People v. Kladis , 2011 IL 110920 ( 2011 )


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  •                            ILLINOIS OFFICIAL REPORTS
    Supreme Court
    People v. Kladis, 
    2011 IL 110920
    Caption in Supreme         THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, Appellant, v. MARINA
    Court:                     KLADIS, Appellee.
    Docket No.                 110920
    Filed                      December 30, 2011
    Held                       A squad-car video recording of a misdemeanor DUI arrest was
    (Note: This syllabus       discoverable, and there was no abuse of discretion in sanctioning its
    constitutes no part of     destruction, subsequent to a timely request to produce, by barring the
    the opinion of the court   arresting officer’s testimony as to what was on the tape.
    but has been prepared
    by the Reporter of
    Decisions for the
    convenience of the
    reader.)
    Decision Under             Appeal from the Appellate Court for the First District; heard in that court
    Review                     on appeal from the Circuit Court of Cook County, the Hon. William H.
    Wise, Judge, presiding.
    Judgment                   Affirmed; cause remanded.
    Counsel on                Lisa Madigan, Attorney General, of Springfield, and Anita Alvarez,
    Appeal                    State’s Attorney, of Chicago (Alan J. Spellberg, Annette Collins and John
    E. Nowak, Assistant State’s Attorneys, of counsel), for the People.
    Edward M. Maloney, of Ahern, Maloney, Moran & Block, of Skokie,
    Louis A. Berns, of Favil David Berns & Associates, LLC, of Northlake,
    Robert B. Marcus and Michael Maksimovich, of Lyons, and Katie M.
    Anderson, of Chicago (Ralph Ruebner, of Chicago, of counsel), and
    Danielle L. Berns and Nikki G. Ashmore, law students, for appellee.
    Justices                  JUSTICE FREEMAN delivered the judgment of the court, with opinion.
    Chief Justice Kilbride and Justices Thomas, Garman, Karmeier, Burke,
    and Theis concurred in the judgment and opinion.
    OPINION
    ¶1        Defendant, Marina Kladis, was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI)
    (625 ILCS 5/11-501(a)(2) (West 2006)). She requested that the State produce the video
    recording of the stop made by the camera located in the arresting officer’s vehicle. After the
    State destroyed the recording, the circuit court of Cook County granted defendant’s motion
    for sanctions and barred the State from introducing testimony concerning what was contained
    on the videotape. The State filed a certificate of substantial impairment and a notice of
    appeal. The appellate court affirmed. 
    403 Ill. App. 3d 99
    . We granted the State’s petition for
    leave to appeal and now affirm the judgment of the appellate court.
    ¶2                                        BACKGROUND
    ¶3        On May 3, 2008, defendant was arrested for DUI by Northlake police officer Phillip
    Gaske. On May 8, 2008–five days after her arrest and 25 days prior to the first court date on
    June 3, 2008–defendant filed and hand delivered to the State’s Attorney’s office a petition
    to rescind her statutory summary license suspension. Defendant also filed and delivered on
    the same date a document captioned “Notice to Produce at Summary Suspension Hearing.”
    The notice was premised upon our Rule 237 (Ill. S. Ct. R. 237 (eff. July 1, 2005)) and
    requested that at the first court date the State produce the arresting officer along with copies
    of various reports and “any and all video tapes of defendant” while she was in custody.
    ¶4        On June 3, 2008, at approximately 1:30 p.m., the parties appeared in court for the first
    -2-
    time.1 Because the State had not yet produced the materials defendant had previously
    requested, defense counsel made an oral motion for discovery, pursuant to People v. Schmidt,
    
