People v. Panozzo , 2022 IL App (3d) 190499 ( 2022 )


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    2022 IL App (3d) 190499
    Opinion filed February 24, 2022
    ____________________________________________________________________________
    IN THE
    APPELLATE COURT OF ILLINOIS
    THIRD DISTRICT
    2022
    THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF                       )       Appeal from the Circuit Court
    ILLINOIS,                                        )       of the 21st Judicial Circuit,
    )       Kankakee County, Illinois,
    Plaintiff-Appellee,                       )
    )       Appeal No. 3-19-0499
    v.                                        )       Circuit No. 14-CM-1356
    )
    JAMES PANOZZO,                                   )       Honorable
    )       Clark Erickson,
    Defendant-Appellant.                      )       Judge, Presiding.
    ____________________________________________________________________________
    JUSTICE McDADE delivered the judgment of the court, with opinion.
    Justices Lytton and Schmidt concurred in the judgment and opinion.
    ____________________________________________________________________________
    OPINION
    ¶1          Defendant, James Panozzo, appeals following his conviction for violation of a “stalking
    no contact order.” 740 ILCS 21/125 (West 2012). Defendant argues that the trial court erred in
    allowing the State to introduce evidence of his guilt of offenses not contemplated by the charging
    instrument, resulting in the introduction of unduly prejudicial other crimes evidence. We reverse
    defendant’s conviction outright.
    ¶2                                          I. BACKGROUND
    ¶3          On September 12, 2013, a stalking no contact order was entered against defendant. The
    order listed Robert Mysliwiec Senior (Robert) as the petitioner. Listed as additional protected
    persons in the order were Robert’s wife, Colleen Mysliwiec, and Robert’s son, Robert Mysliwiec
    Junior (Robby). The order mandated that defendant refrain from contacting the Mysliwiecs,
    directly or indirectly.
    ¶4           On December 9, 2014, the State filed a one-count information in which it alleged that
    defendant had committed the offense of violating a stalking no contact order (id.) The
    information alleged that on July 23, 2014, defendant committed the offense in that he, “having
    been served with notice of the contents of a stalking no contact order, *** did intentionally
    commit an act which was prohibited by the order, in that said defendant made contact with
    Robert Mysliwiec.” This is the second appeal related to that single charge.
    ¶5           Defendant proceeded pro se at the first bench trial. The evidence at trial established that
    Robert and Colleen lived two doors down from defendant. Robby lived in the house in between
    defendant and the elder Mysliwiecs. Robert testified to a history of “bad blood” between his
    family and defendant. Defendant frequently placed signs and displays in his yard that the
    Mysliwiec’s believed were thinly veiled attacks on them. Testimony at trial was otherwise
    limited to a July 23, 2014, incident in which defendant yelled at Robby. Defendant and Robby
    presented conflicting accounts as to who instigated the altercation.
    ¶6           The court found defendant guilty and sentenced him to 10 days in jail and 18 months’
    probation.
    ¶7           In the first direct appeal, this court vacated defendant’s conviction on the grounds that his
    waiver of counsel was not freely, knowingly, and intelligently made. People v. Panozzo, 
    2018 IL App (3d) 150794-U
    , ¶ 22.
    2
    ¶8            Following remand, the parties first convened on March 26, 2018; defendant was
    represented by counsel. Following a series of continuances over the ensuing year, a jury trial was
    scheduled for April 8, 2019.
    ¶9                                            A. Motion in Limine
    ¶ 10          The jury was selected on April 8. The next day, the State filed a motion in limine
    requesting, for the first time, that it be allowed to introduce evidence “relating to course of
    conduct before July, 2014.” In the motion, the State asserted that the stalking no contact order
    prohibited defendant from committing stalking and that the statutory definition of stalking
    “specifically mentions course of conduct.”
