State v. Burt, Unpublished Decision (10-4-2001)
State v. Burt, Unpublished Decision (10-4-2001)
Opinion of the Court
In September of 1993, the Cuyahoga County Grand Jury indicted appellant on the following charges: two counts of aggravated murder, in violation of R.C.
I. THE APPELLANT'S CONVICTION MUST BE REVERSED BECAUSE THE TRIAL COURT VIOLATED R.C.
2945.06 AND THE DICTATES OF STATE V. GREEN (1998), 81 OHIO ST.3d 100, 102-103, AND FAILED TO DEFINE PRIOR CALCULATION AND DESIGN IN VIOLATION OF OHIO LAW AND THEFOURTEENTH AMENDMENT OF THE U.S. CONSTITUTION.
In her sole assignment of error, appellant contends that the trial court erred by accepting her guilty plea without convening a three-judge panel. She argues that R.C.
In State v. Green, supra, at syllabus, the Supreme Court held: When a defendant pleads guilty to aggravated murder in a capital case, a three-judge panel is required to examine witnesses and to hear any other evidence properly presented by the prosecution in order to make a Crim.R. 11 determination as to the guilt of the defendant. Appellant relies on the following portion of R.C.
If the accused pleads guilty of aggravated murder, a court composed of three judges shall examine the witnesses, determine whether the accused is guilty of aggravated murder or any other offense, and pronounce sentence accordingly. The court shall follow the procedures contained in sections
2929.03 and2929.04 of the Revised Code in all cases in which the accused is charged with an offense punishable by death.
Neither R.C.
R.C.
2945.06 does not require an examination of witnesses, determination of guilt, and pronouncement of sentence by a three-judge court if the accused is not charged with an offense punishable by death. Ullman v. Seiter (1985),18 Ohio St.3d 59 ,479 N.E.2d 875 . In this regard, R.C.2945.06 must be construed in pari materia with Crim.R. 11(C). State v. Green (1998),81 Ohio St.3d 100 ,104 ,689 N.E.2d 556 ,559 . At the time [the defendant] pled guilty, his indictment had been amended to delete any death-penalty specification. Therefore, neither R.C.2945.06 nor Crim.R. 11(C) required an examination and determination by a three-judge panel because [the defendant] was no longer charged with an offense punishable by death at the time he entered his guilty plea. [citation omitted].
Furthermore, this court reached the same conclusion in State ex. relWright v. Griffin (July 1, 1999), Cuyahoga App. No. 76299, unreported, when the defendant argued that R.C.
Appellant also argues that the trial court violated her constitutional rights by failing to define prior calculation and design before accepting her guilty plea to aggravated murder. She asserts that the
In order for a trial court to determine that a defendant is making a plea with an understanding of the nature of the charge to which he is entering a plea, it is not always necessary that the trial court advise the defendant of the elements of the crime, or to specifically ask the defendant if he understands the charge, so long as the totality of the circumstances are such that the trial court is warranted in making a determination that the defendant understands the charge.
A review of the transcript from appellant's plea hearing demonstrates that the trial court was warranted in making a determination that appellant understood the charge of aggravated murder; therefore, we cannot conclude that the trial court violated appellant's constitutional rights by failing to define the element of prior calculation and design. Appellant's sole assignment of error has no merit.
We note that the trial court sentenced appellant to serve: 20 YEARS TO LIFE ON COUNT 1; 5 YEARS TO 25 YEARS TO RUN CONSECUTIVE. The sentencing entry does not state that the term of five to twenty-five years was for the offense of aggravated robbery set forth in Count Three; therefore, we remand this case to the trial court for the limited purpose of clarifying its sentencing entry.
Judgment affirmed, remanded for clarification.
It is ordered that appellee recover from appellant 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 Common Pleas Court to carry this judgment into execution. The defendant's conviction having been affirmed, any bail pending appeal is terminated. Case remanded to the trial court for execution of sentence.
A certified copy of this entry shall constitute the mandate pursuant to Rule 27 of the Rules of Appellate Procedure.
JAMES D. SWEENEY, P.J., AND MICHAEL J. CORRIGAN, J., CONCUR.
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