State v. Justice, Unpublished Decision (12-3-1998)
State v. Justice, Unpublished Decision (12-3-1998)
Opinion of the Court
ASSIGNMENTS OF ERROR
I. THE TRIAL COURT WAS WITHOUT AUTHORITY TO MODIFY MR. JUSTICE'S PROBATION AND ORDER MR. JUSTICE TO ATTEND ANGER MANAGEMENT COUNSELING AT THE DOVE PROGRAM AS OPPOSED TO MID-OHIO OR NEW HORIZON COUNSELING CENTER.
II. THE TRIAL COURT ERRED BY ORDERING MR. JUSTICE TO ATTEND ANGER MANAGEMENT COUNSELING THROUGH THE DOVE PROGRAM, AN ORGANIZATION SPONSORED BY THE LUTHERAN CHURCH IS A [SIC] VIOLATION OF MR. JUSTICE'S FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS TO RELIGIOUS FREEDOM AND A VIOLATION OF THE SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE.
In 1996, appellant was convicted of aggravated menacing, and sentenced to a suspended jail sentence, on condition of two years good behavior and attendance at an anger management counseling program. The court permitted appellant to choose between New Horizons and Mid-Ohio counseling programs. Sometime thereafter, appellant was convicted in another case for domestic violence, but this court later reversed his conviction. The State of Ohio argued appellant's conviction in a collateral domestic violence case, constituted a parole violation in the instant case. After a hearing, the trial court imposed ten days of appellant's previous jail sentence, and suspended the remaining time contingent on his further good behavior. The court directed appellant to attend an anger management counseling program called the Dove program, rather than New Horizons or Mid-Ohio.
Appellant cites State v. Boone (February 3, 1995), Greene County App. No. 94CA61, unreported, as authority for the proposition a trial court has no jurisdiction to impose a new condition of probation during the term of the probation without first holding a hearing and revoking the existing probation. Appellee points out the trial court did conduct a full hearing, and actually did revoke appellant's probation. R.C.
We find the trial court was authorized by R.C.
In State v. Jones (1990),
Appellant testified in the revocation hearing he objected to religious icons physically present in the room where the meetings were held, and also objected to the director's voice mail, which said "God Bless You". Appellant testified there was "quite a bit of that", and he did not feel comfortable with it.
As the State points out, appellant did not allege he was required to participate in any particular religious activity but merely observed certain religious symbols in the building where the counseling sessions were held. We agree with the trial court this does not constitute a violation of appellant's First Amendment rights.
The second assignment of error is overruled.
For the foregoing reasons, the judgment the Municipal Court of Lancaster, Fairfield County, Ohio, is affirmed, and the cause is remanded to that court for execution of sentence.
By Gwin, P.J., Hoffman J., and Wise, J., concur.
For the reasons stated in the Memorandum-Opinion on file, the judgment of the Municipal Court of Lancaster, Fairfield County, Ohio, is affirmed, and the cause is remanded to that court for execution of sentence. Costs to appellant.
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