State v. Swigert, Unpublished Decision (3-31-1999)
State v. Swigert, Unpublished Decision (3-31-1999)
Opinion of the Court
Appellant Robert Swigert appeals a judgment of the Coshocton County Common Pleas Court finding him to be a sexual predator pursuant to R.C.
ASSIGNMENTS OF ERROR
II. O.R.C.I. THE COURT'S DECISION VIOLATES THE OHIO FEDERAL CONSTITUTIONS BY LABELING THE DEFENDANT AS A SEXUAL PREDATOR AND SUBJECTING HIM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF O.R.C. 2950.
III. THE DECISION OF THE TRIAL COURT IS AGAINST THE MANIFEST WEIGHT OF THE EVIDENCE.
In 1983, appellant was cited by the Coshocton County Grand Jury with two counts of rape and ten counts of compelling prostitution. On July 28, 1983, appellant pled guilty to three counts of compelling prostitution and one count of engaging in sexual conduct.
Following a recommendation by the warden of the penial institution where appellant was serving his sentence, the court conducted a hearing to determine whether appellant should be classified as a sexual predator as defined in newly enacted R.C. Chapter 2950. The court conducted a hearing, and determined that appellant was a sexual predator.
The first assignment of error is overruled.
R.C.
Although the court held a hearing in the instant case, the court did not take evidence at that hearing. Rather, the court based his finding on the statements and arguments before him at sentencing in 1983. Because the judge was the same judge who sentenced appellant, he concluded based on information from sentencing, and the recommendation from the Department of Corrections, that appellant was in fact a sexual predator.
The state of record in the instant case does not give the court any evidence to review. The court does not in his judgment entry set forth specific findings based on the statutory factors, nor does he state on the record what he relied on in making the sexual predator determination. As the court did not conduct a proper evidentiary hearing as required by the statute, the third assignment of error is sustained.
The judgment of the Coshocton County Common Pleas Court is reversed. This case is remanded to that court with instructions to conduct an evidentiary hearing on the issue of appellant's classification.
By Gwin, P.J., Farmer, J., and Edwards, J., concur
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For the reasons stated in the Memorandum-Opinion on file, the judgment of the Coshocton County Common Pleas Court is reversed. This case is remanded to that court with instructions to conduct an evidentiary hearing on the issue of appellant's classification.
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