People v. Edwards , 2021 IL App (3d) 130190-C ( 2021 )

2021 IL App (3d) 130190-COpinion filed January 22, 2021
____________________________________________________________________________
IN THE
APPELLATE COURT OF ILLINOIS
THIRD DISTRICT
2021
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF ) Appeal from the Circuit Court
ILLINOIS, ) of the 12th Judicial Circuit,
) Will County, Illinois.
Plaintiff-Appellee, )
) Appeal No. 3-13-0190
v. ) Circuit No. 09-CF-1559
)
MATTHEW T. EDWARDS, )
) Honorable Amy Bertani-Tomczak,
Defendant-Appellant. ) Judge, Presiding.
____________________________________________________________________________
JUSTICE SCHMIDT delivered the judgment of the court, with opinion.
Justices Holdridge and Wright concurred in the judgment and opinion.
OPINION
¶1 Following a stipulated bench trial, the Will County circuit court found defendant, Matthew
T. Edwards, guilty of first degree murder and attempted murder.
¶2 Prior to trial, defendant filed a motion to suppress, claiming his confession to police was
involuntary based on the fact that he was 17 years old at the time, possessed a fifth grade reading
level, suffered from various mental disorders, and that the investigating officers did not allow him
to speak to his mother or another concerned adult despite his request to do so. The trial court denied
the motion.
¶3 The matter proceeded to a stipulated bench trial, following which the trial court found
defendant guilty of both first degree murder and attempted murder. The State dismissed the
aggravated battery with a firearm, home invasion, and armed robbery counts.
¶4 In the sentencing phase, the State sought enhanced sentences on both charges given that
defendant personally discharged a firearm causing both death and great bodily harm. The trial
court found that the State proved the enhancement factors and subsequently sentenced defendant
to 50 years on the murder conviction and 40 years on the attempted murder conviction.
¶5 On March 13, 2013, defendant filed a motion to reduce his sentence, arguing that it was
excessive. The court denied the motion.
¶6 Defendant appealed, claiming, inter alia, that (1) the trial court erred in denying his motion
to suppress where defendant was 17 years old at the time of the arrest, had a limited education,
and did not have contact with a parent or concerned adult; (2) the trial court erred when it failed to
hold the statutorily required fitness hearing after it found a bona fide doubt of his fitness to stand
trial; (3) the defendant’s 90-year sentence is unconstitutional under Miller v. Alabama, 567 U.S.
460 (2012), prohibiting offenders under the age of 18 from receiving mandatory life sentences,;and
(4) defendant is entitled to an additional day of presentence incarceration credit.
¶7 This court affirmed defendant’s conviction, directing the trial court to grant defendant one
extra day of presentence incarceration credit. People v. Edwards, 2015 IL App (3d) 130190, ¶¶ 84,
86. In a supervisory order dated November 23, 2016, our supreme court directed us to vacate and
reconsider our judgment in light of People v. Reyes, 2016 IL 119271, to determine if a different
result was warranted. People v. Edwards, No. 119332 (Ill. Nov. 23, 2016) (supervisory order).
After doing so, we concluded that Reyes did not warrant a different result and affirmed as modified.
People v. Edwards, 2017 IL App (3d) 130190-B ¶ 7. In a supervisory order dated March 25, 2020,
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our supreme court directed us to vacate and reconsider our judgment in light of People v. Buffer,
2019 IL 122327, to determine if a different result is warranted. People v. Edwards, No. 122028
(Ill. Mar. 25, 2020) (supervisory order). And so we do. We conclude that Buffer requires that
defendant’s sentence be vacated and the matter be remanded to the trial court for resentencing.
¶8 I. BACKGROUND
¶9 The State charged defendant, along with codefendants Ashley Hill, Mary Vetor, and Jason
Orasco by indictment with three counts of first degree murder, one count of attempted murder, one
count of aggravated battery with a firearm, two counts of home invasion, and one count of armed
robbery. The State named Joshua Terdic as the victim in the murder, armed robbery, and first home
invasion charges. The State named Lauren Vasilakis as the victim of the attempted murder,
aggravated battery with a firearm, and second home invasion charges. The court appointed the
public defender to represent defendant.
¶ 10 On September 1, 2009, defendant filed a motion for the appointment of an expert to
determine his fitness to stand trial and whether he was legally sane at the time of the alleged
offenses. Defendant tendered a proposed order to the court indicating that the State had no
objection.