    56 Ill. 2d 572
     (1974), which included the videotape. Because the State claimed that it did not
    know whether such a tape existed, Officer Gaske–who was present for the hearing–was
    questioned. Gaske confirmed that his squad car had a camera mounted to the windshield
    which had recorded his encounter with defendant.
    ¶5       The State thereafter agreed to produce all the requested materials–including the
    videotape–to defense counsel.2 Later in the day on June 3, the State mailed written discovery
    to counsel and a request for the video recording to the Northlake police department. By
    agreement, the hearing on defendant’s petition to rescind the statutory summary suspension
    of her driver’s license was entered and continued to June 17, 2008.
    ¶6       When the parties returned to court on that date, the State tendered to defense counsel a
    two-page business record from the Northlake police department. This document stated that
    pursuant to departmental policy, video recordings are automatically purged within 30 days
    of arrest, and that the tape requested by defendant had been erased at 4:24 a.m. on June 3,
    2008, just hours before the parties first appeared in court. Because the requested evidence
    had been destroyed, and in view of the fact that, but for its absence, defendant would have
    been ready to proceed on her petition to rescind the statutory summary suspension, the court
    granted her leave to file a written motion for sanctions against the State.3 The court scheduled
    a hearing on the sanctions motion for June 26, 2008, and further ordered that the hearing on
    the petition to rescind the statutory summary suspension would proceed immediately after
    the court ruled on the motion for sanctions.
    ¶7       Upon their return to court on June 26, the parties discovered that the judge handling this
    case had been transferred, and they appeared before a different judge who was unfamiliar
    with what had previously transpired. The parties stipulated to the facts in the case up to that
    point, and then engaged in brief argument on defendant’s sanctions motion.
    ¶8       The court found that the “Notice to Produce” which accompanied defendant’s petition
    to rescind her statutory summary suspension placed the State on clear notice that she wished
    to have a copy of the video recording at the first court date–a fact which the State did not
    1
    No transcripts exist for the June 3, 2008, court date or for the proceedings subsequently held
    on June 17, 2008. However, during a court hearing on June 26, 2008, the parties stipulated as to what
    transpired on those earlier dates.
    2
    We note that at no time did the State dispute that it received defendant's Rule 237 request
    for production of the video recording, nor did the State object to defendant’s oral Schmidt motion
    to preserve and produce the same recording referenced in her earlier request for production. The
    record, therefore, unquestionably establishes that the State was fully on notice regarding defendant's
    repeated requests to obtain the recording, a fact supported by its ready agreement during this hearing
    to produce it.
    3
    This motion, which was premised on our Rule 219 (Ill. S. Ct. R. 219 (eff. July 1, 2002)),
    was filed on June 20, 2008.
    -3-
    dispute. The State, however, did nothing in response. The court observed that the State
    “could have called the police department and got the tape prior to the time that it ran out” or
    it “could have filed an answer *** stating it’s not our obligation [to produce the tape] yet
    because we don’t deem this to be a discovery motion *** [because it includes] things
    requested in here that we don’t have to supply to you.”
    ¶9         Noting that this was “the third case I have had like this in three weeks” where a defendant
    asked the State to preserve a video recording and it was destroyed, the court found the
    recording of defendant’s traffic stop to be “an important piece of evidence” and held that
    imposition of a sanction against the State for its destruction was proper. The court
    determined that it would bar the State from introducing testimony relating to what was
    contained on the tape. However, because no one had seen the recording, defendant called
    Officer Gaske to establish its contents and thereby clarify the scope of the court’s ruling.
