State v. Lassiter, Unpublished Decision (7-22-1999)
State v. Lassiter, Unpublished Decision (7-22-1999)
Opinion of the Court
Appellant, Paul Lassiter, contends that his conviction for menace by stalking (R.C.
On July 21, 1997, Lassiter was arrested by the North Olmsted police and charged with a single count of menacing by stalking, R.C.
9-11-97 DEF IN COURT PRO SE FOR JURY TRIAL. RT TO COUN WVD. JURY IMPANELED SWORN. 9-12-97 JURY TRIAL COMMENCED. VERDICT RETURNED. DEF FOUND GUILTY. $500 FC. 180 DAYS TN JAIL WITH 120 SUSPENDED, DEF IS CONDITIONED ON 3 YRS ACTIVE PROBATION CONDITIONAL UPON:
1) OBEY ALL LAWS AND ORDINANCES
2) REPORT TO PROBATION OFFICER AS DIRECTED FOLLOW ALL RECOMMENDATIONS INCLUDING ANY SHE MAKES RE: BATTERER'S COUNSELING, ANGER MANAGEMENT COUNSELING APPROPRIATE FOR STALKING BEHAVIOR
3) NO CONTACT W/LAURIE BALOG OR ANY MEMBERS OF HER FAMILY INCLUDING BY TELEPHONE, IN WRITING OR BY ANY OTHER MEANS INCLUDING NO CONTACT THROUGH 3D PARTY; NO CONTACT AT HER RESIDENCE AT ANY PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT; NOT TO COME WITHIN 100 YARDS OF HER RESIDENCE /OR PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT
4) PAY FC NO LATER THAN 10-3-97 BY 4PM
DEF TO CONTACT PROBATION OFFICER FIRST BUSINESS DAY FOLLOWING RELEASE FROM JAIL.
Lassiter's two assignments of error are interrelated in both law and fact and will thus be treated together. They state:
I. DEFENDANT HAS BEEN PREJUDICED IN THAT HIS RIGHT TO APPEAL HIS CONVICTION HAS BEEN ADVERSELY AFFECTED BY THE FACT THAT THE TRIAL COURT WAS UNABLE TO PROVIDE A COMPLETE AND ACCURATE TRANSCRIPT OF THE PROCEEDINGS.
II. THE TRIAL COURT ERRED IN IMPOSING A SENTENCE OF CONFINEMENT UPON DEFENDANT WITHOUT THE PRESENCE OF COUNSEL.
Crim.R. 44 provides in pertinent part:
(B) Counsel in petty offenses. Where a defendant charged with a petty offense is unable to obtain counsel, the court may assign counsel to represent him. When a defendant charged with a petty offense is unable to obtain counsel, no sentence of confinement may be imposed upon him, unless after being fully advised by the court, he knowingly, intelligently, and voluntarily waives assignment of counsel.
(C) Waiver of counsel. Waiver of counsel shall be in open court and the advice and waiver shall be recorded as provided in Rule 22. In addition, in serious offense cases the waiver shall be in writing.
Crim.R. 22 provides in pertinent part, that:
In petty offense cases all waivers of counsel by Rule 44 (B) shall be recorded, and if requested by any party all proceedings shall be recorded.
The Sixth Amendment right to counsel extends to misdemeanor cases which could result in the imposition of a jail sentence.City of Garfield Heights v. Brewer (1984),
Generally, when an appellant fails to provide a transcript of the proceedings, and the purported error is not revealed in the record, the appellant cannot prevail. State v. Brewer, supra. The city admits the audio tapes from the September 4, 1997 hearing/conference "were evidently separated from the jury trial tapes and cannot be located." The failure to provide this court with the transcript cannot be attributed to Lassiter. If the waiver form purportedly signed by Lassiter was, indeed, part of the record, the city must still provide evidence of procedural compliance. "Regardless, a written waiver of counsel is not a substitute for compliance with the Criminal Rules which require an oral waiver in open court before a judge which is recorded."State v. Brewer; Cuyahoga Falls v. Simich, supra.
In the instant case, the record does not contain either a written waiver of counsel, signed by Lassiter, or the transcript of the tape recorded session where, the city claims, Lassiter waived his right to counsel orally. Since the record is incomplete, and it is impossible to determine whether Lassiter knowingly, voluntarily, and intelligently waived his right to counsel, the city has failed to rebut the presumption against a waiver, and its burden of compliance with the criminal rules. The city contends that Lassiter has no right to appeal because he paid the fine and served the sentence. It claims that absent evidence of some collateral legal disability or loss of civil rights by Lassiter, arising out of this conviction, any error is moot. State v. Wilson (1975),
The city's contention is unfounded as Lassiter was placed on three years active probation and is subject to what appears to be a permanent no contact order. He has not completed his sentence. Accordingly, Lassiter's assignments of error are found to have merit and are sustained. The conviction and sentence are reversed and vacated, and the case is remanded for further proceedings in accordance with this opinion.
Judgment reversed and remanded.
It is ordered that appellant recover of appellee his costs herein taxed.
The Court finds there were reasonable grounds for this appeal. It is ordered that a special mandate issue out of this Court directing the Rocky River Municipal Court to carry this judgment into execution.
A certified copy of this entry shall constitute the mandate pursuant to Rule 27 of the Rules of Appellate Procedure.
TIMOTHY E. McMONAGLE, J., CONCURS; ANN DYKE, PRESIDING JUDGECONCURRING AND DISSENTING IN PART (SEE ATTACHED OPINION).
______________________ JUDGE ANNE L. KILBANE
Dissenting Opinion
I concur with the majority in part. The record is insufficient to demonstrate that appellant knowingly, intelligently and voluntarily waived his right to counsel. I respectfully dissent in part because only the sentence of imprisonment must be vacated. See State v. Haag (1976),
Accordingly, I would reverse the sentence of imprisonment and otherwise affirm.
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