    ¶ 11          In arguments on the motion, the State asserted that it planned to introduce evidence of
    “ongoing conduct from the date the [stalking no contact] order was entered *** up until the date
    of the charge.” Specifically, the State intended to introduce evidence of an April 2014 altercation
    between defendant and Robert, as well as evidence of defendant’s yard signs. Defense counsel
    objected, arguing that any conduct prior to the date of the charged offense was irrelevant and
    otherwise constituted inadmissible evidence of prior bad acts. The State continued to argue that
    because stalking was defined as a course of conduct, defendant’s entire course of conduct was
    relevant. The court granted the State’s motion, finding that any such evidence was helpful in
    “establishing a context.”
    ¶ 12          Defense counsel then argued that the information was unclear in that it failed to specify
    whether the victim as Robert Mysliwiec Senior or Robert Mysliwiec Junior. Added counsel: “We
    don’t even know who they’re talking about.” When asked by the court which Mysliwiec was the
    contemplated victim, the State responded that defendant had made contact with both in violation
    of the order. Counsel accused the State of “want[ing] it both ways” and insisted that he would
    3
    object at every such attempt. Counsel also opined that defendant’s yard signs were speech
    protected by the first amendment. The court noted that it would “refer to it as an ongoing
    objection”; the court did not otherwise weigh in on the dispute or counsel’s reference to the first
    amendment.
    ¶ 13                                           B. Trial Evidence
    ¶ 14          In its opening statement, the State asserted the defendant “engaged in a course of conduct
    that [it] would equate to terrorizing the Mysliwiecs.”
    ¶ 15          Robert testified that in April 2014 defendant confronted him in a back alley and screamed
    at him. Robert continued: “I don’t know if he had an ax in his hand or something in his hand. I
    don’t remember.” Defendant yelled at Robert for bringing him to court and told him “you better
    watch out.” Robert testified that he was “scared to death” during the encounter.
    ¶ 16          Robert identified a series of photographs, dated May 31, 2014, of a display in defendant’s
    yard. The display featured, among other things, a witch and a scarecrow. On the witch hung a
    sign that read “Marie”; on the scarecrow was a sign that read “If I only had a brain -Lou-.”
    Robert testified that these were references to him and Colleen, as defendant had nicknamed them
    Lou and Marie. A sign elsewhere on the same display read “JR’s sugar shack,” which Robert
    testified was a reference to Robby. Another installation, shown in a photograph dated June 22,
    2014, read “Landscaping for Idiots” and included signs that said “Lou,” “Snitch,” and “Narc.”
    Robert opined that this was a reference to his and Colleen’s failed attempt to plant trees on their
    property. Another sign read “Lunatic Lou” and “Mind your own business.” Still another read
    “No trespassing This means you! Robby!” The signs were on defendant’s property but visible
    over a six-foot fence from Robby’s house.
    4
    ¶ 17             On cross-examination, Robert conceded that there were a number of elements in
    defendant’s displays, including the witch and scarecrow display, of which he did not understand
    the significance. With respect to the April run-in with defendant, counsel asked Robert a series
    of questions relating to whether the alley in which the encounter took place was private or
    public.
    ¶ 18             Robby testified that, one morning in July 2014, he was waiting to be picked up for work
    when defendant brought the witch display out of his house. Robby testified that he said “really,”
    at which point defendant began berating him with name-calling and profanity. Robby was scared
    and called the police. He testified that defendant was on Robby’s property when he was yelling
    at him.
    ¶ 19             Russell Belcher of the Kankakee County Sheriff’s Office arrived on the scene after
    Robby’s phone call. After being shown a copy of the stalking no contact order, Belcher
    approached defendant, who was in his home. Defendant told Belcher that he had only said to
    Robby: “[I]f you have something to say, say it to my face.” Belcher testified that no one ever
    reported that defendant had been anywhere other than on his own property.
    ¶ 20             Following the State’s case-in-chief, defense counsel requested a “directed finding”
    declaring that defendant’s yard signs were protected by the first amendment. The result, counsel
    contended, was that the statute under which defendant was charged was unconstitutional as
    applied, at least insofar as the offense was based on his yard signs. The following colloquy
    ensued:
    “THE COURT: Okay. Well, why wouldn’t you have raised that as a
    pretrial issue?