¶ 11 The court ordered Dr. Randi Zoot to examine defendant, determine if he was fit to stand
trial, and if he was legally sane at the time of the offenses. The order stated, “[t]his matter coming
on for hearing on defendant’s motion for expert witness and for fitness hearing, and for other relief,
said motion being uncontested by the People of the State of Illinois, and the court finding that a
bona fide doubt exist [sic] as to defendant’s fitness to stand trial *** it is hereby ordered” that Dr.
Zoot examine defendant.
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¶ 12 Ultimately, Dr. Zoot filed a report finding defendant fit to stand trial and sane at the time
of the alleged offenses.
¶ 13 On November 29, 2010, defendant filed a motion to suppress his statements and confession
to the police. The following testimony was elicited at the hearing on the motion.
¶ 14 Detectives Jamie Marquez and Chris Georgeff, both of the Will County and Grundy
County major crimes task force, testified that on July 7, 2009, they were dispatched to 512 Cayuga
Street in Joliet to assist the Channahon police. Approximately 12 armed officers were present to
execute an arrest warrant for Orasco. Sergeant Talmontes directed Marquez and Georgeff to take
defendant to the Channahon Police Department.
¶ 15 Marquez testified that prior to being taken to the police station, defendant voluntarily
submitted to a gunshot residue (GSR) test. Georgeff could not recall if defendant submitted to a
GSR test. Defendant voluntarily accompanied the officers to the station. The officers, both of
whom were armed at the time, did not handcuff defendant. Defendant rode in the front seat of the
squad car on the way to the station.
¶ 16 Defendant’s interview began at 5:45 p.m. Marquez read defendant the Miranda warnings
line-by-line. See Miranda v. Arizona, 384 U.S. 436 (1966). Defendant indicated he understood his
rights, initialed each line, and signed the form. Both officers were aware that defendant had just
turned 17 years old.
¶ 17 At first, the detectives were only trying to gather facts on defendant’s whereabouts on July
7, 2009. They knew that Terdic had been shot in the head and was in critical condition at the time
of the interview. Defendant initially told officers he was not in Channahon on July 7.
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¶ 18 The officers left the room to speak with the detectives who were interviewing Hill, Vetor,
and Orasco. Afterward, Marquez and Georgeff confronted defendant with the codefendants’
statements indicating that defendant was, in fact, in Channahon on the day of the incident.
¶ 19 Defendant’s initial statements were not recorded as officers were unsure at that time
whether he was a suspect. Georgeff stated that he and Marquez did not record the entire interview
because they did not believe they were required to do so. Once defendant agreed to give a recorded
statement, the last 30 minutes of the interview (which included defendant’s confession) were
recorded.
¶ 20 According to Marquez, defendant did not request to speak to his mother. Georgeff could
not recall if defendant asked to speak with his mother or if the police offered to allow defendant
to call his mother. Marquez and Georgeff were trained as juvenile officers. Georgeff testified that
he was “absolutely” acting in defendant’s best interests. On recross-examination, defense counsel
inquired if Georgeff was only doing what was minimally required to be in defendant’s best
interests, to which Georgeff responded, “Sure.”
¶ 21 Throughout the course of defendant’s detainment and interrogation, he was not beaten or
slapped, he was allowed to use the restroom, and he was allowed food and water if he so desired.
Officers did not inquire as to whether or not defendant had trouble reading or suffered from any
mental illness. Defendant did not volunteer this information, nor did he appear to be under the
influence of drugs or alcohol. Marquez testified they never informed defendant that his GSR test
came back positive, though Georgeff could not recall.
¶ 22 The interrogation took place in a conference room, not an interview room. The door was
not locked. Despite that, defendant would probably not have been able to leave the building. The
interrogation concluded at 8:16 p.m.
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¶ 23 Once officers indicated to defendant that his friends placed him at the scene of the crime,
he subsequently gave a statement, which he agreed to have recorded. The tape began at 7:50 p.m.
and ended at 8:16 p.m.
¶ 24 The State offered the digital versatile disc (DVD) of defendant’s confession into evidence,
and the trial judge watched it in her chambers. In the DVD, defendant acknowledged receiving his
Miranda rights and answered affirmatively that he knew all his rights. Defendant gave the
following narrative of the events of the previous night/early morning of July 7.
¶ 25 He was drinking with friends at Vetor’s house, went to sleep, and was awakened by Orasco.
Orasco knew a place where they could get money and drugs. Defendant said, “Okay, let’s go.”
Hill and Vetor drove the two men; Vetor got a ticket while parked outside. Orasco grabbed a
shovel, which defendant used to break into the apartment. Defendant then unlocked the bedroom
door with a knife he had taken from the kitchen.
