SB3625 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB103 39393 RLC 69573 b

103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2023 and 2024
SB3625

Introduced 2/9/2024, by Sen. Celina Villanueva

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

705 ILCS 405/5-401.7 new
725 ILCS 5/103-2.3 new

Amends the Juvenile Court Act of 1987 and the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963. Provides that unreliable statements to law enforcement made during a custodial interrogation conducted at a police station or other place of detention by a defendant are inadmissible at trial in any criminal court proceeding or juvenile court proceeding. Provides that in any proceeding under this provision, the prosecution shall timely disclose at least 30 days prior to any relevant evidentiary hearing or trial its intent to introduce a statement made during a custodial interrogation conducted at a police station or other place of detention by a defendant. Provides that at that time, the prosecution must disclose any electronic recordings of the statement and any documents relating to the circumstances under which the statement was obtained. Provides that when deciding a statement's reliability, a court should consider: (1) whether the details in the statement fit with the evidence known before the interrogation, especially details that describe unusual or not easily guessed facts of the crime that had not been made public; (2) whether the statement provides any new details or any new evidence not known before the interrogation that can be independently corroborated after the interrogation; (3) whether facts of the crime were disclosed to the defendant rather than elicited from the defendant; and (4) whether a court has found evidence of coercion in making a prior determination about whether the statement is voluntary. Provides that the question of the statement's admissibility is solely for the trial court.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning courts.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Juvenile Court Act of 1987 is amended by adding Section 5-401.7 as follows:

(705 ILCS 405/5-401.7 new)

Sec. 5-401.7. Inadmissibility of unreliable statements by defendants.

(a) In this Section:

"Custodial interrogation" means any interrogation (i) during which a reasonable person in the subject's position would consider himself or herself to be in custody and (ii) during which a question is asked that is reasonably likely to elicit an incriminating response.

"Place of detention" means a building or a police station that is a place of operation for a municipal police department or county sheriff department or other law enforcement agency at which persons are or may be held in detention in connection with criminal charges against those persons or allegations that those persons are delinquent minors.

(b) Unreliable statements to law enforcement made during a custodial interrogation conducted at a police station or other place of detention by a defendant are inadmissible at trial in any criminal court proceeding or juvenile court proceeding.

(c) In any proceeding under this Section, the prosecution shall timely disclose at least 30 days prior to any relevant evidentiary hearing or trial its intent to introduce a statement made during a custodial interrogation conducted at a police station or other place of detention. At that time, the prosecution must disclose any electronic recordings of the statement and any documents relating to the circumstances under which the statement was obtained.

(d) Before trial, a defendant may move to exclude a statement that is unreliable. If, in that motion, the defendant presents a prima facie case that the statement is unreliable, then a hearing shall be held. This hearing shall be separate from any hearing on the voluntariness of the statement.

(e) At a hearing, the defendant has the burden of producing some evidence that the statement is unreliable. If the defendant meets that burden, the statement is inadmissible unless the prosecution proves by a preponderance of the evidence that the statement is reliable. The defendant may choose to testify at such a hearing without waiving any trial rights against self-incrimination, but the defendant is not required to testify.

(f) When deciding a statement's reliability, a court should consider:

(1) whether the details in the statement fit with the evidence known before the interrogation, especially details that describe unusual or not easily guessed facts of the crime that had not been made public;

(2) whether the statement provides any new details or any new evidence not known before the interrogation that can be independently corroborated after the interrogation;

(3) whether facts of the crime were disclosed to the defendant rather than elicited from the defendant; and

(4) whether a court has found evidence of coercion in making a prior determination about whether the statement is voluntary.

(g) The question of the statement's admissibility is solely for the trial court.

Section 10. The Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963 is amended by adding Section 103-2.3 as follows:

(725 ILCS 5/103-2.3 new)

Sec. 103-2.3. Inadmissibility of unreliable statements by defendants.

(a) In this Section:

"Custodial interrogation" means any interrogation (i) during which a reasonable person in the subject's position would consider himself or herself to be in custody and (ii) during which a question is asked that is reasonably likely to elicit an incriminating response.

"Place of detention" means a building or a police station that is a place of operation for a municipal police department or county sheriff department or other law enforcement agency at which persons are or may be held in detention in connection with criminal charges against those persons or allegations that those persons are delinquent minors.

(b) Unreliable statements to law enforcement made during a custodial interrogation conducted at a police station or other place of detention by a defendant are inadmissible at trial in any criminal court proceeding or juvenile court proceeding.

(c) In any proceeding under this Section, the prosecution shall timely disclose at least 30 days prior to any relevant evidentiary hearing or trial its intent to introduce a statement made during a custodial interrogation conducted at a police station or other place of detention by a defendant. At that time, the prosecution must disclose any electronic recordings of the statement and any documents relating to the circumstances under which the statement was obtained.

(d) Before trial, a defendant may move to exclude a statement that is unreliable. If, in that motion, the defendant presents a prima facie case that the statement is unreliable, then a hearing shall be held. This hearing shall be separate from any hearing on the voluntariness of the statement.

(e) At a hearing, the defendant has the burden of producing some evidence that the statement is unreliable. If the defendant meets that burden, the statement is inadmissible unless the prosecution proves by a preponderance of the evidence that the statement is reliable. The defendant may choose to testify at such a hearing without waiving any trial rights against self-incrimination, but the defendant is not required to testify.

(f) When deciding a statement's reliability, a court should consider:

(1) whether the details in the statement fit with the evidence known before the interrogation, especially details that describe unusual or not easily guessed facts of the crime that had not been made public;

(2) whether the statement provides any new details or any new evidence not known before the interrogation that can be independently corroborated after the interrogation;

(3) whether facts of the crime were disclosed to the defendant rather than elicited from the defendant; and (4) whether a court has found evidence of coercion in making a prior determination about whether the statement is voluntary.

(g) The question of the statement's admissibility is solely for the trial court.