People v. Sophanavong
People v. Sophanavong
Opinion
*105 ¶ 1 Pursuant to a fully-negotiated plea agreement, defendant, Phouvone V. Sophanavong, pled guilty to first degree murder ( 720 ILCS 5/9-1(a)(3) (West 2012) ) and was sentenced to 55 years in prison. Defendant filed a second amended motion to withdraw his guilty plea, alleging that his plea was not knowingly, understandingly, and voluntarily made and that he had been denied effective assistance of counsel at the time of the plea. Following a hearing, the trial court denied defendant's motion. Defendant appeals, arguing that the trial court's acceptance of the plea agreement *518 *106 was improper because the trial court did not have before it at the time a presentence investigation or any information regarding the dispositions that defendant received on his prior convictions as required by section 5-3-1 of the Unified Code of Corrections (Code) ( 730 ILCS 5/5-3-1 (West 2012) ). We agree with defendant. We, therefore, vacate defendant's sentence and remand for a new sentencing hearing in strict compliance with section 5-3-1 of the Code.
¶ 2 FACTS
¶ 3 In December 2013, defendant was charged by indictment with three counts of first degree murder, one count of aggravated kidnapping, and one count of violation of an order of protection for the November 2013 kidnapping and shooting death of his estranged wife.
¶ 4 In April 2014, pursuant to a fully negotiated plea agreement, defendant pled guilty to one count of first degree murder and was sentenced to 55 years in prison (30 years for murder plus a 25-year sentencing enhancement for personally discharging a firearm during the offense that proximately caused the victim's death). Pursuant to the terms of the plea agreement, the State nol prossed the remaining charges and agreed not to file certain other charges. During the plea hearing, the State provided a factual basis for the plea and defense counsel confirmed that the State's rendition of the facts was consistent with the discovery that defense counsel had received. The trial court found that a factual basis existed for the plea and that the plea was knowingly and voluntarily made. The trial court inquired as to defendant's criminal history. The State informed the trial court that defendant had previously been convicted of manufacture or delivery of cannabis, a Class 1 felony, in a 2004 Tazewell County case and that defendant had also been convicted of a speeding offense and of a seatbelt offense. The State did not, however, report to the trial court the disposition on any of defendant's prior offenses. Upon inquiry, the parties informed the trial court that they were waiving a presentence investigation report (PSI). The trial court accepted the plea agreement and entered the agreed upon conviction and sentence.
¶ 5 The following month, in May 2014, defendant filed a pro se motion to withdraw his guilty plea and raised, among other things, claims of ineffective assistance of counsel. Defendant did not raise, however, any claim regarding the waiver of a PSI or as to the lack of a disposition history for defendant's prior criminal offenses at the time of the plea. After inquiring into defendant's pro se claims of ineffective assistance of counsel, the trial court appointed new defense counsel (post-plea counsel) to represent defendant in the proceedings on the motion.
¶ 6 In October 2014, post-plea counsel filed an amended motion to withdraw guilty plea. In the amended motion, post-plea counsel alleged that defendant's plea was not knowingly, understandingly, and voluntarily made for various reasons and that defendant had been denied effective assistance of counsel at the time of the plea. In the amended motion, however, post-plea counsel did not raise any claim regarding the waiver of a PSI or as to the lack of a disposition history for defendant's prior criminal offenses at the time of the plea. The State filed a response and opposed the amended motion. After a hearing, the trial court denied defendant's amended motion to withdraw guilty plea. Defendant appealed, and this court remanded the case for compliance with Illinois Supreme Court Rule 604(d) (eff. Feb. 6, 2013).
*519 *107 People v. Sophanavong , No. 3-14-0864 (Sept. 19, 2016) (letter ruling vacating and remanding with instructions).
¶ 7 On remand, defendant was again appointed counsel (post-remand counsel). In May 2017, post-remand counsel filed a second amended motion to withdraw guilty plea. In the second amended motion, post-remand counsel again alleged that defendant's plea was not knowingly, understandingly, and voluntarily made and that defendant had been denied effective assistance of counsel at the time of the plea. No issue was raised, however, in the second amended motion regarding the waiver of a PSI or as to the lack of a disposition history for defendant's prior criminal offenses. After a hearing, the trial court denied defendant's second amended motion to withdraw guilty plea. Defendant appealed.
¶ 8 ANALYSIS
¶ 9 On appeal, defendant abandons his challenge to the trial court's ruling on his second amended motion to withdraw guilty plea and argues instead that his sentence should be vacated and the case remanded for a new sentencing hearing because the trial court failed to strictly comply with section 5-3-1 of the Code when it accepted the parties' plea agreement. More specifically, defendant asserts that vacation and remand are required under section 5-3-1 because no PSI was ordered and the trial court was not informed of the dispositions on defendant's prior criminal offenses when the trial court accepted the plea agreement and sentenced defendant.
¶ 10 The State argues that the trial court properly accepted defendant's fully negotiated guilty plea and that defendant's assertion on appeal should be rejected. In support of that argument, the State asserts first that because defendant's negotiated guilty plea is still in effect, defendant has no ability to challenge his sentence on appeal. The State makes that assertion based upon the decision in
People v. Haywood
,
¶ 11 The issue in this case centers around section 5-3-1 of the Code, which states that:
"A defendant shall not be sentenced for a felony before a written presentence report of investigation is presented to and considered by the court.
However, other than for felony sex offenders being considered for probation, the court need not order a presentence report of investigation where both parties agree to the imposition of a specific sentence, provided there is a finding made for the record as to the defendant's history of delinquency or criminality, including any previous sentence to a term of probation, periodic imprisonment, conditional discharge, or imprisonment.
The court may order a presentence investigation of any defendant." 730 ILCS 5/5-3-1 (West 2012).
*520
*108
Whether the trial court has complied with section 5-3-1 of the Code is a question of law that is subject to
de novo
review on appeal.
People v. Walton
,
¶ 12 The PSI requirement contained in section 5-3-1 is a mandatory legislative requirement that cannot be waived except as provided for in the statute.
People v. Youngbey
,
¶ 13 When the trial court is presented with a negotiated plea for an agreed-upon sentence, section 5-3-1 of the Code requires that the trial court be aware of the history of the defendant's criminality and delinquency in determining whether to accept the negotiated plea.
People v. Bryant
,
¶ 14 In the present case, there can be no dispute that the trial court did not strictly comply with section 5-3-1 of the Code when it accepted the fully negotiated plea agreement. See
Youngbey
,
¶ 15 CONCLUSION
¶ 16 For the foregoing reasons, we vacate defendant's sentence and remand for further proceedings consistent with this ruling.
¶ 17 Sentence vacated; cause remanded.
Justice McDade concurred in the judgment and opinion.
Justice Schmidt dissented, with opinion.
¶ 18 JUSTICE SCHMIDT, dissenting:
¶ 19 I agree with the First District's opinion in
Haywood
.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- The PEOPLE of the State of Illinois, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. Phouvone v. SOPHANAVONG, Defendant-Appellant.
- Cited By
- 1 case
- Status
- Unpublished