People v. NealPeople v. Neal
¶ 1 Held: The appellate court affirmed defendant‘s sentence, concluding (1) the trial court did not abuse its discretion in imposing the sentence and (2) defendant was not entitled to a new sentencing hearing based on a change in the law while his motion to reconsider his sentence was pending.
¶ 2 In January 2020, defendant, Mario Neal, pleaded guilty to unlawful delivery of a controlled substance (
¶ 3 I. BACKGROUND
¶ 5 In January 2020, defendant pleaded guilty to count I of the indictment and the remaining charge was dismissed. The parties had no agreement as to defendant‘s sentence. The trial court informed defendant the offense was punishable by a sentence of 4 to 30 years’ imprisonment and he would be required to serve 2 years of MSR upon release from prison. As a factual basis, the State asserted on March 25, 2019, law enforcement officers arranged for a confidential source to purchase crack cocaine from defendant. The confidential source was searched prior to approaching defendant. Defendant came to the confidential source‘s residence. She walked out to defendant‘s car and returned to the residence with a white rock-like substance. After he was subsequently arrested, defendant stated he delivered the drugs for a drug dealer for a small amount of money. The substance delivered to the confidential source weighed 1.6 grams and tested positive for cocaine. After admonishing defendant as to his rights, the court accepted his guilty plea.
¶ 6 At the sentencing hearing in June 2020, defendant‘s mother, Joann Neal, testified defendant provided care for his father, who was seriously ill, and he did a lot of work around their house. According to Joann, defendant was a “very good father” to his 14 children, spending time with them and caring for them. Defendant also had a close relationship with his nine-year-old daughter, whose mother recently suffered an aneurism and was in a coma in a nursing home.
¶ 7 In his statement in allocution, defendant stated his family was very important to him and he was determined to help care for his father, mother, and children. Defendant also asserted he was married recently, and he wanted to be a good husband, father, and son.
¶ 8 The State noted defendant‘s criminal history included six prior felony convictions, and he had served five prior prison sentences. Additionally, three other felony charges were pending against defendant. Given defendant‘s criminal history, the State asked for a sentence of 22 years in prison.
¶ 9 Defendant argued his criminal history consisted primarily of “property crimes, issues with interpersonal relations, [and] for violation of driving privileges.” Although he had a history of substance abuse, this was his first drug offense conviction. Defendant contended his rehabilitative potential based on his remorse and his dedication to becoming a positive influence weighed in favor of probation or, alternatively, a lesser term of eight years’ imprisonment.
¶ 10 The trial court cited defendant‘s criminal history and the need for deterrence as factors in aggravation. In mitigation, the court noted defendant‘s conduct did not cause or threaten serious physical harm and he took responsibility for his actions by pleading guilty. The court found defendant posed a significant risk to the community that outweighed the risk of harm to his family due to his incarceration. Weighing all the factors, the court sentenced defendant to 15 years in prison followed by 2 years of MSR.
¶ 11 Defendant filed a motion to reconsider his sentence, which the trial court denied. On appeal, the Second District entered an order vacating the judgment and remanding for compliance with
¶ 12 This appeal followed.
¶ 13 II. ANALYSIS
¶ 14 On appeal, defendant argues the trial court abused its discretion in imposing his sentence. Defendant also contends his two-year MSR term should be reduced to one year based on the application of a statutory amendment enacted after he was sentenced but before the court denied his motion to reconsider his sentence.
¶ 15 A. Excessive-Sentence Claim
¶ 16 Defendant acknowledges the offense in this case was punishable by an extended-term of 4 to 30 years in prison but contends the 15-year sentence imposed by the trial court was excessive. Defendant argues the court failed to adequately consider his remorse as expressed in his statement in allocution and his guilty plea, his significant rehabilitative potential, the hardship on his family due to the lengthy term of imprisonment, and that his offense was not a crime of violence.
¶ 17 The sentence imposed by the trial court will not be reversed on appeal absent an abuse of discretion. People v. McGuire, 2017 IL App (4th) 150695, ¶ 38. “A sentence within statutory limits will not be deemed excessive and an abuse of the court‘s discretion unless it is ‘greatly at variance with the spirit and purpose of the law or manifestly disproportionate to the nature of the offense.‘” People v. Pina, 2019 IL App (4th) 170614, ¶ 20 (quoting People v. Fern, 189 Ill. 2d 48, 54 (1999)). The trial court‘s sentencing decision is entitled to great deference because, “having observed the
¶ 18 Although the trial court was not required to expressly outline every factor it considered in sentencing defendant (People v. Harris, 2015 IL App (4th) 140696, ¶ 57), the court expressly stated it considered defendant‘s guilty plea as a mitigating factor weighing on his potential for rehabilitation. The court also noted the offense did not cause or threaten serious physical harm. The court found any hardship imposed on defendant‘s family by his incarceration was outweighed by the significant risk defendant posed to the community. Thus, the court expressly considered many of the factors highlighted in defendant‘s argument. Ultimately, the court found it could not ignore the effect of defendant‘s extensive criminal history on his prospects for rehabilitation and sentenced him to 15 years’ imprisonment.
