Find Legal Information

People v. Maggette, No. 4-98-0989

4th District, 26 January 2000

JUSTICE GARMAN delivered the opinion of the court:

Defendant Joseph Maggette was charged in the circuit court of Adams County with two counts of criminal sexual assault, two counts of criminal sexual abuse, and one count of residential burglary. 720 ILCS 5/12-13(a)(2), 12-15(a)(2), 19-3(a) (West 1996). The offenses were allegedly committed on or about June 4, 1998. Following a bench trial, defendant was convicted on both counts of criminal sexual assault, one count of criminal sexual abuse, and the count of residential burglary. The trial court sentenced defendant on the criminal sexual assault and residential burglary convictions to a total of 30 years in prison, with all sentences to run consecutively. Defendant appeals, challenging the sufficiency of the amended information and the sufficiency of the evidence. We affirm in part and reverse in part.

I. BACKGROUND

Counts I and V of the amended information charged defendant with criminal sexual assault. Count I alleged that defendant, knowing that the victim, G.J.S., was unable to give knowing consent, knowingly committed an act of sexual penetration with her, in that he placed the hand of G.J.S. on his penis. 720 ILCS 5/12-13(a)(2) (West 1996).

Count V alleged that defendant, knowing that G.J.S. was unable to give knowing consent, knowingly committed an act of sexual penetration with her, in that he rubbed the vagina of G.J.S. through her clothing with his finger. 720 ILCS 5/12-13(a)(2) (West 1996).

Counts II and III charged defendant with criminal sexual abuse (720 ILCS 5/12-15(a)(2) (West 1996)). Count II alleged that defendant, knowing that G.J.S. was unable to give knowing consent, committed an act of sexual conduct with her, in that he knowingly fondled the breasts of G.J.S. for the purpose of his sexual arousal. Count III alleged that defendant fondled the vagina of G.J.S. through her clothing for the purpose of his sexual arousal.

Count IV charged defendant with residential burglary, in that he knowingly and without authority entered the dwelling place of L.F. with the intent to commit therein the offense of criminal sexual assault. 720 ILCS 5/19-3(a) (West 1996).

The cause proceeded to a bench trial on October 23, 1998. G.J.S. testified that in June 1998, she worked as a housekeeper at the Hotel Elkton (Elkton), where defendant resided. G.J.S. had seen defendant before when he worked at Quincy Recycle and he would wave or speak to her or her husband. During the time defendant lived at the Elkton, he followed G.J.S. around the hotel while she was working, asking questions about her and expressing an interest in having "more than a friendship relationship" with her. G.J.S. told defendant from the beginning that she could only offer him friendship. He told her that he wanted to have an affair with her. G.J.S. repeatedly told defendant that she was married and intended to be faithful to her husband and that she did not want to have an affair with him.

G.J.S. testified that on the afternoon of June 3, 1998, she went to the apartment of her friend, L.F. They were making plans to celebrate the twenty-first birthday of L.F.'s son with ice cream and cake. While G.J.S. was there, defendant came to the apartment and was allowed inside. L.F.'s son failed to show up and G.J.S. and L.F. made plans to go out for a "ladies night." Defendant was not invited to go with them. G.J.S. went home and returned to L.F.'s apartment around 7:30 p.m., with a bowl of chili to eat later for supper.

G.J.S., L.F., and two of their friends went to a tavern called the Branding Iron. G.J.S. did not see defendant there. She drank two beers and one or two mixed drinks. They left and went to another tavern called the Oasis. She drank more beer there. Again, she did not see defendant. She stayed at the Oasis for approximately two hours. She and her friends were planning to go to another tavern called Port's Place, located two buildings away from the Elkton. However, because G.J.S. was tired, she decided to go back to L.F.'s apartment, get something to eat, and then return to Port's Place. L.F. gave G.J.S. the key to her apartment, and G.J.S. let herself into the apartment. She did not recall locking the door. She decided to lie down first and rest before fixing something to eat. She fell asleep.

G.J.S. thought she was dreaming about being with her husband when she felt someone kissing her and sucking her breast. She felt herself being caressed in her vaginal area and her hand rubbing a penis. The first time G.J.S. saw defendant, he was "laying over" her and his hand was on her vagina, his penis was out and her hand was on it. Defendant's other hand was taking her hand and rubbing it on his penis. G.J.S. was wearing a jumpsuit that zipped and buttoned all the way down the front of the suit. Both the zipper and the buttons were undone. Her bra was pulled up over her breasts. Her panties were still on and defendant was rubbing her vagina over her panties. G.J.S. shouted at defendant and ordered him to leave the apartment. After defendant left, G.J.S. locked the apartment door, went into the bathroom, locked that door, undressed, and bathed herself repeatedly. Defendant called the apartment wanting to talk to her and G.J.S. hung up on him. Later, he knocked on the door, but she ignored him and stayed in the bathroom. L.F. came back to the apartment and found G.J.S. crying in the bathroom. At no time did G.J.S. give defendant permission to touch her in any way. She continued working at the Elkton for a while after the incident, but she eventually quit because it was too stressful being there.