¶ 26 The sleeping couple woke up while defendant and Orasco searched for money and drugs.
Orasco said to tie them up, so defendant and Orasco did so. Orasco hit the male victim in the knee
with a baseball bat, breaking the bat. Orasco had brought the bat and the gun. The victims were
screaming, and Orasco told defendant to shoot, to “Just do it.” Orasco ordered the male victim to
put his head under the pillow. Defendant just wanted to scare the male victim, and as Orasco was
yelling at defendant to shoot and kill him, defendant shot at the pillow. He then lifted the pillow
off the male victim, saw blood on the pillow, put it over the female victim’s head, and fired two
more shots. Defendant then left through the window.
¶ 27 Orasco wore a mask, hoodie, and rubber gloves; defendant wore baseball gloves.
Defendant gave Orasco the gun, which they threw away as they walked to a cabin. Orasco and
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defendant texted Hill and Vetor to come pick them up. The four then returned home to Vetor’s
house.
¶ 28 In response to questions during the interrogation, defendant stated he was sorry Terdic got
hurt, and he knew he would “have to do something for it” but hoped it would be a low charge.
Defendant offered to help find evidence. At the conclusion of the video he stated, “I told mom I’d
see her for her birthday and I don’t like lying,” but acknowledged he had lied initially to cover his
tracks. He did not want to get anyone else in trouble. Finally, he acknowledged that he went to the
police station voluntarily, had not been handcuffed, that no promises had been made, that he had
been given his Miranda rights, and had been offered drinks and the use of the bathroom. When
officers asked if defendant was hungry, he responded that he was a little bit hungry, and the officers
stated they would get him some food. The DVD concluded at 8:16 p.m.
¶ 29 The hearing resumed the next day. Defendant testified that on July 7, 2009, he was 17 years
old and was living at Vetor’s house. He, along with Orasco, Hill, Vetor, and Vetor’s mother were
at the house when police came with an arrest warrant for Orasco. The police requested that all
household members come outside; defendant complied. Officers directed defendant to stand by
one of the squad cars and told him they were going to do a quick GSR test. Afterward, officers
asked defendant if he would accompany them down to the station to answer some questions about
the shooting. Defendant agreed and went voluntarily. He sat in the front seat of an unmarked squad
car and was not handcuffed. Defendant felt he could not decline the officers’ invitation.
¶ 30 Upon arriving at the station, officers placed defendant in a conference room. Defendant
had been living at Vetor’s house for a couple months; he did not live with his mother. Defendant
testified that as soon as he got to the station he asked to speak with his mother, telling officers it
was her birthday “to get their attention.” He did not know how else to convince them to allow him
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to speak to her. The officers did not allow defendant to call his mother, saying “after the interview.”
Defendant was not physically touched.
¶ 31 Defendant originally denied being in Channahon. The officers left the room and returned
two or three minutes later. Midway through the second interview, officers informed defendant the
GSR test came back positive and that his friends implicated him in the incident. Defendant’s photos
were taken for a lineup. Shortly thereafter, defendant gave a statement and agreed to go on video
to record the confession.
¶ 32 When asked about specifics of the interrogation on direct, defendant testified that Marquez
told him that he did not like it when Georgeff gets angry because he has difficulty calming him
down. Georgeff leaned over defendant and spoke in a loud voice. Sometimes the interview was
confrontational; sometimes it was not. Prior to the shooting, defendant had never been confronted
by the police, been in a police station, or incarcerated. He had two previous run-ins with the police,
but his mother was present and he was never arrested. The police told him that he was going to
serve some time in prison, but the officers did not say how much. Defendant was afraid of the
detectives.
¶ 33 Defendant attended the second half of his freshman year of high school, receiving mostly
Ds and Fs. His sophomore year he got Ds and Fs the first semester but did better his second
semester because his grandfather made a concerted effort to help him. Defendant took special
education classes. He dropped out toward the end of his sophomore year because he felt he did not
need school. He read at a fifth or sixth grade level. He suffered from attention deficit disorder
(ADD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), hindering his ability to learn.
¶ 34 Defendant had also been hospitalized previously and was subsequently diagnosed with a
mood disorder, bipolar disorder, and depression. Defendant had been prescribed medication—
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Depakote—for the disorders. When he was on the medication, he felt that he could understand
better and felt more in control. On July 7, he was not taking Depakote. Defendant stopped taking
the medication in March or April 2008 because he could no longer afford it. He testified that being
unmedicated affected his ability to understand the interview.