¶ 19 Defendant essentially asks this court to reweigh the sentencing factors, claiming a sentence closer to the statutory minimum “would be a more appropriate disposition” given the mitigating factors in this case. As noted, however, the reviewing court‘s role is not to reweigh the sentencing factors or substitute its judgment for that of the trial court. Klein, 2022 IL App (4th) 200599, ¶ 37. Instead, a reviewing court only considers whether the trial court‘s sentence is an abuse of discretion. McGuire, 2017 IL App (4th) 150695, ¶ 38. A review of the record shows the
¶ 20 B. MSR Claim
¶ 21 Defendant argues he is entitled to elect sentencing under a statutory amendment reducing the MSR term for his offense from two years to one year, applicable to “all individuals convicted on or after the effective date” of July 1, 2021 (
¶ 22 Generally, “a defendant forfeits appellate review of any sentencing issue not raised in the trial court in a written postsentencing motion.” People v. Lewis, 234 Ill. 2d 32, 42 (2009). The plain error rule permits a reviewing court to notice unpreserved errors when:
“(1) a clear or obvious error occurs 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 occurs 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. Piatkowski, 225 Ill. 2d 551, 565 (2007).
The initial step in plain error review is determining whether a clear or obvious error occurred. Id.
¶ 23 To state a valid claim of ineffective assistance of counsel, a defendant must establish (1) counsel‘s performance fell below an objective standard of reasonableness and (2) there is a reasonable probability of a different result absent counsel‘s deficient performance. People v. Dupree, 2018 IL 122307, ¶ 44 (citing Strickland v. Washington, 466 U.S. 668, 687 (1984)). A failure to satisfy either prong of the Strickland test precludes a finding of ineffective assistance of counsel. People v. Veach, 2017 IL 120649, ¶ 30. Counsel cannot be considered ineffective for failing to raise a meritless claim. People v. Rogers, 2021 IL 126163, ¶ 32.
¶ 24 Defendant cannot establish either plain error or ineffective assistance of counsel if he was not entitled to elect sentencing under the amended statute. Accordingly, we begin with whether section 5-8-1(d)(2), as amended, applies to this case. When defendant was sentenced on June 5, 2020, section 5-8-1(d)(2) of the Unified Code of Corrections (Unified Code) (
¶ 25 This court previously construed the relevant statutory language in People v. Lopez, 2023 IL App (4th) 220144-U. In Lopez, the trial court imposed a 3-year MSR term for the
¶ 26 The Lopez court further stated if the trial court had granted the defendant‘s motion to reconsider and vacated his sentence, the amended section 5-8-1 would have applied to his resentencing because a new sentence would then be imposed. Id. ¶ 37. In Lopez, however, the trial court denied the defendant‘s motion to reconsider his sentence and the original judgment remained intact. Id. The court concluded the defendant did not have the right to elect sentencing under the amended statute because he was sentenced prior to the effective date of the amendment. Id. ¶ 38.
¶ 28 Defendant, nonetheless, argues we should follow the Second District‘s reasoning in People v. Spears, 2022 IL App (2d) 210583. In that case, the appellate court considered the applicability of an amendment to section 5-4.5-95(b) of the Unified Code (
¶ 29 The reasoning in Spears is inapplicable to this case for two reasons. First, in Lopez, this court found Spears “different in kind” and distinguishable because it “concerned a procedural change regarding qualifying convictions for Class X sentencing and defendant‘s claims here relate to an amendment mitigating a sentence of MSR.” Lopez, 2023 IL App (4th) 220144-U, ¶ 43. Spears is distinguishable from this case for the same reason. Second, even if Spears could be applied here, this court has specifically rejected the analysis in that case. See People v. Brown, 2023 IL App (4th) 220400, ¶¶ 45-48. In Brown, this court addressed the same issue presented in Spears and held the judgment was pronounced when the defendant was sentenced. Id. ¶¶ 50-51.
¶ 30 In sum, we find Lopez and Broadway provide a persuasive analysis of the issue presented in this appeal. Defendant was not entitled to elect sentencing under the amended section 5-8-1(d)(2), providing a one-year MSR term, because he was sentenced on June 5, 2020, and therefore “convicted” prior to the July 1, 2021, effective date of the amended statute. The amended section 5-8-1(d)(2) does not apply to this case. Defendant has not established a clear or obvious error occurred in failing to apply the amended sentencing statute, as required for review under the plain error rule. Likewise, defendant cannot establish his alternative claim of ineffective assistance of counsel because counsel cannot be found deficient for not raising a meritless claim requesting sentencing under the inapplicable amended sentencing statute.
¶ 31 III. CONCLUSION
¶ 32 For the reasons stated, we affirm the trial court‘s judgment.
¶ 33 Affirmed.