People v. Fields

Illinois Supreme Court
Criminal Court
Conflict of Interest
Citation
Case Number: 
2012 IL 112438
Decision Date: 
Thursday, September 20, 2012
District: 
3d Dist.
Division/County: 
Rock Island Co.
Holding: 
Appellate court reversed; circuit court affirmed.
Justice: 
THOMAS
Attorney's representation as GAL of prior victim of aggravated criminal sexual abuse, of which Defendant was convicted, had ended three to four years prior to his representation of Defendant in present case, where Defendant was convicted of multiple sex offenses against his stepdaughter. Thus, Defendant's attorney did not contemporaneously represent prior victim and Defendant, and thus there was no per se conflict of interest. (KILBRIDE, FREEMAN, GARMAN, KARMEIER, BURKE, and THEIS, concurring.)