    [DEFENSE COUNSEL]: Well, Judge, I’m raising it now.
    5
    THE COURT: Well, okay, but now is a little bit untimely in terms of the
    flow of the trial.
    I think that certainly you will have an opportunity should the case go
    against you to raise that issue in a posttrial motion.
    Are we supposed to take all afternoon now and determine constitutional
    issues?”
    ¶ 21              In defendant’s case-in-chief, Douglas Dunkin testified that he was standing at his
    mailbox on the morning of July 23, 2014, approximately four houses away from defendant’s
    house, when he “heard some profanity come out of Robby’s mouth.” Dunkin added: “He was
    yelling at [defendant].” Defendant was not yelling at Robby.
    ¶ 22              Later that day, Dunkin engaged in a conversation with his mother, Robert, and Robby.
    Dunkin told Robert that Robby had started the altercation with defendant earlier. Robert denied
    it. However, Dunkin then asked Robby if he had started it, and Robby admitted that he had.
    ¶ 23              Susan Smith, who lived in the neighborhood, opined that defendant’s displays were, in
    fact, references to Lou and Marie King, former neighbors with whom defendant had a friendly
    rivalry.
    ¶ 24              Defendant testified that he was moving the witch display into his yard on the morning of
    July 23, 2014. As he did, Robby yelled at him and called him a “fucking asshole.” Defendant
    told Robby that he should watch his mouth, “or something in that order.” Defendant denied
    threatening Robby, calling him any names, or going onto Robby’s property. He further denied
    that his signs and displays contained references to the Mysliwiecs. Defendant offered no
    testimony relating to the April altercation with Robert.
    ¶ 25                                          C. Jury Instructions and Verdict
    6
    ¶ 26          At the jury instruction conference, defense counsel insisted that the State make clear
    which Robert Mysliwiec the charge contemplated. The State again argued that the charge
    covered both, adding: “[I]t’s the State’s position that each occurrence that were [sic] testified to
    on April and July are both violations independent of each other.”
    ¶ 27          Defense counsel strenuously objected, arguing that defendant had only been charged with
    one violation. He asserted that defendant did not know what he was accused of, given the
    ambiguity with respect to the identity of the victim. The following exchange ensued:
    “THE COURT: Well, we have—yeah, it’s all a little bit vague because—
    [DEFENSE COUNSEL]: It’s extremely vague.
    THE COURT: Well, I know, but you could have filed a bill of particulars.
    You didn’t do that.”
    The court ruled that it would “let this stand” and that defense counsel could argue that defendant
    had not committed any of the alleged acts.
    ¶ 28          Next, the State added that defendant’s signs and displays also constituted an independent
    violation. Defense counsel again argued that defendant’s signs were protected by the first
    amendment. The court commented that defense counsel’s first amendment claim was untimely,
    stating, “we can’t decide it in five minutes of argument.” It suggested a motion in limine would
    have been more appropriate. Nevertheless, the court acknowledged that three different acts had
    been alleged, and that in order to preserve defendant’s first amendment claim, it would need to
    be made clear which act constituted the basis for any potential conviction. The court suggested
    issuing multiple special verdict forms for each of the three grounds on which the State claimed
    defendant violated the order.
    7
    ¶ 29          In its closing argument, the State contended that defendant had committed three separate
    violations of the stalking no contact order.
    ¶ 30          The jury was subsequently given forms for three separate propositions (hereinafter,
    Proposition A, Proposition B, and Proposition C). Proposition A was that defendant violated the
    stalking no contact order by making contact with Robert. Proposition B was that defendant
    violated the stalking no contact order by making contact with Robby. Proposition C was that
    defendant violated the stalking no contact order by “making indirect written contact with
    [Robert] or [Robby].” The jury returned guilty verdicts on all three propositions.