¶ 35 Defendant knew the meaning of the words “you have the right to remain silent.” He did
not know what the word “attorney” meant. Defendant had heard of the word “lawyer” but was not
familiar with the word “attorney.”
¶ 36 After dropping out of high school, defendant enrolled in the Lincoln’s Challenge Academy
in order to help control his disorders. The first two weeks of the program consisted of vigorous
physical exercise programs. He did not, however, pass his reading, writing, or mathematics courses
because he had a hard time paying attention and could not understand. Defendant ultimately
graduated from the program; one could graduate by not causing trouble.
¶ 37 Janice Edwards (Edwards), defendant’s mother, testified that she was living with her
parents on July 7, 2009, and that defendant was not living with her. The police did not contact her
when they took defendant into custody. She learned of the incident on July 8, when her brother
told her to look at the newspaper, and she saw an article stating that defendant had been arrested
in connection with a shooting.
¶ 38 Edwards stated that defendant could not read or write very well and he could not spell. He
understood children’s books. Defendant would not understand the word “attorney,” but he would
probably understand the word “lawyer.” Defendant suffered from mental health problems
throughout his life. He had been in trouble with the police a couple of years before the shooting.
Though prescribed medication for his disorders, she could not afford them, and public aid would
not cover the medications because she made too much money.
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¶ 39 Defendant got into the Lincoln’s Challenge Academy with the help of his high school
counselor. Defendant did well in the program, as it provided the structure he needed. He did not
do well in the academic portion of the program, and he failed the GED test miserably. Defendant
did not attend his high school classes because he did not know what was going on.
¶ 40 After Lincoln’s Challenge Academy, defendant lived with his older brother. He was not
welcome at his grandparents’ home because he had been stealing. According to his mother, at 16
years old, defendant made his own arrangements.
¶ 41 At the conclusion of argument, the court denied defendant’s motion to suppress. The court
specifically found that, at 17 years old, defendant was not at a tender age. In viewing the DVD,
the court found defendant articulate, he used appropriate words, and his responses showed an
ability to understand the questions posed to him. While defendant lied about it being his mother’s
birthday, apparently in order to see her, the court did not find that dispositive. Defendant had
stopped taking medications for his various disorders over a year before the interrogation. His
records from Joliet High School showed that defendant had an above average learning potential.
The records further indicated that defendant was not developmentally delayed, nor did he suffer
from any type of learning, speech, or hearing impairment. Under the totality of the circumstances
and based upon the credibility of the witnesses, the court found that defendant’s statement was
voluntary.
¶ 42 The State then filed a notice of intent to seek enhanced sentences on the first degree murder
and attempted murder charges based on the fact that defendant personally discharged a firearm
causing both death and great bodily harm. On December 12, 2014, the cause proceeded by way of
a stipulated bench trial. The State dismissed the home invasion, aggravated battery, and armed
robbery charges.
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¶ 43 Both parties presented a number of stipulations as to evidence, testimony of the witnesses,
and transcripts from the trials of Vetor and Orasco.
¶ 44 The evidence tended to show that defendant and Orasco broke into Terdic’s home in the
early morning hours of July 7 looking for money and drugs. When they found only a small amount
of both, they woke up the sleeping couple and demanded more. Vasilakis recognized Orasco’s
voice because she had known him for several years through her sister. She picked defendant out
of a lineup as the man who was holding the gun most of the time. Terdic and Vasilakis were tied
up, ordered to lie on their stomachs, and a pillow was placed over their heads. Defendant asked if
they should use the bat to try to knock out the victims. Orasco said “no” and that defendant should
just “do it.” Vasilakis felt someone on the bed over Terdic, who was lying next to her, and then
she heard a shot. The person then got up, went around the bed, and got on top of her. She heard
two clicks and a bang, and she realized she had been shot. After defendant and Orasco left,
Vasilakis untied herself and had the neighbor call the police.
¶ 45 The trial court found defendant guilty and that the State had proved the enhancement
factors.
¶ 46 On February 27, 2013, the court sentenced defendant to 50 years on the murder conviction
and 40 years on the attempted murder conviction. The sentences were to be served at 100% and
run consecutively to one another. Although the court found, at 17 years old, defendant was not at
a tender age, it did not address defendant’s youth or the attendant circumstances of such youth.
The court further awarded defendant custody credit from July 8, 2009, to February 27, 2013.
¶ 47 Defendant subsequently filed a motion to reduce his sentence, arguing that it was excessive.
The court denied the motion.
¶ 48 Defendant appeals.
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¶ 49 II. ANALYSIS
¶ 50 A. Denial of Defendant’s Motion to Suppress
¶ 51 Defendant first contends that the trial court erred in denying his motion to suppress.