On cross-examination, G.J.S. testified that she felt defendant's fingers caressing her vaginal area over her jumpsuit, and both over and underneath her underwear.

L.F. testified that she saw defendant sitting at the bar while she and G.J.S. were at the Branding Iron. She did not see defendant at the Oasis. L.F. drank only a glass and a half of beer during the evening. She was not intoxicated at all. G.J.S. was "well bent."

While L.F. was in Port's Place, defendant approached her and asked G.J.S.' location. L.F. told him G.J.S. was in her apartment and she should be back soon. Defendant said he was going to call G.J.S. L.F. did not give defendant permission to enter her apartment. Defendant later returned to Port's Place and L.F. asked him where G.J.S. was. He said she was in the apartment. L.F. decided to check on G.J.S. She knocked on the door of her apartment, but G.J.S. would not let her in. L.F. obtained a spare key and went inside. G.J.S. was locked in the bathroom and L.F. had difficulty talking her into opening the door. When G.J.S. did open the door, L.F. saw that G.J.S. was upset and crying. Her clothes were unzipped and she was washing her hands and cleaning herself off. She had lipstick smeared on her. She was shaking as L.F. got her out into the living room. They went back to Port's Place and defendant was still there. L.F. "was going after him," but some of her friends restrained her. She shouted out what defendant had done to G.J.S., and defendant said he did not do it and he did not know what L.F. was talking about.

Bryan Dusch, investigator from the Quincy police department, testified that he interviewed G.J.S. and defendant. Defendant stated he saw L.F. at Port's Place about 1:45 a.m.; he had just gotten off work at Ruby Tuesdays at 1:30 a.m. He stayed at Port's Place for 10 or 15 minutes, then left and went to his apartment to go to bed. Defendant stated he did not go back to Port's Place that same night. He admitted knowing G.J.S. and said the last time he spoke with her was at L.F.'s apartment at 3 p.m. on June 3. Defendant said that when he saw L.F. in Port's Place, he asked where G.J.S. was and L.F. said she was in L.F.'s apartment and that she was intoxicated. Defendant initially stated that L.F. told him at Port's Place to "leave her alone and not come to her door anymore and also to again leave her alone or she would have him arrested." Defendant denied knowing why L.F. was upset with him.

Defendant at first told Dusch that he left Port's Place to speak to some friends outside. He later said he had seen G.J.S. at L.F.'s apartment, they talked for a short while, and he left and went to his own apartment. He knocked on the door of L.F.'s apartment and G.J.S. told him to come in. She was sitting on the couch. Initially, defendant said that G.J.S. told him she was intoxicated and sick and he left. He then said he returned to Port's Place and had the conversation with L.F. Defendant at first denied any sexual contact with G.J.S. Subsequently, he began to cry and told Dusch that he had kissed G.J.S. on the lips and neck. She told him she did not want to cheat on her husband and he left. Dusch arrested defendant following the interview.

After the State rested, defense counsel moved for a directed verdict on all five counts of the amended information. As to the criminal sexual assault counts, counsel alleged the evidence did not show a lack of knowing consent on G.J.S.' part. Counsel further argued the State was trying to enhance sexual conduct, as defined by statute, into penetration. Counsel contended that a rubbing or touching of the vagina is not penetration and counsel maintained that the State presented no evidence of penetration. The prosecutor argued that a hand is an object for purposes of sexual penetration and that, by causing G.J.S.' hand to rub his penis, defendant used her hand as an object in sexual penetration. The trial court denied the motion for directed verdict.

Defendant testified that on or about June 4, 1998, he worked at Days Inn in the morning and at Ruby Tuesdays in the evening. When he got off work at 1:30 a.m., he first went to his apartment, then decided to go to Port's Place to have a beer. He saw L.F., who was intoxicated. She told him that G.J.S. was looking for him and was at L.F.'s apartment. Defendant left Port's Place and went to L.F.'s apartment to see what G.J.S. wanted. G.J.S. answered the door when he knocked. They "touched" and G.J.S. hugged and kissed him. They sat on the couch. He could tell G.J.S. was intoxicated, because she was more affectionate than usual. As they sat there, he hugged her and kissed her neck. She rubbed between his legs and they talked. She said she found him attractive, but she cheated on her husband once before and did not want to do it again. Defendant left and went to Port's Place and stood outside with some friends as it was getting ready to close. Defendant denied undressing G.J.S. or committing the acts alleged.