    ¶ 31          Defendant filed a posttrial motion alleging, inter alia, that the State’s newly added
    allegation pertaining to the April incident with Robert was raised for the first time outside of the
    18-month statute of limitations for misdemeanors. In arguing the motion, counsel claimed that
    both Proposition A and Proposition C had been raised outside of the statute of limitations. He
    insisted: “I don’t know why the State thinks they can simply add those in.” Counsel concluded:
    “[T]he only one that we were aware of, the one we went to trial on was this comment to Robert
    Mysliwiec, Jr.” The court denied the motion and sentenced defendant to 12 months’ conditional
    discharge.
    ¶ 32                                             II. ANALYSIS
    ¶ 33          On appeal, defendant argues that the trial court erred in allowing the State to prove the
    single charge of violating a stalking no contact order through evidence of his April altercation
    with Robert (Proposition A) or his yard signs (Proposition C). He contends that the information
    did not provide adequate notice of a charge based on those facts.
    ¶ 34          Defendant does not dispute that he was properly on notice of a charge of violation of a
    stalking no contact order based upon the facts relating to his July altercation with Robby
    8
    (Proposition B). He concedes that the State’s proof and the jury’s finding of guilt with respect to
    that proposition were supported by the information. For that reason, defendant’s argument on
    appeal is ultimately an other-crimes argument. He contends that because he was not actually
    charged with Proposition A or Proposition C, the evidence relating to those propositions was
    evidence of other crimes. Therefore, defendant argues, the evidence was inadmissible and this
    court must vacate his conviction.
    ¶ 35           Initially, the State asserts that defendant forfeited the instant issue by failing to raise it in
    a posttrial motion. We disagree. Defense counsel raised the untimeliness of the charge under
    Proposition A in his posttrial motion, and his raised the same issue concerning Proposition C at
    the subsequent hearing. While counsel suggested that the result was a violation of the statute of
    limitations, the underlying issue was precisely that which is raised on this appeal: that defendant
    had no notice of charges pertaining to his alleged April altercation with Robert or his yard signs
    until after the trial began. A posttrial motion will be deemed sufficient to preserve a claim of
    error where it alerts “the trial court to the alleged error with enough specificity to give the court a
    reasonable opportunity to correct it.” People v. Coleman, 
    391 Ill. App. 3d 963
    , 971 (2009).
    Through his repeated trial objections, his written posttrial motion, and his arguments on that
    motion, defense counsel provided the court ample opportunity to correct the error presently
    asserted. 1
    ¶ 36                                              A. Sufficient Notice
    1
    It is worth noting that, in any event, a conviction for an uncharged offense is a structural error for
    which relief may be granted under the second prong of the plain error doctrine. E.g., People v. Booker,
    
    2015 IL App (1st) 131872
    , ¶ 65; People v. Clark, 
    2014 IL App (1st) 123494
    , ¶ 41; People v. McDonald,
    
    321 Ill. App. 3d 470
    , 472-74 (2001).
    9
    ¶ 37           “A defendant in a criminal prosecution has a fundamental due process right to notice of
    the charges brought against him. [Citation.] For this reason, a defendant may not be convicted of
    an offense he has not been charged with committing.” People v. Kolton, 
    219 Ill. 2d 353
    , 359
    (2006). A charging instrument provides sufficient notice and therefore comports with due
    process requirements where it apprises the defendant of the crime charged and enables him to
    prepare his defense. People v. Grieco, 
    44 Ill. 2d 407
    , 409 (1970).
    ¶ 38           When reviewing the sufficiency of a charging instrument, the timing of a defendant’s
    original challenge to the instrument determines the standard to be applied. People v. Espinoza,
    
    2015 IL 118218
    , ¶ 23. Where a defendant challenges the sufficiency of the charging instrument
    prior to trial, dismissal is required if it does not strictly comply with the requirements of section
    111-3 of the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963 (725 ILCS 5/111-3 (West 2018)). Espinoza,
    
    2015 IL 118218
    , ¶ 23. When the instrument is challenged for the first time after trial, a defendant
    will attain relief only where he demonstrates that the instrument provided notice of the charge or
    charges that was so insufficient as to prejudice to the preparation of his defense. 