    ¶ 10       Gaske testified that the in-car video system begins recording five seconds prior to the
    activation of the emergency lights. At that time, the microphone he wears is also activated.4
    According to Gaske, the tape would have captured the following: images of defendant’s car
    five seconds prior to the stop; the manner in which defendant pulled over and curbed her
    vehicle; defendant’s actions when he approached her vehicle; the manner in which defendant
    opened her car door and exited her vehicle; and defendant’s performance of the field sobriety
    tests. Gaske stated that he turned off the emergency lights prior to transporting defendant to
    the station, and it was then that the recording ended.
    ¶ 11       The court then clarified its sanction ruling, holding that “[t]he video may not be used for
    any purpose from five seconds prior to the lights going on at the time that the defendant was
    stopped getting out of the car until she was taken away via the arrest.” The court specified,
    however, that any driving or actions of defendant prior to this were admissible, as were any
    of her actions after she was placed under arrest.
    ¶ 12       The court then proceeded to conduct the hearing on defendant’s petition for recision of
    the statutory summary suspension of her driver’s license. Although defendant answered
    ready, the State requested leave to immediately file a notice of appeal of the sanctions ruling.
    However, because the State did not ask the court to certify an interlocutory appeal on the
    sanctions issue and because there was no final judgment in the statutory summary suspension
    matter at that time, the State’s request was denied.
    ¶ 13       The hearing on defendant’s petition proceeded. Based upon the evidence presented, the
    court held that Officer Gaske had no probable cause to stop, detain and arrest defendant.
    Accordingly, defendant’s petition to rescind the statutory summary suspension of her driver’s
    license was granted.
    ¶ 14       Defense counsel then made an oral motion to quash arrest and suppress evidence in
    4
    After defendant’s arrest, Gaske realized that the microphone was not on, and believed that
    the recording of that encounter would not have had audio.
    -4-
    defendant’s criminal DUI case. The court instructed counsel to file a written pleading5 and
    the parties set a return date by agreement. The State then renewed its request for leave to file
    an appeal, which was granted. The State thereafter filed an appeal of the sanctions ruling in
    the statutory summary suspension case. However, it later voluntarily dismissed that action.
    Accordingly, that ruling is not at issue here.
    ¶ 15        The parties returned on September 2, 2008. The court inquired of the State whether it
    wished to “relitigate the sanctions for purposes of trial.” The State responded that “[t]here
    is going to be a lot of the same testimony, and we were here, basically, for arguments and for
    ruling [on] the criminal case at hand.” The court then granted defendant’s motion for
    sanctions in the DUI case, stating that its ruling would be “exactly the same” as on June 26.
    The court held that “the video may not be used, or any testimony regarding what is on the
    video pertaining to just before the officer stopped the defendant and the time that the
    defendant was placed in the squad car, which would mean anything that happened on the
    street prior to her being placed in the squad car.” As it had in the summary suspension
    matter, the court again clarified that any relevant evidence of defendant’s conduct which
    occurred before and after the recording would be admissible.
    ¶ 16        After the court had ruled, the State maintained that the court’s decision on the sanctions
    motion substantially impaired its ability to prosecute defendant. Based upon the court’s
    understanding of the State’s position, it granted the State leave to file a certificate of
    substantial impairment and a notice of appeal of the sanction order.
    ¶ 17        The appellate court upheld the sanctions imposed by the trial court in the DUI case. 
    403 Ill. App. 3d 99
    . Applying Schmidt, the court held that the video recording was discoverable,
    and that the State was placed on notice that it should not be destroyed. Nevertheless, the
    State took no action in response to defendant’s discovery request, which set the stage for the
