State v. Lesure, Unpublished Decision (6-30-2004)
State v. Lesure, Unpublished Decision (6-30-2004)
Opinion of the Court
{¶ 3} After the rape, Lesure took two necklaces the victim was wearing. Out of fear and wanting Lesure to leave, she offered him her earrings, but Lesure declined, stating that "if they weren't diamonds they weren't worth anything to him." He then asked where her purse was and left the bedroom. When he could not find the purse, he returned to the bedroom very angry and "began squeezing [her] throat" and asking "where the fucking money was." Lesure left the bedroom again and found the purse in the kitchen. He took $400 from the purse and left the house. The victim, soon after, called 911.
{¶ 4} A short time later, the victim was shown a photo array by detectives from the Toledo Police Department. She immediately picked Lesure's picture from the array as the man who raped her. As she stated to the detective, "the face will forever be embedded in my mind." Lesure was arrested on July 3, 2001. Before he was booked at the Lucas County Jail, he had an opportunity to speak with two detectives from the Toledo Police Department. Detective Kermit Quinn started a casual conversation but decided to have another detective present. When Detective James Trout joined them, Quinn testified that Trout "explained the seriousness of the charges, he didn't go into the charges specifically, he indicated what charges [Lesure] was facing and then told him the seriousness of the charges and Mr. Lesure responded, well, if you can guarantee that I would only do five years I'll tell you everything you want to know." Trout himself testified they were trying to explain the nature of the investigation and what the allegations were when "the spontaneous utterance came out." The detectives responded that they could not make any such arrangements and gave Lesure his Miranda warnings. At that point, Lesure requested an attorney, and the conversation stopped — even though Lesure stated he wanted to talk with detectives further.
{¶ 5} Lesure was charged in a five count indictment for a number of offenses arising out the June 30, 2001 event. A motion to suppress Lesure's statement to the police detectives was denied. A jury trial was then held, and Lesure was found guilty on all counts.
{¶ 7} "Defendant-appellant's convictions are against the manifest weight of the evidence."
{¶ 8} "Defendant-appellant's convictions are not supported by sufficient evidence and are therefore a denial of due process."
{¶ 9} "The trial court erred when it ordered defendant-appellant to pay unspecified court costs, fees, and to make an unspecified unsubstantiated sum of restitution."
{¶ 11} As was stated by the Tenth District Court of Appeals, "[w]e begin our analysis from the premise that appellate review of a trial court's ruling on a motion to suppress presents mixed questions of law and fact. During proceedings on suppression motions, the trial court assumes the role of trier of fact. Accordingly, the evaluation of evidence and credibility of witnesses are issues to be determined by the trial court. An appellate court is to accept the trial court's factual findings unless they are `clearly erroneous.' In other words, an appellate court must accept the factual determinations of a trial court so long as they are supported by competent and credible evidence. The application of the law to those facts, however, is then subject to de novo review." State v. Tolliver, 10th Dist. No. 02AP-811,
{¶ 12} Lesure's motion to suppress — and the hearing that followed — concerned whether his statement was afforded protection under Miranda. We find that it does not.
{¶ 13} The United States Supreme Court in Miranda v. Arizona (1966),
{¶ 14} The United States Supreme Court in Rhode Island v. Innis
(1980),
{¶ 15} The Ohio Supreme Court in State v. Tucker (1998),
{¶ 16} Courts have held likewise when faced with situations similar to this case. See, State v. Evans (2001),
{¶ 17} When the trial court denied Lesure's motion to suppress orally at the December 17, 2001 pre-trial hearing, it stated he was not subject to interrogation. The trial court found that the two detectives were explaining that the pending charges were serious; they were not asking him to comment upon his guilt or innocence. Furthermore, the detectives were speaking with Lesure before booking, so this was the first "kind of official notification of the changes" that he received. Also, the trial court found that "an argument can be made that the defendant has the right to know exactly what he is in custody for and what the police are investigating." The trial court further stated that the detective's question as to whether Lesure knew the charges were serious was rhetorical, merely requiring a yes or no answer. Lesure responded in a different way: "indicating that he would be willing to perhaps make a deal or tell what he knows in return for a certain sentence is not a response to whether or not he knows that these offenses are serious, and again, one cannot but realize that these types of offenses are serious." The trial court also concluded that the detectives acted properly in telling Lesure of the charges against him because he could then knowingly waive or not waive his Miranda rights accordingly.
{¶ 18} After carefully reviewing the record, we hold that the factual findings made by the trial court were not "clearly erroneous" but were supported by "competent and credible evidence"; the decision is affirmed. As a matter of law, we find that voluntary statements made by a suspect after he is informed of the charges against him but beforeMiranda warnings are given are not the result of interrogation. The first assignment of error is found not well-taken and denied.
{¶ 20} Here, the factfinder was the jury that heard testimony, observed body language, evaluated voice inflections, observed hand gestures, perceived the interplay between witness and examiner, and watched each witness's reaction in the courtroom. During appellate review, we are to accord due deference to the credibility determinations made by the factfinder. See State v. DeHass (1967),
{¶ 21} Sufficiency of the evidence asks whether the evidence is legally adequate to support a verdict on all elements of an offense.State v. Thompkins (1997),
{¶ 22} Because sufficiency is required to take a case to the jury, a finding that a conviction is supported by the weight of the evidence must necessarily include a finding of sufficiency. Thus, a determination that a conviction is supported by the weight of the evidence will also be dispositive of the issue of sufficiency. Lakewood v. Dorton, 8th Dist. No. 81043, 2003-Ohio-1719, at ¶ 32, citing State v. Roberts (Sept. 17, 1997), Lorain App. No. 96CA006462.
{¶ 23} We have carefully reviewed the proceedings in this matter, especially the testimony by the victim and by Lesure. Lesure's main argument is that the victim mistakenly identified him and no evidence connected him to the crime. A wealth of evidence was presented at trial, however, to show that Lesure committed these crimes, including the swift and positive identification by the victim of her assailant and Lesure's own statement to the police. There was sufficient evidence presented, and the jury's verdict was not against the manifest weight of the evidence. Accordingly, the second and third assignments of error are found not well-taken.
{¶ 25} This court recently determined that prior to ordering restitution and fees pursuant to R.C.
{¶ 26} Since the trial court did not determine Lesure's ability to pay, or specify the exact amount of restitution that he was to pay to the victim, this case must be reversed and remanded to the trial court solely on that issue. The fourth assignment of error, therefore, is found well-taken.
{¶ 27} Upon due consideration, the judgment of the Lucas County Court of Common Pleas is affirmed, in part, and reversed, in part. Lesure's conviction is affirmed, and the case is reversed and remanded to the trial court for further proceedings to determine appellant's present and future ability to pay any fees permitted under R.C.
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., Knepper, J., Lanzinger, J. concur.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- State of Ohio v. Lavelle Lesure
- Cited By
- 5 cases
- Status
- Unpublished