Specifically, that his statement cannot be considered voluntary where he was 17 years old at the
time, had a limited education, read only at a fifth or sixth grade level, did not have contact with a
parent or other concerned adult, and had minimal prior contacts with the police.
¶ 52 When faced with a challenge to a circuit court’s ruling on the voluntariness of a confession,
a reviewing court will not disturb the trial court’s factual findings unless they are against the
manifest weight of the evidence. However, the ultimate ruling on whether a confession was
voluntary is reviewed under the de novo standard. People v. Murdock, 2012 IL 112362, ¶ 29.
¶ 53 Illinois courts have long recognized that receiving a confession from a juvenile is a
“sensitive concern.” People v. Prude, 66 Ill. 2d 470, 476 (1977); Murdock, 2012 IL 112362, ¶ 32.
As a consequence, “ ‘the greatest care must be taken to assure that the admission was voluntary,
in the sense not only that it was not coerced or suggested, but also that it was not the product of
ignorance of rights or of adolescent fantasy, fright or despair.’ ” People v. Simmons, 60 Ill. 2d 173,
180 (1975) (quoting In re Gault, 387 U.S. 1, 55 (1967)). Due to these concerns, an additional factor
is recognized that is not present in cases involving confessions by adults. This factor, commonly
known as the “concerned adult” factor, considers whether the juvenile, either before or during the
interrogation, had an opportunity to consult with an adult interested in his welfare. In re G.O., 191
Ill. 2d 37, 54-55 (2000).
¶ 54 Thus, in determining whether a juvenile’s confession was voluntarily given, relevant
considerations include (1) the juvenile’s age, intelligence, background, experience, education,
mental capacity, and physical condition at the time of questioning; (2) the duration of the detention,
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including whether the police physically or mentally abused the juvenile or employed trickery or
deceit in obtaining the confession; and (3) whether the juvenile had an opportunity to speak with
a parent or other concerned adult prior to or during the interrogation, including whether the police
prevented or frustrated such opportunities. Murdock, 2012 IL 112362, ¶¶ 30-32. No single factor
is dispositive; rather, the courts must consider the totality of the circumstances surrounding the
confession. Id. ¶ 30.
¶ 55 While we acknowledge that defendant suffered from some mental health disorders and did
not finish high school, based upon our review of the record, the trial court’s factual findings and
prevailing case law on the subject, we cannot find that the trial court erred in denying defendant’s
motion to suppress.
¶ 56 Defendant places a great amount of emphasis on the fact that he did not have contact with
a concerned adult during the interrogation. He argues that the concerned adult factor weighs
heavily in his case, where the Juvenile Court Act of 1987 (the Act) provides:
“A law enforcement officer who arrests a minor without a warrant under
Section 5-401 shall, if the minor is not released, immediately make a
reasonable attempt to notify the parent or other person legally responsible
for the minor’s care or the person with whom the minor resides that the
minor has been arrested and where the minor is being held; and the law
enforcement officer shall without unnecessary delay take the minor to the
nearest juvenile police officer designated for these purposes in the county
of venue or shall surrender the minor to a juvenile police officer in the city
or village where the offense is alleged to have been committed.” 705 ILCS
405/5-405(2) (West 2008).
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¶ 57 We note, however, that defendant was not subject to the provisions of the Act at the time
of the shooting and subsequent interrogation, where section 5-120 provided that the relevant
provisions of the Act applied to minors who violated or attempted to violate the law prior to their
seventeenth birthday. Id. § 5-120. Defendant was 17 years old at the time of the incident in July
2009. Pursuant to Public Act 98-61 (eff. Jan. 1, 2014), the legislature amended section 5-120 to
apply to 17-year-olds. Pub. Act 98-61, § 5 (eff. Jan. 1, 2014) (amending 705 ILCS 405/5-120).
This change occurred 4½ years after defendant’s interrogation.