    deletion of the recording. The appellate court further determined that the sanction imposed
    by the trial court was proportionate to the State’s discovery violation and that there was no
    abuse of discretion.
    ¶ 18        We granted the State’s petition for leave to appeal (Ill. S. Ct. R. 315 (eff. Feb. 26, 2010)).
    ¶ 19                                          ANALYSIS
    ¶ 20       The State does not dispute that it was placed on notice by defendant to produce the
    recording of her stop and arrest in the civil statutory summary suspension proceedings. The
    State also does not contest that its inaction resulted in the destruction of this recording, and,
    in fact, concedes that the sanction was proper in that matter.
    ¶ 21       The State does contend, however, that its conduct has no import with respect to
    defendant’s criminal DUI case. Asserting that discovery in misdemeanor actions is strictly
    limited by our decision in People v. Schmidt, 
    56 Ill. 2d 572
     (1974), and noting that video
    recordings are not included within Schmidt’s list of discoverable items, the State maintains
    5
    Defendant filed her “Motion to Quash Arrest and Suppress Evidence Illegally Seized” on
    July 10, 2008.
    -5-
    that it had no obligation to produce the recording. The State therefore concludes that its
    failure to preserve the recording was not sanctionable in the DUI case and the trial court
    abused its discretion by doing so. We disagree.
    ¶ 22                                    A. Discovery Violation
    ¶ 23        The State contends that because the trial court had no discretion to order discovery in a
    misdemeanor case beyond the limited areas set forth in People v. Schmidt, 
    56 Ill. 2d 572
    (1974), it therefore erred in imposing sanctions against the State. A trial court’s decision to
    impose sanctions is reviewed under an abuse of discretion standard. People v. Ramsey, 
    239 Ill. 2d 342
    , 429 (2010). A trial court abuses its discretion when its decision is “fanciful,
    arbitrary, or unreasonable to the degree that no reasonable person would agree with it.”
    People v. Ortega, 
    209 Ill. 2d 354
    , 359 (2004).
    ¶ 24        We must first determine whether the State’s failure to produce and preserve the video
    recording of the stop and arrest in defendant’s misdemeanor DUI case constitutes a discovery
    violation. This court addressed the scope of discovery required in a misdemeanor case nearly
    40 years ago in People v. Schmidt, 
    56 Ill. 2d 572
     (1974). There, the defendant was charged
    with a misdemeanor DUI. She sought pretrial discovery of various reports, including a
    “Driving While Intoxicated Arrest Report,” which the State refused to produce. 
    Id. at 573
    .
    ¶ 25        In holding that the requested report should have been tendered to the defendant, we
    observed that it was only one of a number of items a misdemeanor defendant may discover:
    “The State is required to furnish defendants in misdemeanor cases with a list of
    witnesses (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1971, ch. 38, par. 114-9), any confession of the defendant
    (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1971, ch. 38, par. 114-10), evidence negating the defendant’s guilt
    (Brady v. Maryland, 
    373 U.S. 83
    , 
    10 L. Ed. 2d 215
    , 
    83 S. Ct. 1194
    ), and, in this
    particular case, the results of the breathalyzer test (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1971, ch. 95½, par.
    11-501(g)). Additionally, the report which the defendant seeks will be available at
    trial for use in impeachment of the prosecution witness who prepared it. (People v.
    Cagle, 
    41 Ill. 2d 528
    .)” 
    Id. at 575
    .
    This ruling was based on “the discovery provided [for] by case law and statute” at that time,
    and distinguished its limited scope from the broader discovery available for felony cases
    under our Rule 411. 
    Id. at 574-75
    . Our decision to limit discovery in misdemeanor matters
    was based on “our awareness of the very substantial volume of less serious cases and the
    impact upon their expeditious disposition” if broader discovery were required. 
    Id.
     We
    concluded that there was “no reason to depart from th[e] view” that the scope of discoverable
    items noted in that opinion was “adequate for the lesser offenses” at the time of that ruling.
    