    Id.
    ¶ 39           Insofar as defendant’s argument can be characterized as a challenge to the charging
    instrument, defendant raised that challenge for the first time during trial. 2 Nevertheless, we need
    not determine which of the two standards applies here. Defendant does not contend that the
    information contained any statutory defects under section 111-3. Rather, he only argues that the
    information provided insufficient notice relating to Proposition A and Proposition C and that the
    lack of notice prejudiced him in the preparation of his defense.
    2
    There was no opportunity to raise a challenge prior to trial because the incidents forming the
    basis for Propositions A and C were not added until after the jury was selected and the trial had thus
    begun.
    10
    ¶ 40          In Espinoza, our supreme court recently reaffirmed that the identity of the victim of an
    offense is an essential element that must be pled in the charging instrument. Espinoza, 
    2015 IL 118218
    , ¶ 20. The court observed that the requirement is founded upon the right of the accused
    to be free from double jeopardy and emphasized that “it is a substantial requirement designed to
    safeguard a constitutional right and is not a mere technical rule.” Id. ¶ 17.
    ¶ 41          The victim contemplated in Proposition A was Robert Mysliwiec Senior. The information
    listed the victim as only Robert Mysliwiec. To be sure, the variance between these two names is
    minimal. However, case law dictates that a minor discrepancy concerning the name of the victim
    rises to a material ambiguity in the charging instrument where, based on the facts of the case, it
    creates a potential for mistaken identity. For instance, in Bonardo v. People, 
    182 Ill. 411
    , 424
    (1899), while the indictment listed the victim as John Young Jr., each witness referred to him as
    Johnnie Young. Our supreme court held that such a variance was not fatal because “[t]he
    evidence does not show that there was any other person known as ‘John Young, Jr.,’ in the
    neighborhood where the killing occurred, or connected with the events which transpired on the
    evening of the killing.” 
    Id.
     Similarly, the court has held that a variance in name is not fatal where
    “there is no question of the identity of the victim as the person named.” People v. Jankowski, 
    391 Ill. 298
    , 302 (1945).
    ¶ 42          While the variance in the victim’s name in the information in this case was minor in
    form, it was massive in effect. Because the same stalking no contact order protected both Robert
    and Robby, and because defendant, at different points in time, had contacted each of them, the
    “Senior” or “Junior” designation was vital to providing defendant with proper notice of the
    identity of the victim, an essential element of the charge.
    11
    ¶ 43          The information—as least as construed by the State—suffers from another, more
    fundamental defect as well, and one which applies equally to Propositions A and C. A charging
    instrument is void for duplicity where two or more distinct offenses are charged in a single
    count. People v. Ross, 
    21 Ill. 2d 419
    , 420-21 (1961). A duplicitous charging instrument is
    considered defective because it “does not set forth the nature and elements of the charge with
    certainty.” People v. Edwards, 
    337 Ill. App. 3d 912
    , 921 (2002).
    ¶ 44          The information in this case was not duplicitous on its face; the lone charge contemplated
    a single victim on a single date. But the State, with the endorsement of the trial court, gave the
    information a duplicitous construction when it urged that the single victim listed therein referred
    to both Robert and Robby. Likewise, the notion contained within Proposition C that the victim
    could be Robert or Robby was also duplicitous. See People v. Brown, 
    259 Ill. App. 3d 579
    , 580
    (1994) (“Where indictments use the disjunctive ‘or’ to join disparate and alternative acts, the
    performance of any one of which constitutes the offense, the indictments will be void for
    duplicity.”). The State was explicit in insisting that defendant had committed the offense of
    violation of a stalking no contact order in three distinct and independent ways, against different
    victims. Supra ¶¶ 26-28. By pursuing each of these offenses through a single-count charge, the
    State was in violation of the bar on duplicity.