On cross-examination, defendant denied that G.J.S. told him she did not want a sexual relationship with him. She had told him she did not want to cheat on her husband. However, defendant had taken her home after work several times and she would hug him before getting out of the car. For this reason, he did not interpret G.J.S.' statements about not wanting to cheat on her husband as a "no." After leaving L.F.'s apartment on June 4, 1998, he went back to Port's Place to finish the beer he had left when he went to L.F.'s apartment. L.F. left as he entered. She came back in later and started arguing and cursing at him, telling him to stay away from her and her apartment or she would have him arrested. He said okay and left.

L.F. testified in rebuttal that she was not intoxicated nor did she tell defendant in Port's Place that G.J.S. was looking for him.

G.J.S. testified in rebuttal that she did not tell L.F. or anyone else that she was looking for defendant on the night of the incident. She never hugged defendant at any time prior to June 4, 1998. She did not let defendant into L.F.'s apartment during the early morning hours of June 4. She did not voluntarily hug or kiss defendant on that occasion nor did she voluntarily touch him in any way. She was both tired and intoxicated that night.

After hearing arguments of counsel, the trial court found defendant guilty on count I (criminal sexual assault), count III (criminal sexual abuse), count IV (residential burglary), and count V (criminal sexual assault). The court acquitted defendant on count II (criminal sexual abuse, relating to fondling G.J.S.' breasts) because the evidence regarding that conduct came in the form of a dream G.J.S. thought she was having.

Defense counsel filed a posttrial motion in which he alleged as to the residential burglary conviction, that the evidence failed to show defendant had the requisite intent to commit criminal sexual assault when he entered L.F.'s apartment. Counsel also argued that the evidence failed to show that any sexual penetration occurred and therefore the criminal sexual assault convictions should be vacated. The trial court denied the motion. The court determined that count III (criminal sexual abuse regarding defendant's hand fondling G.J.S.' vagina) was an included offense of count V (criminal sexual assault regarding defendant's finger rubbing G.J.S.' vagina) and the judgment on count III was vacated.

On December 2, 1998, the court entered a written order of judgment and sentence, imposing prison sentences of 8 years on count I, 10 years on count IV, and 12 years on count V, all to run consecutively. This appeal followed.

II. ANALYSIS

Defendant first argues on appeal that the amended information is defective by charging him in counts I and V with the elements of criminal sexual abuse, but calling the charges criminal sexual assault. Thus, defendant argues, even if the State proved the elements contained in those counts, defendant was at most guilty of criminal sexual abuse and his convictions for criminal sexual assault cannot stand.

When the sufficiency of an indictment or information is challenged for the first time on appeal, as here, we need only determine whether the charging instrument apprised the defendant of the precise offense charged with enough specificity to prepare his defense and allow pleading a resulting conviction as a bar to future prosecution arising out of the same conduct. People v. Thingvold, 145 Ill. 2d 441, 448, 584 N.E.2d 89, 91 (1991). To prevail on a challenge to the sufficiency of a charging instrument raised for the first time on appeal, the defendant must show that the defect actually prejudiced him in preparation of his defense. Thingvold, 145 Ill. 2d at 448, 584 N.E.2d at 91.

Section 12-12(e) of the Criminal Code of 1961 (Criminal Code) (720 ILCS 5/12-12(e) (West 1996)) defines the term "sexual conduct" as:

"any intentional or knowing touching or fondling by the victim or the accused, either directly or through clothing, of the sex organs, anus[,] or breast of the victim or the accused, or any part of the body of a child under 13 years of age, for the purpose of sexual gratification or arousal of the victim or the accused."

The term "sexual penetration" is defined by section 12-12(f) of the Criminal Code (720 ILCS 5/12-12(f) (West 1996)) as follows:

"any contact, however slight, between the sex organ or anus of one person by an object, the sex organ, mouth[,] or anus of another person, or any intrusion, however slight, of any part of the body of one person or of any animal or object into the sex organ or anus of another person, including but not limited to cunnilingus, fellatio[,] or anal penetration." (Emphasis added.)

The legislature amended section 12-12(f) of the Criminal Code in Public Act 88-167 (Pub. Act 88-167,