    Id. at 575
    .
    ¶ 26        The State misapprehends our decision in Schmidt and interprets it in a far too narrow
    manner. Schmidt determined the scope of discovery in misdemeanor cases by considering
    relevant decisions, statutes, and custom and practice as it existed in 1974. From this survey,
    the Schmidt court drew together a number of items which share important evidentiary value
    and are relevant to those charged with offenses in crafting a defense. Indeed, our case law
    with respect to discovery at that time was clear. We previously held that pretrial discovery
    -6-
    “presupposes a range of relevance and materiality which includes not only what is admissible
    at the trial, but also that which leads to what is admissible.” Krupp v. Chicago Transit
    Authority, 
    8 Ill. 2d 37
    , 41 (1956). The State overlooks the nature and relevancy of these
    discovery items, instead focusing on the incorrect concept that Schmidt set forth a rigid list
    which it believes should remain static and not take into account the fundamental changes
    which have occurred in law and society since that ruling.
    ¶ 27        Relevancy is “determined by reference to the issues, for generally, something is relevant
    if it tends to prove or disprove something in issue.” Bauter v. Reding, 
    68 Ill. App. 3d 171
    ,
    175 (1979). In the nearly four decades since we decided Schmidt, video recordings made by
    in-squad car cameras in misdemeanor DUI cases have become as relevant to the issue of
    proving or disproving guilt as the materials specifically mentioned in Schmidt. As such,
    allowing their discovery furthers the objectives of pretrial discovery to “enhance the truth-
    seeking process, to enable attorneys to better prepare for trial, to eliminate surprise and to
    promote an expeditious and final determination of controversies in accordance with the
    substantive rights of the parties.” D.C. v. S.A., 
    178 Ill. 2d 551
    , 561 (1997).
    ¶ 28        Since the time of Schmidt, the use of video recordings as evidence at trial has become a
    common practice to allow a defendant the opportunity to present an effective defense and to
    further the truth-seeking process. We recently reaffirmed the general admissibility of such
    evidence (People v. Taylor, 
    2011 IL 110067
    ), and courts across the country are increasingly
    relying on video recordings to present an objective view of the facts in a case. See, e.g., Scott
    v. Harris, 
    550 U.S. 372
     (2007) (relying on a squad car video recording, Supreme Court
    reversed lower court’s denial of summary judgment on claim against the officer for the use
    of excessive force; Court found that a videotape capturing the events in question clearly
    contradicted the version of the story told by the driver and adopted by the court of appeals,
    and stated that the court of appeals should have viewed the facts in the light depicted by the
    videotape); United States v. Prokupek, 
    632 F.3d 460
     (8th Cir. 2011) (reversing the district
    court’s denial of the defendant’s motion to suppress on the basis that the officer’s testimony
    at the suppression hearing was clearly contradicted by his contemporaneous statements
    captured on the squad-car video recording).
    ¶ 29        In sum, we conclude that the routine video recording of traffic stops has now become an
    integral part of those encounters, objectively documenting what takes place by capturing the
    conduct and the words of both parties. We therefore hold that this important and relevant
    evidence falls within the scope of materials held to be discoverable under Schmidt. We
    therefore clarify that under Schmidt, these video recordings are discoverable in misdemeanor
    DUI cases.
    ¶ 30        This conclusion is supported by several recent legislative enactments regarding
    recordings of traffic stops made by law enforcement officers. Although the passage of these
    laws occurred subsequent to defendant’s arrest in this case, the great importance placed by
    the General Assembly upon the production and preservation of video recordings made by
    squad car cameras during law enforcement actions confirms our recognition of their
    significant evidentiary value and relevance.
    ¶ 31        In late 2008 our legislature mandated that Illinois State Police squad cars be equipped
    -7-
    with recording equipment. 20 ILCS 2610/30(b) (West 2008) (Pub. Act 95-1009 (eff. Dec.
    15, 2008)). The law specified that both video and audio must be captured (id.) and required
    that these recordings be maintained for a storage period of at least 90 days before being
    destroyed. 20 ILCS 2610/30(f) (West 2008).
    ¶ 32        The following year, the General Assembly clarified and broadened the production and
    preservation safeguards for police recordings. It established the general rule that when any
    law enforcement agency makes an in-squad video and audio recording in connection with
    either law enforcement or investigative duties, that recording shall be retained for a minimum
    period of 90 days. 720 ILCS 5/14-3(h-15) (West 2010) (Pub. Act 96-670 (eff. Aug. 25,
    2009)). Significantly, the legislature has also mandated an extended period of storage for