    ¶ 45          Even where a charging instrument is defective, it may nevertheless provide notice
    sufficient for the preparation of a defense and satisfaction of the due process requirement. See,
    e.g., People v. Kennebrew, 
    2013 IL 113998
    , ¶ 53. Such was not the case here, as the errors
    discussed above plainly affected the defense.
    ¶ 46          Indeed, the misleading of defendant is not a matter of speculation, as the record well
    documents defense counsel’s surprise at the State’s revelation of two new charges after the trial
    12
    had already begun. Defense counsel appeared at trial and selected a jury under the belief that he
    was defending only against a charge related to the July 23, 2014, confrontation between
    defendant and Robby. Counsel’s cross-examination of Robert regarding the April incident was
    limited to the ancillary—if not irrelevant—issue of ownership of the alley. Defendant did not
    even discuss the incident in his own testimony. Those facts cannot be particularly surprising,
    given that they did not know that incident would be an issue until after the trial started.
    ¶ 47           Similarly, defense counsel made clear on multiple occasions that the preferred defense
    regarding defendant’s yard signs was a claim that they were a form of speech protected by the
    first amendment. At each turn, however, the court found counsel’s argument to be untimely and
    suggested that counsel should have raised the issue in a pretrial motion. Yet, counsel was
    foreclosed from doing so because there had been no notice of such a charge until after the trial
    had started.
    ¶ 48           To that point, the surprise to defendant does not appear to have been an accident.
    Defendant’s case had been pending following this court’s remand for more than one year before
    his retrial. But the State did not divulge that it would introduce facts of the April altercation with
    Robert until after the trial had started. 3
    ¶ 49           Of graver concern is the fact that, even then, defendant was provided no indication that
    the State was pursuing multiple independent findings of guilt. In arguing its motion, the State
    explained that it would need to introduce evidence of all three acts—the April altercation, the
    July altercation, and the yard signs—in order to show that defendant had engaged in a “course of
    3
    If, as the State asserted below and reasserts on appeal, the information properly put defendant on
    notice that he could be convicted based on the April altercation or his yard signs, it is unclear why the
    State would feel the need to file a motion requesting that it be allowed to present the corresponding
    evidence.
    13
    conduct” that amounted to stalking. By the time of the jury instruction conference, the State
    insisted, for the first time, that each of the three acts constituted three independent commissions
    of a violation of a stalking no contact order, thus giving rise to the three separate propositions put
    before the jury. Where a defendant is apprised of a panoply of charges against him for the first
    time after the close of evidence at his trial, it cannot be said that he received a level of notice
    comporting with due process requirements.
    ¶ 50           In summary, the information in this case did not properly apprise defendant of charges
    stemming from his April altercation with Robert or his yard signs, and defendant’s ability to
    defend against such charges was significantly hindered. Accordingly, the trial court erred by
    allowing the State to pursue that conduct as independent bases of defendant’s guilt.
    ¶ 51                                        B. Other Crimes Evidence
    ¶ 52           Ordinarily, a determination that a defendant was convicted on a charge for which he was
    not provided adequate notice is grounds for vacating that conviction. This case, however, is
    novel in that while the jury found defendant guilty under two uncharged propositions of guilt, it
    also found him guilty under a third proposition of which defendant was on notice. In other
    words, even when the findings of guilt pursuant to Propositions A and C are discounted, the
    finding of guilt under Proposition B, and the resulting conviction, remains intact.
    ¶ 53           Thus, the analysis must proceed to an additional step. As the evidence relating to the
    April altercation and defendant’s yard signs was not evidence of any offense for which defendant
    was properly charged, it was evidence of other crimes. Evidence of other crimes or bad acts is
    inadmissible to demonstrate a defendant’s propensity to commit the charged crime. People v.
