State v. Adams, Unpublished Decision (6-16-2003)
State v. Adams, Unpublished Decision (6-16-2003)
Opinion of the Court
OPINION
{¶ 1} Defendant-appellant Roger Adams appeals his conviction and sentence from the Licking County Municipal Court on one count of disseminating matter harmful to juveniles, in violation of R.C.
STATEMENT OF THE FACTS AND CASE
{¶ 2} On June 5, 2002, defendant-appellant Roger Adams [hereinafter appellant] was charged with two misdemeanor counts: disseminating matter harmful to juveniles, in violation of R.C.
{¶ 3} Appellant appeared before the trial court on July 3, 2002, at which time he entered pleas of no contest to each of the charged offenses. Appellant was not represented by counsel.1 After accepting the pleas, the trial court proceeded to find appellant guilty and sentenced appellant to maximum sentences on each count, to be served consecutive to one another, for a total of 270 days, and imposed a $450.00 fine.
{¶ 4} On August 22, 2002, appellant filed a request for leave to file an untimely appeal. By Judgment Entry filed October 3, 2002, appellant was granted leave to appeal.
{¶ 5} It is from these convictions and sentences that appellant appeals, raising the following assignments of error:
{¶ 6} "I. The trial court committed harmful error in sentencing the defendant-appellant to maximum, consecutive sentences.
{¶ 7} "II. The trial court committed harmful error in accepting the no contest pleas of the defendant-appellant.
{¶ 8} In the first assignment of error, appellant contends that the trial court erred when it sentenced appellant to maximum, consecutive sentences for two misdemeanor convictions. We disagree.
{¶ 9} Specifically, appellant argues that the trial court abused its discretion when it sentenced appellant to maximum, consecutive sentences without giving any indication that it considered the factors delineated in R.C.
{¶ 10} "(A) In determining whether to impose imprisonment or a fine, or both, for a misdemeanor, and in determining the term of imprisonment and the amount and method of payment of a fine for a misdemeanor, the court shall consider the risk that the offender will commit another offense and the need for protecting the public from the risk; the nature and circumstances of the offense; the history, character, and condition of the offender and the offender's need for correctional or rehabilitative treatment; any statement made by the victim under sections
{¶ 11} "(B)(1) The following do not control the court's discretion but shall be considered in favor of imposing imprisonment for a misdemeanor:
{¶ 12} "(a) The offender is a repeat or dangerous offender.
{¶ 13} "(b) Regardless of whether or not the offender knew the age of the victim, the victim of the offense was sixty-five years of age or older, permanently and totally disabled, or less than eighteen years of age at the time of the commission of the offense.
{¶ 14} "* * *
{¶ 15} "(C) The criteria listed in divisions (C) and (E) of section
{¶ 16} This Court has previously held that where the sentence imposed by the trial court is well within the statutory limits, an appellate court should accord the trial court the presumption that it considered the statutory criteria listed in R.C.
{¶ 17} Appellant's first assignment of error is overruled.
{¶ 19} First, we note that appellant concedes that the trial court substantially complied with Crim.R. 11 and provided appellant with the information required by Crim.R. 11. What appellant does argue is that appellant made enough statements indicating that he was innocent of the charges to impose upon the trial court a duty to insure that appellant was entering the plea in a knowing and voluntary manner.
{¶ 20} In the case sub judice, appellant made the following statement to the trial court at sentencing:
{¶ 21} "I know I had a couple drinks and, with the person, and I didn't do nothing wrong, but I'm getting blamed for something that I did, I didn't do. You can see my face right here. I can't even see. I got metal plates in it from this. I got a, I want to file charges on them whenever I get out. But I wouldn't have done nothing of the kind to tell you the truth, sir. And they all misjudge it and want to push it further and I didn't do nothing. And that's the truth. The God's honest truth. I just want to get this over with, sir.
{¶ 22} "* * *
{¶ 23} "The people that put these charges against me got me and beat the crap out of me for no reason. My daughter's 16 years old. She's got a boyfriend that's 24 years old. I don't know if they're in the courtroom now or not. [Tape inaudible.] I can't even hardly see though, sir. I just want to, the charges ain't really true, but that's what they want to say. I'm tired of being in jail. I've been in the hospital since June the 3rd. Got out June 19th. I came here to see what the charges were and they threw me in there and try to state everything what's going on. Kind of a setup. I got metal plate —." Transcript of Sentencing, pgs. 3-4.
{¶ 24} Appellant cites to State v. Holder (1994),
{¶ 25} "The motivational niceties of a guilty plea are not an element of inquiry required of a trial court before a guilty plea is accepted. The court's inquiry in [determining whether a plea is knowingly, voluntarily and intelligently entered] is whether the accused, no matter what his motivations are, knows and understands the legal implications of waiving his statutory and constitutional rights in exchange for a guilty plea. The motivation can range from love of country to fear of facing the electric chair, but no violation of rights occurs unless the record shows from the totality of the circumstances that the accused's guilty plea was not voluntarily and intelligently given [A]n accused who knows he is innocent and professes his innocence but voluntarily and knowingly pleads guilty to that offense does so at his own peril, for the law can only go so far to protect the innocent and even the guilty. The law cannot protect an innocent man with sound mind who pleads guilty to the offense he is charged with committing, when he knows he did not have to so plead." Holder,
{¶ 26} Appellant has conceded that he was informed of the charges, that he understood the charges and was informed of and understood the potential consequences of a conviction. Appellant also concedes that he understood the effect of a no contest plea. Upon review of the totality of the circumstances, we find nothing to indicate that appellant's plea was not voluntarily, knowingly or intelligently made.
{¶ 27} Appellant's second assignment of error is overruled.
{¶ 28} The judgment of the Licking County Municipal Court is affirmed.
By: Edwards, J., Hoffman, P.J. and Boggins, J. concur.
In Re: Disseminating Matter Harmful To Juvenile/Harmful Error.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.