    certain recordings. Where “the recordings *** are made as a part of an arrest or *** are
    deemed evidence in any criminal, civil, or administrative proceeding” they cannot be
    destroyed except “upon a final disposition and an order from the court.” 
    Id.
     We note that this
    heightened protection is triggered either where, as here, an arrest occurred or where the
    recording is considered to be evidence in any criminal, civil or administrative proceeding.
    Significantly, the General Assembly placed no restriction on this latter factor, encompassing
    all proceedings.
    ¶ 33        The transcript of the debates of the 2009 enactment reveals that the General Assembly
    intended that the routine recording of traffic stops by squad car cameras would be of benefit
    to both citizens and law enforcement agencies by providing an objective record of what
    occurred during the encounter. This is illustrated by remarks made by the sponsor of this
    provision, who explained that “[i]t’s a tool for law enforcement, but I also believe it is a tool
    for the citizens, too, because then there is actual proof of what was said or what was done.
    So I think it’s a protection for both.” 96th Ill. Gen. Assem., House Proceedings, April 2,
    2009, at 84-85 (statements of Representative Dugan).
    ¶ 34        These enactments express the clear legislative intent that the purpose of recording traffic
    stops and preserving these recordings for later production is to assist in the truth-seeking
    process by providing objective evidence of what occurred between the law enforcement
    officer and the citizen. As noted in the legislative history, the General Assembly enacted
    these laws with the view that these recordings could be useful to both the State and the
    defendant. If the recording reflects the defendant committing an offense, the State could use
    it to cement his or her guilt. The reverse is also true: if the recording does not clearly reflect
    commission of a crime, the defendant could use it in support of his or her defense. In either
    instance, the recording assists the trier of fact in seeking the truth and at arriving at a just
    result.
    ¶ 35        The State contends, however, that requiring discovery of video recordings in
    misdemeanor DUI cases is unduly burdensome and will delay the judicial process. Noting
    that the limited scope of misdemeanor discovery set forth in Schmidt was partially driven by
    consideration of the large number of misdemeanor actions and the desire to efficiently move
    them through the system, the State contends these same considerations apply with equal force
    today. We believe that the particular facts of this case undermine the State’s general
    assertions.
    -8-
    ¶ 36       The record indicates that defendant’s request was not one that was unique in any way.
    The State never formally objected to the request, nor did it contend that it fell outside of
    Schmidt. Further, we note that during oral argument before this court, counsel for the State
    was asked to comment on the fact that the State had readily agreed to produce and preserve
    the videotape in this matter. He responded: “We have no problem tendering these videos in
    a particular case. If the defendant asks for it, and it is available, we will do so. *** It’s just
    a matter of collegiality.”
    ¶ 37       The video recording is relevant and admissible evidence because it reveals what
    transpired during the traffic stop which serves to further the truth-seeking function of a trial.
    This evidence may be helpful to both the defendant and the State. Indeed, the flow of cases
    actually going to trial may be eased upon allowing defendants and their counsel to review
    these recordings: those which reflect events favorable to the State may result in defendants
    willing to enter pleas which they otherwise may not have contemplated. This also advances
    the purpose of our DUI statutes to ensure that our roads remain safe from impaired drivers.
    ¶ 38       We therefore agree with the courts below that upon receiving the written Rule 237 notice
    to produce the video recording five days after defendant was arrested–and 25 days before it
    was destroyed–the State was placed on notice and should have taken appropriate steps to
    ensure that it was preserved.6
    ¶ 39       In sum, we hold that the trial court did not abuse its discretion in finding that the video
    recording of defendant’s stop and arrest was subject to discovery in her misdemeanor DUI
    case and that the State committed a discovery violation by allowing the destruction of the
    recording. We next address the question of whether the sanction imposed by the trial court
    was appropriate for the discovery violation.
    ¶ 40                        B. Reasonableness of the Discovery Sanction
    ¶ 41        The State contends that the discovery sanction imposed by the trial court was too harsh
    for the circumstances presented in this case and, therefore, amounted to an abuse of
    discretion. According to the State, the sanction was “effectively a dismissal of the charges
    as it prevented the officer from testifying about all of the relevant facts showing that
    defendant was driving under the influence of alcohol.” We reject the State’s contentions.