¶ 58 Defendant concedes he falls outside the purview of the Act but, notwithstanding that,
argues that the concerned adult factor still applies to him on common law grounds, citing People
v. Westmorland, 372 Ill. App. 3d 868, 880 (2007). Westmorland, however, is readily
distinguishable from the case at bar. In Westmorland, the 17-year-old defendant charged with
multiple sex offenses moved to suppress his statements to police as involuntary. The trial court
granted the motion, noting that despite the fact that defendant was 17 years old, “ ‘[h]e appears not
to be a very mature 17.’ ” Id. at 874. Defendant struck the court as being somewhat immature, a
little bit pudgy with rosy cheeks. Id. The court further observed defendant as under six feet tall,
wide-eyed, frightened, with no noticeable facial hair. Id.¶ 59 By comparison, the interviewing officer was an imposing figure, well over six feet tall,
over 200 pounds, fit and muscular, and with a dominant personality. Id. The court also found that
the defendant was handcuffed and abandoned in the interrogation room, the officer used
threatening language, and the officers engaged in some deception during the interview when they
led defendant to believe that if he cooperated he could go home. Id. at 875. Police refused
defendant’s two requests to contact his mother and made no effort themselves to contact
defendant’s parents before or during the interview. Id. at 890. The appellate court affirmed, noting
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that the Act did not restrict the factors to be considered under the common law/constitutional
voluntariness inquiry. Id. at 880. Applying the concerned adult factor, the court found that under
the totality of the circumstances, the State did not prove by a preponderance of the evidence that
defendant’s confession was voluntary. Id. at 879-80.
¶ 60 We are confronted with a very different scenario here. The trial court reviewed the
interview tape twice and observed defendant during his testimony on the motion to suppress. The
trial court thoroughly and methodically considered the factors of defendant’s age, intelligence,
background, experience, mental capacity, education and physical condition at the time of
questioning. Defendant was no wide-eyed, 17-year-old that appeared immature. Quite the
opposite, defendant responded appropriately to questioning and was articulate, both during the
interview and in his testimony during the suppression hearing. While there was some allusion to
force and deception on the part of officers in Westmorland, there was no such behavior exhibited
by officers here. Both Marquez and Georgeff were trained juvenile officers, and Georgeff testified
that they acted in defendant’s best interests. That Marquez and Georgeff only recorded the
confession portion of defendant’s interview does not render the statement involuntary. The trial
court clearly found the officers’ testimony credible that they initially only brought defendant in to
establish his whereabouts and ask a few questions.
¶ 61 Finally, the officers were not bound by the dictates of the Act to contact defendant’s mother
or to allow him to speak with a concerned adult. Even when considering the concerned adult factor
as one of many when determining the voluntariness of a confession, our supreme court has
specifically held that a juvenile confession should not be suppressed simply because he was denied
the opportunity to confer with a concerned adult. In re G.O., 191 Ill. 2d at 55. Here, there were
conflicting accounts from defendant and the officers regarding whether or not he requested to
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speak with his mother. The trial court found that the fact defendant did not speak with his mother
or another concerned adult was not dispositive. Based on the totality of the circumstances
presented, we agree. The trial court’s factual findings are not against the manifest weight of the
evidence. Accordingly, we find that defendant’s statements were voluntary and that the trial court
did not err in denying his motion to suppress.
¶ 62 B. Bona Fide Doubt of Defendant’s Fitness to Stand Trial
¶ 63 Defendant contends that after the trial court signed an order finding a bona fide doubt of
defendant’s fitness and ordering a psychological evaluation, the trial court erred when it failed to
hold the statutorily required fitness hearing before proceeding to the stipulated bench trial. Despite
his failure to object at trial or addressing it in his posttrial motion, defendant contends we should
review this issue under the second prong of the plain-error doctrine. Without addressing
defendant’s alleged forfeiture of the issue or mentioning plain-error review, the State argues that
the trial court did not actually raise or find a bona fide doubt of defendant’s fitness but merely
granted defendant’s motion for a fitness examination.
¶ 64 First, the plain-error doctrine allows a reviewing court to consider unpreserved error when
one of two conditions is met:
“ ‘(1) a clear or obvious error occurred and the evidence is so closely
balanced that the error alone threatened to tip the scales of justice against
the defendant, regardless of the seriousness of the error, or (2) a clear or
obvious error occurred and that error is so serious that it affected the fairness
of the defendant’s trial and challenged the integrity of the judicial process,
regardless of the closeness of the evidence.’ ” People v. Walker, 232 Ill. 2d
113, 124 (2009) (quoting People v. Piatkowski, 225 Ill. 2d 551, 565 (2007)).
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¶ 65 “Under both prongs of the plain-error doctrine, the burden of persuasion remains with
defendant.” Id. (citing People v. Naylor, 229 Ill. 2d 584, 593 (2008)). The initial step in conducting
plain-error analysis is to determine whether error occurred at all. People v. Hudson, 228 Ill. 2d
181, 191 (2008). We are therefore obligated to conduct a substantive review of the issue. See
People v. Johnson, 208 Ill. 2d 53, 64 (2003).