    Donoho, 
    204 Ill. 2d 159
    , 170 (2003). As our supreme court has explained: “Courts generally
    prohibit the admission of [other crimes] evidence to protect against the jury convicting a
    14
    defendant because he or she is a bad person deserving punishment. [Citation.] Defendant is
    entitled to have his guilt or innocence evaluated solely on the basis of the charged crime.” 
    Id.
    Other crimes evidence may be admissible for purposes other than propensity, such as to prove
    intent, modus operandi, identity, motive, or absence of mistake. 
    Id.
    ¶ 54           In the instant case, the other crimes evidence in question served no permissible purpose.
    With respect to Proposition B, there was no question as to intent, modus operandi, identity,
    motive, or mistake. The evidence was inadmissible. 4 See 
    id.
    ¶ 55           The State does not argue that the introduction of other crimes evidence in this case is not
    grounds for vacatur of defendant’s conviction. “Given that the State bears the burden of showing
    harmless error and has failed to make any such argument in its brief, it has forfeited any
    harmless-error analysis.” People v. Gregory, 
    2016 IL App (2d) 140294
    , ¶ 29. Still, it should be
    pointed out that evidence that defendant threatened to kill or maim Robert, possibly with an axe
    in hand, was highly prejudicial. The operative issue relating to Proposition B was whether
    defendant or Robby instigated the verbal altercation, with Robby’s testimony pitted against that
    of defendant and Dunkin (supra ¶¶ 21-22). Given the task of determining who was the original
    aggressor, a serious possibility exists that the jury would resolve that question against the man
    who threatened to murder another person with an axe. Such a risk is precisely why other crimes
    evidence is generally inadmissible. Accordingly, we conclude that defendant is entitled to relief
    from his conviction.
    4
    Moreover, Illinois Rule of Evidence 404(c) (eff. Jan. 1, 2011), requires that where the State
    intends to introduce evidence of other crimes of bad acts, “it must disclose the evidence, including
    statements of witnesses or a summary of the substance of any testimony, at a reasonable time in advance
    of trial.” The State, having made its disclosure after the trial began, clearly did not comply with this
    requirement.
    15
    ¶ 56          As to the form of that relief, defendant requests that we reverse his conviction outright,
    rather than remanding for a new trial. He asserts that he has completed the term of conditional
    discharged imposed by the court and points out that he has endured two trials—each of which,
    now, has resulted in an overturned conviction—stemming from an eight-year-old-charge for a
    nonviolent misdemeanor. The State takes no position on defendant’s request.
    ¶ 57          In People v. Campbell, 
    224 Ill. 2d 80
    , 87 (2006), our supreme court reversed the
    defendant’s misdemeanor conviction outright, rather than remanding, where defendant had
    already discharged his sentence for a misdemeanor offense and “a new trial *** would be neither
    equitable nor productive.” While this court has recently observed that Campbell does not
    mandate outright reversal in these situations, the State in that case objected to the defendant’s
    suggested approach. People v. Manley, 
    2021 IL App (3d) 180665-U
    , ¶ 21. There being no
    objection here from the State, we reverse defendant’s conviction outright.
    ¶ 58                                           III. CONCLUSION
    ¶ 59          The judgment of the circuit court of Kankakee County is reversed.
    ¶ 60          Reversed.
    16
    No. 3-19-0499
    Cite as:                 People v. Panozzo, 
    2022 IL App (3d) 190499
    Decision Under Review:   Appeal from the Circuit Court of Kankakee County, No. 14-CM-
    1356; the Hon. Clark Erickson, Judge, presiding.
    Attorneys                James E. Chadd, Thomas A. Lilien, and Elena B. Penick, of State
    for                      Appellate Defender’s Office, of Elgin, for appellant.
    Appellant:
    Attorneys                James Rowe, State’s Attorney, of Kankakee (Patrick Delfino,
    for                      Thomas D. Arado, and Kelly A. Krapf, of State’s Attorneys
    Appellee:                Appellate Prosecutor’s Office, of counsel), for the People.
    17