbery, (Ill.Rev.Stat.1975, ch. 38, pars. 9-1, 10-2, 8-4 and 18-2.) He was sentenced to concurrent prison terms of 50 to 75 years for murder, 50 to 75 years for each count of aggravated kidnapping, and 6 to 20 years for attempt armed robbery. On appeal, defendant contends that: (1) the evidence was insufficient to establish defendant's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt; (2) he is entitled to a new trial since evidence of defendant's alleged flight from police at the time of his arrest in another jurisdiction was improperly admitted; and (3) the trial court erred in giving the jury an accountability instruction. We affirm the trial court. The following evidence was adduced at trial:
Marvin Westley, a witness for the State, testified that on the evening of October 26, 1975 he left home in his father's car, picked up his girlfriend, Darice Cooley, at her home and thereafter proceeded to a self-service car wash at 77th and State Street in Chicago. Upon arriving, they pulled into one of the stalls, got out of the car, and, as Westley searched his pockets for the correct change for the washing machine, two men entered the stall and announced a holdup. Westley identified defendant at trial as the man with the gun and Stephen Cochran as the other man.
Westley stated that defendant ordered him and Cooley to step away from the car with their hands up. Cochran then told them to put their hands down and act as though they were washing the car. Defendant told Cochran to hold the gun as he proceeded to search Westley. Defendant took a wallet from Westley's pocket, but upon finding no money in it, threw it to the ground. After an unsuccessful search of Cooley's purse, defendant threw it to the ground also. Defendant then seized the car keys, opened the trunk and ordered Westley to get in. After he had gotten into the trunk, the trunk was closed and the car pulled off and drove for approximately 4 or 5 minutes when it made a sudden stop. Westley asked if Cooley was all right and he heard a woman's voice respond affirmatively. Shortly thereafter, the car stopped again and it appeared to Westley that everyone was getting out. He heard both doors open and the back seat lift up. He then observed two men walking away from the car through an opening he had created with a jackhandle. He identified these men as defendant and Cochran. As they came back towards the car, Westley noticed that defendant was walking on the driver's side and Cochran was walking on the passenger's side. As they approached the car, Westley shouted to them to let him out because he could not breathe. He then heard 5 or 6 gunshots coming from the direction of the driver's side of the car and heard defendant and Cochran run away.
Westley further testified that shortly thereafter the police and fire department arrived, released him from the trunk and took him to the hospital for treatment. From there, he was taken to the police station where he viewed mug shots but could not identify anyone then nor on two subsequent occasions. Westley recalled that on December 23, 1975 he went to the police station to view a lineup whereupon he identified Cochran as one of the individuals involved in the incident. He returned the following day to view additional photographs; at this time he identified defendant as the other individual involved.
On cross-examination, Westley testified that the shorter of the two men had the gun when they entered the stall at the car wash, conducted the searches and ordered him into the trunk. Westley stated that during the time he viewed the two men from the trunk he could only maintain a partial view of their faces and that he did not see Cooley when she was shot.
Officer William Howell, testifying on behalf of the State, stated that on the evening of October 26, 1975, he and his partner responded to a call of shots fired in the alley at 6716 S. Prairie in Chicago. As the squad car entered the alley, Howell observed a parked car and discovered the body of the young girl approximately two feet away. He then noticed that the trunk was moving and that a jackhandle was extended outward apparently by someone inside the trunk. Howell called for an ambulance and other assistance. Upon arrival, the girl was taken to the hospital and Westley was taken out of the trunk. Howell stated that Westley was bleeding heavily, and perspiring and appeared to be very shaken. Westley was then taken to the hospital.
Sergeant James Scott testified that in the early morning hours on October 27, 1975, he displayed mug shots to Westley at the police station but that he had to terminate the session because Westley appeared to be quite upset. Scott conducted an additional session the following day, however, Westley still could not make an identification. He stated that on December 20, 1975, Westley was shown five photographs. Westley identified one of the photographs as being that of defendant and said that defendant was the person who abducted him and Cooley and had shot Cooley. Westley viewed additional photographs, one of which was a photograph of Stephen Cochran, and he tentatively identified Cochran as the other person who was with defendant. Scott further testified that on December 23, 1975, he arrested Cochran for the purpose of placing him in a lineup and that Westley viewed the lineup and made a positive identification at that time. On cross-examination, Scott testified that Westley described the individual armed with the gun as the taller of the two men and the unarmed man as the smaller of the two.
Dr. Eupil Choi, pathologist at the Cook County Medical Examiner's office, testified that he performed the autopsy on the body of Darice Cooley and found powder burns around one of the bullet wounds in the head area. He stated that the powder burns were created by a weapon fired at close range. Sergeants Scott and Donald Smith, a ballistics officer, offered similar testimony to that effect. In addition, Smith testified that he was of the opinion that the bullet retrieved from the trunk of the car and the bullet recovered from the Cook County Medical Examiner's office could have been fired from the same weapon.
Stephen Cochran, testifying on behalf of the State, admitted that he had an agreement with the State in exchange for his testimony, whereby the State would recommend a dismissal of the murder charge, a sentence of 4 to 8 years for the charge of aggravated kidnapping, and a sentence of 2 to 8 years for the charge of attempt armed robbery. He testified that he had known defendant for eight years and that he saw defendant for the first time on the day in question in a lounge at 69th and Wentworth at approximately 5:00 or 5:30 p. m. They left the lounge in Cochran's car and after several intermediate stops, defendant asked Cochran if he wanted to make some money; Cochran relied that he did not. At that time, they proceeded south on State Street and stopped at the 7600 block. Cochran stated that defendant suggested that they break into the coin boxes in the car wash and that he did not reply, but that when defendant got out of the car he followed him. They walked to the car wash at approximately 7700 State Street where defendant obtained change for $5.00 from a man washing his car and he gave Cochran $3.00. Defendant then stated that he was going to break into the coin boxes and Cochran decided to return to the car. As they were walking together, they came upon a stall that was occupied by a teenage couple. Defendant entered the stall and with gun in hand announced a holdup. Cochran stated that he was not aware of the fact that defendant was in possession of a gun upon their initial arrival at the car wash. Cochran further stated that defendant searched Westley and Cooley's purse while he held the gun. Defendant then seized the car keys, opened the trunk and ordered Westley to get into it. Defendant, Cooley, and Cochran then got into the front seat of the car and defendant drove away. As they reached the 6900 block of Prairie, defendant struck a car which was double parked. He then got out and spoke with the owner of the other car for approximately 2 minutes. After returning to the car, defendant proceeded to the 6700 block and turned into an alley.
Cochran testified that defendant then got out of the car and directed Cooley to also get out. They proceeded down the alley for a distance of about 4 or 5 houses and went between two garages. Cochran followed them and discovered defendant attempting to rape Cooley. Cochran stated that he told defendant to go back to the car and let Westley out of the trunk. As he approached the car, defendant fired two or three shots into the trunk. Cooley ran towards defendant and he turned and shot her, firing one or two additional shots after she fell to the ground. At that time Cochran ran out of the alley and the next time he saw defendant was approximately one half hour later at the lounge on 69th and Wentworth.
On cross-examination, Cochran again admitted to the agreement he had with the State in exchange for his testimony and stated that he had lied to the police on the day of his arrest when he told them that he was never in Westley's car but in fact had followed defendant in his own car and that he did not witness the shooting....
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