¶ 66 Here, defendant’s claim implicates section 104-11 of the Code of Criminal Procedure of
1963 (the Code), which provides, in relevant part, as follows:
“(a) The issue of the defendant’s fitness for trial *** may be raised by the
defense, the State or the Court at any appropriate time before a plea is
entered or before, during, or after trial. When a bona fide doubt of the
defendant’s fitness is raised, the court shall order a determination of the
issue before proceeding further.
(b) Upon request of the defendant that a qualified expert be appointed
to examine him or her to determine prior to trial if a bona fide doubt as to
his or her fitness to stand trial may be raised, the court, in its discretion, may
order an appropriate examination. However, no order entered pursuant to
this subsection shall prevent further proceedings in the case. An expert so
appointed shall examine the defendant and make a report as provided in
Section 104-15. Upon the filing with the court of a verified statement of
services rendered, the court shall enter an order on the county board to pay
such expert a reasonable fee stated in the order.” 725 ILCS 5/104-11(a), (b)
(West 2012).
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¶ 67 Also at issue is section 104-13, under which defendant originally brought his motion for
fitness hearing and for appointment of an expert witness to determine defendant’s sanity. That
section provides, in pertinent part, as follows:
“(a) When the issue of fitness involves the defendant’s mental
condition, the court shall order an examination of the defendant by one or
more licensed physicians, clinical psychologists, or psychiatrists chosen by
the court.” Id. § 104-13(a).
¶ 68 The parties dispute whether or not the trial court expressly made a finding that a bona fide
doubt of fitness existed. This is based in large part on the fact that the signed order, drafted by
defense counsel, states:
“This matter coming on for hearing on defendant’s motion for expert witness and for fitness
hearing, and for other relief, said motion being uncontested by the People of the State of
Illinois, and the Court finding that a bonafide doubt exist [sic] as to Defendant’s fitness to
stand trial under 725 ILCS 5/104-13 et seq.”
¶ 69 We agree with the State and find People v. Hanson, 212 Ill. 2d 212 (2004), directly on
point. In Hanson, our supreme court determined that a grant of a defense motion for a
psychological evaluation, without more, does not create a sufficient inference that the trial court
found bona fide doubt of defendant’s fitness to stand trial such that the trial court would be required
to hold a fitness hearing before proceeding.
¶ 70 Specifically, the court noted that the defense motion referred only to section 104-13(a) of
the Code (725 ILCS 5/104-13(a) (West 2012)) and made no reference to section 104-11(a) or (b).
Hanson, 212 Ill. 2d at 219. Section 104-13(a) only specifies who may be appointed to examine a
defendant when the question of fitness involves mental health issues and can be used in
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conjunction with section 104-11(a) or (b). Id. Thus, the language in defendant’s own motion failed
to advance his argument that the trial court was bound to hold a fitness hearing under section 104-
11(a). Id. at 219-20.
¶ 71 Similarly, defendant here brought his motion pursuant to section 104-13(a), requesting that
the court appoint a qualified expert to evaluate defendant’s fitness to stand trial, not under 104-
11(a). Although the order the court signed contained the language “bona fide doubt,” it was
defendant who drafted this order. A review of the record gives us no indication whatsoever that
the trial court or the State implicitly agreed with defense counsel or raised on their own a bona fide
doubt of defendant’s fitness. We note that under Hanson, even if defendant filed a motion under
section 104-11(a), the trial court could specify its need for a fitness examination by an expert to
aid in its determination of whether a bona fide doubt is raised without a fitness hearing becoming
mandatory. See id. at 217. Considering that contemporaneously with the substance of defendant’s
motion, we find that defendant merely requested an expert evaluation.
¶ 72 Finally, this situation is a far cry from that of People v. Smith, 353 Ill. App. 3d 236 (2004),
where the court raised sua sponte a bona fide doubt of defendant’s fitness to stand trial after
defendant’s first psychological evaluation and defendant’s expression of dissatisfaction with the
public defender and repeated requests to represent himself. Id. at 238. The trial court further
articulated her concern regarding defendant’s potential for “ ‘outbursts.’ ” Id. at 241. By contrast,
although the order drafted here was inartful, we find the court’s oral comments and actions reflect
that the issue of fitness had been raised, and it ordered a fitness evaluation to assist in determining
whether a bona fide doubt as to fitness actually existed. This determination is bolstered by the fact
that nothing in the record supported a conclusion that defendant was unfit.
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¶ 73 We accordingly find no error, plain or otherwise, in the trial court’s decision to proceed to
trial without holding a fitness hearing.