    ¶ 42        The correct sanction to be applied for a discovery violation is a decision appropriately
    left to the discretion of the trial court, and its judgment shall be given great weight. People
    v. Morgan, 
    112 Ill. 2d 111
    , 135 (1986). The trial court is in the best position to determine an
    appropriate sanction based upon the effect the discovery violation will have upon the
    6
    Although the Rule 237 notice was filed in the civil summary suspension proceeding, the
    State explained at oral argument that the summary suspension proceeding and the criminal DUI case
    proceed in tandem, before the same judge and with the same State’s Attorneys handling both matters.
    Although the better practice would be for the defendant to request production of the video recording
    in both proceedings, we have no doubt that in this case the State was aware of the need to preserve
    the recording. Indeed, defendant also made an oral motion for discovery pursuant to Schmidt during
    the proceedings on the first court date.
    -9-
    defendant. People v. Koutsakis, 
    255 Ill. App. 3d 306
    , 314 (1993). As stated, an abuse of
    discretion exists only where the decision of the trial court is fanciful, arbitrary, or
    unreasonable to the degree that no reasonable person would take the view adopted by the trial
    court. Ortega, 
    209 Ill. 2d at 359
    .
    ¶ 43        The record clearly establishes that the discovery sanction imposed by the trial court did
    not preclude the State from prosecuting defendant. The court’s sanction ruling was narrowly
    tailored, and provided that “[t]he video may not be used for any purpose from five seconds
    prior to the lights going on at the time that the defendant was stopped getting out of the car
    until she was taken away via the arrest.” Notably, the court also clearly specified that any
    driving or actions of defendant prior to the start of the recording were admissible, as were
    any of her actions after she was placed under arrest.
    ¶ 44        Accordingly, under the court’s ruling, Officer Gaske was not barred from testifying;
    rather, his testimony was limited to observations regarding events other than those captured
    on the purged recording. Thus, the State could have questioned Officer Gaske concerning any
    erratic driving on the part of defendant prior to her being stopped. Gaske could also have
    been questioned about defendant’s behavior after he deactivated the lights and placed her in
    his squad car to transport her back to the police station, which occurred immediately after
    defendant performed the field sobriety tests. Gaske could have offered any observations of
    indications of intoxication at that time, including whether defendant exhibited bloodshot and
    glassy eyes, slurred speech or an odor of alcohol. He also could have testified to any
    problems with balance or dexterity defendant may have had as she arrived at the police
    station for processing. Thus, contrary to the State’s assertion that the court’s sanction
    “removed all possible proof that defendant had been driving under the influence of alcohol,”
    the State could have questioned Gaske on any of these points. It declined to do so.
    ¶ 45        As stated, the authority to impose reasonable sanctions for discovery violations lies
    within the sound discretion of the trial court. Here, the court properly exercised its discretion
    in choosing from the spectrum of available options and narrowly tailoring its sanction to bar
    the State from introducing testimony regarding what was contained in the video recording.
    Contrary to the State’s assertion that the sanction was disproportionate to the discovery
    violation because it “excluded all evidence that defendant was guilty beyond a reasonable
    doubt,” the record establishes that the State made the conscious decision not to participate
    in the trial and to forgo the opportunities available to present evidence apart from that which
    was barred under the sanction.
    ¶ 46        Accordingly, we hold that the trial court did not abuse its discretion in imposing this
    sanction against the State. We therefore affirm the sanction order entered by the trial court
    against the State. We remand this cause to the trial court for further proceedings on the
    State’s prosecution of defendant’s misdemeanor DUI case.
    ¶ 47                                     CONCLUSION
    ¶ 48      For the foregoing reasons, the judgment of the appellate court is affirmed. This cause is
    remanded to the circuit court for further proceedings consistent with this opinion.
    -10-
    ¶ 49   Affirmed;
    ¶ 50   cause remanded.
    -11-
    

Document Info

Docket Number: 110920

Citation Numbers: 2011 IL 110920

Filed Date: 12/30/2011

Precedential Status: Precedential

Modified Date: 3/3/2020

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People v. Tsiamas , 2015 IL App (2d) 140859 ( 2015 )

People v. Cielak , 2016 IL App (2d) 150944 ( 2017 )

Willis v. Macon County State's Attorney , 2016 IL App (4th) 150480 ( 2017 )

People v. Smith , 2014 IL App (1st) 103436 ( 2014 )

People v. Althoff , 2020 IL App (2d) 180993 ( 2020 )

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