In the Matter of Paskins, Unpublished Decision (8-3-1998)
In the Matter of Paskins, Unpublished Decision (8-3-1998)
Opinion of the Court
ASSIGNMENTS OF ERROR:
I. THE TRIAL COURT IMPROPERLY ORDERED THE JUVENILE INTO DETENTION AS A DISPOSITIONAL ALTERNATIVE. THERE WERE NO FINDINGS JUSTIFYING DETENTION UNDER OHIO REVISED CODE SECTION
2151.31 OR RULE 7 OF THE OHIO RULES OF JUVENILE PROCEDURE.II. THE EVIDENCE WAS INSUFFICIENT AS A MATTER OF LAW ON CASE NUMBER 400-DL-97. THE TRIAL COURT'S FINDING OF GUILTY ON CASE NUMBER 400-DL-97 WAS AGAINST THE MANIFEST WEIGHT OF THE EVIDENCE.
III. THE EVIDENCE WAS INSUFFICIENT AS A MATTER OF LAW ON CASE NUMBER 419-DL-97. THE TRIAL COURT'S FINDING OF GUILTY ON CASE NUMBER 419-DL-97 WAS AGAINST THE MANIFEST WEIGHT OF THE EVIDENCE.
IV. THE TRIAL COURT FAILED TO RULE UPON THE MINOR'S PRETRIAL MOTION TO COMPEL DISCOVERY WHICH AFFECTED A SUBSTANTIAL RIGHT OF THE JUVENILE.
Steve "Skip" Gamble was driving a friend, Chad Kerns, who was wearing a wire in an attempt to assist the Lancaster Police Department. Skip had received a stereo from appellant's brother, Mike Paskins, and was afraid it was stolen. After Chad was wired at the police department, they drove to appellant's house, where they picked up appellant, his brother, and another individual.
After a few minutes, Skip did not want appellant and the others in his vehicle, as appellant's brother and the other person were making threats. Skip repeatedly asked them to leave the vehicle, and appellant and the others refused to leave. Skip felt that his personal safety was threatened, and so he drove to Chad's parent's house. Chad's father came out, and asked appellant and his companions to get out of the car.
When Chad's father asked them to leave, appellant and his friends began swearing and throwing things out of the car. Someone used a key to scratch the side of the car.
The police arrived at the scene, and asked appellant several times to exit the vehicle. Appellant refused. He was screaming, swearing, and had to be pulled out of the car by the officers. When they were finally able to get appellant out of the car, he was fighting, kicking, and screaming.
On another day shortly after this incident, Skip was attempting to drive away from appellant and his brothers, when appellant began kicking the car. He was yelling, although Skip could not hear what he was saying. Appellant and his brothers tried to get in Gamble's car, but Gamble was able to prevent them by stepping on the gas pedal. Appellant kicked the left side passenger door, and the fenders. The vehicle was damaged to the extent that it required repair.
In Case No. 400-DL-97, appellant was charged with two counts of Menacing, one count of Criminal Damaging, and one count of Disorderly Conduct. In Case No. 419-DL-97, appellant was charged with one count of Disorderly Conduct and one count of Obstructing Official Business. Following trial in the Fairfield County Juvenile Court, appellant was found delinquent on all charges.
The first Assignment of Error is overruled.
Sufficiency of the evidence and weight of the evidence are not synonymous legal concepts. State vs. Thompkins (1997),
Weight of the evidence concerns the greater amount of credible evidence to support one side of the issue rather than the other. Id. The court, reviewing the record, weighs the evidence and all reasonable inferences, considers the credibility of witnesses, and determines whether in resolving conflicts in the evidence, the trier of fact clearly lost its way and created a manifest miscarriage of justice. Id. The double jeopardy clause does not preclude retrial of a defendant if the reversal is grounded upon a finding that a conviction is against the weight of the evidence. Id.
Appellant was charged with two counts of Menacing: one occurring on April 29, 1997, and one occurring on April 30, 1997. The alleged victim in both cases was Skip Gamble. R.C.
As for the charge of Menacing for the incident occurring on April 30, Gamble testified that appellant, his brother, and another person attempted to get into the car. He prevented this by rolling up his windows and stepping on the gas. He testified that appellant began kicking the car. He testified that appellant appeared to be angry about something, but he could not hear what he was saying. Gamble testified that he did not stick around long enough for find out what appellant was angry about, and he was not sure if they were angry with him or with Chad. This evidence is legally sufficient to demonstrate that appellant knowingly caused Gamble to believe that he would cause harm to Gamble or to his property on April 30.
R.C.
In Case No. 400-DL-97, appellant was charged with Disorderly Conduct for the incident occurring on April 30. There is sufficient evidence to support the finding that appellant recklessly caused inconvenience, annoyance, or alarm to Gamble. There is evidence that appellant was kicking the car, attempting to get into the car without Gamble's permission, and yelling. The finding of delinquency by reason of Disorderly Conduct is not against the manifest weight of the evidence.
Finally, appellant argues as to all the charges involving Gamble, that Gamble's testimony is not credible. He points to Gamble's extensive criminal record in support of this claim. As noted by the trial court, Gamble "may be a liar," but the court believed that in the instant case, Gamble's testimony made more sense than appellant's testimony. Tr. 157-158. The Judge was in a better position to judge the credibility of witnesses than this court.
The second Assignment of Error is sustained as to one of the findings of delinquency by reason of Menacing. The Assignment of Error is overruled as to the remaining charges.
The complaint first alleged that appellant was delinquent by reason of Disorderly Conduct for the incident occurring on April 29. This finding is supported by ample evidence. Both Gamble and the police officers testified that appellant refused to leave the vehicle. When asked to leave, he began swearing, kicking, fighting, and told the officers to "fuck off." He had to be forcibly removed from the vehicle.
The evidence was also sufficient to find that he was delinquent by reason of Obstructing of Official Business. R.C.
The third Assignment of Error is overruled.
The record does not demonstrate that appellant was prejudiced in any way by a failure of the State to provide discovery. Further, the record does not demonstrate that the result of the hearing on the motion to compel was prejudicial to appellant.
The fourth Assignment of Error is overruled.
The judgment of the Fairfield County Juvenile Court is vacated as to the findings of delinquency on one count of Menacing. The judgment is affirmed in all other respects. This case is remanded to the Fairfield County Juvenile Court with instructions to reconsider disposition in light of our order vacating the findings of delinquency on the one count of Menacing.
By: Reader, J., Gwin, P. J. and Hoffman, J. concur.
For the reasons stated in the Memorandum-Opinion on file, the The judgment of the Fairfield County Juvenile Court is vacated as to the findings of delinquency on one count of Menacing. The judgment is affirmed in all other respects. This case is remanded to the Fairfield County Juvenile Court with instructions to reconsider disposition in light of our order vacating the findings of delinquency on the one count of Menacing. Costs to appellant.
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