¶ 74 C. Sentencing
¶ 75 Defendant also contends that his 90-year sentence amounts to a de facto life sentence in
violation of Miller, 567 U.S. 460, which prohibits the imposition of a mandatory life sentence on
offenders under the age of 18. Despite failing to raise this issue during sentencing or in his later
motion to reduce sentence, defendant argues the court can review a challenge to the
constitutionality of a sentencing scheme at any time. See People v. Ruiz, 342 Ill. App. 3d 750, 762
(2003).
¶ 76 We rejected defendant’s claims and affirmed. Edwards, 2015 IL App (3d) 130190, ¶¶ 81,
86. Our supreme court entered a supervisory order to reconsider our holding in light of Reyes, 2016
IL 119271. Edwards, No. 119332 (Ill. Nov. 23, 2016) (supervisory order). We found that Reyes
neither affected the rationale of our opinion nor required a different result. Edwards, 2017 IL App
(3d) 130190-B, ¶ 81. We again affirmed. Id. ¶ 87. After its decision in People v. Buffer, 2019 IL
122327, the supreme court issued another supervisory order directing us to reconsider in light of
Buffer. Edwards, No. 122028 (Ill. Mar. 25, 2020) (supervisory order). And so we do.
¶ 77 In Buffer, the court clarified that in order to
“prevail on a claim based on Miller and its progeny, a defendant sentenced for an offense
committed while a juvenile must show that (1) the defendant was subject to a life sentence,
mandatory or discretionary, natural or de facto, and (2) the sentencing court failed to
consider youth and its attendant characteristics in imposing the sentence.” Buffer, 2019 IL
122327, ¶ 27.
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The court then chose to use the mandatory minimum decided upon by the legislature as the
demarcation for what is considered a de facto life sentence for juveniles. See id. ¶¶ 39-40. Looking
to subsection (c) of a recently revised juvenile sentencing statute, the court reasoned that “the
General Assembly has determined that the specified first degree murders that would justify natural
life imprisonment for adult offenders would warrant a mandatory minimum sentence of 40 years
for juvenile offenders.” Id. ¶ 39; see also 730 ILCS 5/5-4.5-105(c) (West 2016). Buffer makes it
clear that in Illinois any juvenile sentenced to incarceration in excess of 40 years has received a
de facto life sentence. Buffer, 2019 IL 122327, ¶ 40. Further, in order to sentence a juvenile
defendant to a sentence over 40 years, without the possibility of parole, the court must consider
the defendant’s youth and the attendant circumstances that accompany such youth. Id. ¶ 42. After
reviewing the sentencing hearing in this matter, the trial court imposed a de facto life sentence
without considering the defendant’s youth and its attendant characteristics.
¶ 78 Accordingly, under Buffer, we must vacate defendant’s 90-year sentence and remand for
resentencing. See id. ¶ 47. On remand, defendant is entitled to be sentenced under the scheme
prescribed by section 5-4.5-105 of the Unified Code of Corrections (730 ILCS 5/5-4.5-105 (West
2016)). See Buffer, 2019 IL 122327, ¶ 47.
¶ 79 D. Presentence Incarceration Credit
¶ 80 Defendant argues, and the State concedes, that he is entitled to one additional day of
presentence incarceration credit. Defendant was taken into custody on July 7, 2009, but the trial
court’s judgment ordered that defendant be given presentence incarceration credit from July 8,
2009. Pursuant to People v. Smith, 258 Ill. App. 3d 261, 267 (1994), a defendant held in custody
for even part of a day, including the day he was arrested, must be given sentence credit for that
day.
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¶ 81 Accordingly, we direct the trial court to grant defendant one extra day of presentence
incarceration credit.
¶ 82 III. CONCLUSION
¶ 83 For the foregoing reasons, we affirm in part as modified and reverse in part the judgment
of the circuit court of Will County and remand with directions.
¶ 84 Affirmed in part as modified and reversed in part; cause remanded with directions.
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No. 3-13-0190
Cite as: People v. Edwards, 2021 IL App (3d) 130190-CDecision Under Review: Appeal from the Circuit Court of Will County, No. 09-CF-1559;
the Hon. Amy Bertani-Tomczak, Judge, presiding.
Attorneys James E. Chadd, Thomas A. Karalis, and Bryon Kohut, of State
for Appellate Defender’s Office, of Ottawa, for appellant.
Appellant:
Attorneys James W. Glasgow, State’s Attorney, of Joliet (Patrick
for Delfino and Thomas D. Arado, of State’s Attorneys Appellate
Appellee: Prosecutor’s Office, of counsel), for the People.
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