State v. Bobo, Unpublished Decision (11-12-2004)
State v. Bobo, Unpublished Decision (11-12-2004)
Opinion of the Court
{¶ 2} In 2002, appellant, Karlas Bobo, was an inmate at the Toledo Correctional Institution, serving a life term for aggravated murder. According to the testimony of a corrections officer, on December 22, 2002, appellant became confrontational when the officer found a contraband electrical device in appellant's cell.
{¶ 3} According to the officer, as the confrontation became more heated, appellant became more belligerent and aggressive. When the corrections officer, aided by other officers, attempted to subdue appellant with handcuffs, appellant struck the officer in the face with his fist. The officer sustained a concussion as the result of this blow.
{¶ 4} Appellant was charged with assaulting a corrections officer. He pled not guilty and the matter proceeded to jury trial, following which he was found guilty as charged.
{¶ 5} Following appellant's conviction, the trial court sentenced him to a nine month term of incarceration to be served consecutively with his prior sentence. This appeal followed.
{¶ 6} On appeal, appellant raises two assignments of error:
{¶ 7} "The jury's verdict of guilty with regard to the charge of assault is against the manifest weight and sufficiency of the evidence and therefore contrary to law.
{¶ 8} "The trial court illegally sentenced appellant and/or failed to make the necessary determinations required by law therefore making the sentence contrary to law."
{¶ 9} In his first assignment of error, appellant asserts that his conviction is against the manifest weight and sufficiency of the evidence. In a criminal context, a verdict or finding may be overturned on appeal if it is either against the manifest weight of the evidence or because there is an insufficiency of evidence. In the former, the appeals court acts as a "thirteenth juror" to determine whether the trier of fact lost its way and created such a manifest miscarriage of justice that the conviction must be overturned and a new trial ordered.State v. Thompkins (1997),
{¶ 10} R.C.
{¶ 11} At trial, the corrections officer who was injured testified to the events that led to his injury. His testimony was supported by the testimony of two other corrections officers that were present at the time of the event. Their testimony identified appellant, Karlas Bobo, as the person who struck the corrections officer in the face, knocking him to the ground. The record shows that the offense was committed in the Toledo Correctional Institution by appellant, who, at the time of the offense, was incarcerated there. The record also indicates that at the time of the event, the correction officer struck by appellant was an employee of the Toledo Correctional Institution. In viewing the evidence in a light most favorable to the prosecution, this testimony, if believed, establishes the elements of the charged offense.
{¶ 12} In considering the manifest weight of the evidence presented, we conclude that there was believable evidence for the trier of fact provided by the testimony of the corrections officers. After thoroughly reviewing the entire record, we conclude that there is nothing to suggest that the trier of fact lost its way, or that manifest injustice resulted. Accordingly, appellant's first assignment of error is not well-taken.
{¶ 13} In his second assignment of error, appellant argues that his sentence was improperly entered by the trial court. R.C.
{¶ 14} If a trial court imposes consecutive sentences, it must give its reason for imposing such sentence. R.C.
{¶ 15} For this reason, the judgment of the Lucas County Court of Common Pleas is affirmed in part and reversed in part. This matter is remanded to the trial court for resentencing in conformity with State v. Comer, supra. Pursuant to App.R. 24, costs assessed to appellee.
Judgment affirmed in part and reversed in part.
A certified copy of this entry shall constitute the mandate pursuant to App.R. 27. See, also, 6th Dist.Loc.App.R. 4, amended 1/1/98.
Handwork, P.J., Lanzinger, J., Singer, J., Concur.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.