State v. Wright, Unpublished Decision (2-24-2005)
State v. Wright, Unpublished Decision (2-24-2005)
Opinion of the Court
OPINION
{¶ 1} Appellant, William A. Wright Jr., appeals from the judgment of conviction and sentence entered in the Coshocton Municipal Court following a bench trial wherein the trial court found Appellant guilty of one count of Aggravated Menacing, in violation of R.C.{¶ 2} On October 6, 2004, counsel for Appellant filed a brief, pursuant to Anders v. California (1967),
{¶ 3} When appointed counsel finds a case to be wholly frivolous, after conscientious examination of the record, counsel should so advise the Court and request permission to withdraw, supplying a brief referring to anything in the record that might arguably support the appeal.Anders, supra.
{¶ 4} In the Anders brief, counsel asserts on Appellant's behalf, the following proposed assignment of error:
{¶ 6} When reviewing a manifest weight of the evidence claim, an appellate court must examine the evidence presented, including all reasonable inferences that can be drawn from it, and consider the credibility of the witnesses to determine whether in resolving conflicts in the evidence, the finder of fact clearly lost its way and created such a manifest miscarriage of justice that the decision must be reversed and a new trial ordered. State v. Thompkins,
{¶ 7} The weight to be given the evidence presented and the credibility of the witnesses are primarily matters for the trier of fact. State v. DeHass (1967),
{¶ 8} The offenses of which Appellant was convicted are Aggravated Menacing, in violation of R.C.
{¶ 9} "No person shall knowingly cause another to believe that the offender will cause serious physical harm to the person or property of such other person or member of his immediate family." R.C.
{¶ 10} "No person by engaging in a pattern of conduct shall knowingly cause another person to believe that the offender will cause physical harm to the other person or cause mental distress to the other person * * *" R.C. 2903.21.1 (A)(1)
{¶ 11} "A person acts knowingly, regardless of his purpose, when he is aware that his conduct will probably cause a certain result or will probably be of a certain nature. * * *." R.C.
{¶ 12} A `pattern of conduct' means two or more actions or incidents closely related in time, whether or not there has been a prior conviction based on any of those actions or incidents. * * *" R.C. 2903.21.1(D)(1)
{¶ 13} "`Mental distress' means any of the following:
{¶ 14} Any mental distress or condition that involves some temporary or substantial incapacity.
{¶ 15} Any mental illness or condition that would normally require psychiatric treatment, psychological treatment, or other mental services, whether or not any person requested or received psychiatric treatment, psychological treatment, or other mental health services." R.C. 2903.21.1(D)(2)(a); R.C. 2903.21.1(D)(2)(b).
{¶ 16} During the trial, Brinda Kistler testified that she became friends with the Appellant in 2001. She thereafter attempted to end the relationship in December of 2003, and told the Appellant to stop coming to her home. In January of 2004, the Appellant told Kistler that she had better find time for him or he would slice her throat, rape her daughter and kill her friends. Kistler testified that from January until May of 2004, Appellant would repeatedly visit her home, telephone and often threatened to kill her. During this same period of time, Kistler filed a civil protection order, incident reports with the local sheriff's department, and requested that a letter be sent by the prosecutor to the Appellant advising him to stop his threatening behaviors and stay away from her residence. Kistler testified that she was scared, believed that Appellant was going to cause her serious physical harm, and sought the help of a counselor for emotional distress. Kistler further testified that on May 3, 2004, the Appellant came to her home, ran onto her porch, repeatedly threatening to kill her, slammed his body into her, and fell through her screen door. Other State's witnesses corroborated Appellant's presence at Kistler's residence and observed her genuine fear for her own safety, as well as the safety of her daughter and her friends. The decision whether, and to what extent, to credit the testimony of particular witnesses is within the peculiar competence of the fact finder, who has seen and heard the witness. State v. Lawson (Aug. 22, 1997), Montgomery App. No. 16288.
{¶ 17} In the instant case, we have examined the entire record, and agree with counsel for Appellant, that the appeal is frivolous. We find nothing in the record before us that would suggest that Appellant was denied a fair trial. We find that there is competent, credible evidence to support the trial court's verdict that Appellant knowingly engaged in a single incident of conduct on May 3, 2004, as well as in a pattern of conduct from January to May of 2004, which caused Kistler to believe that she, her daughter and her friends could suffer serious physical harm, and that as a result of Appellant's threatening behaviors, Kistler suffered emotional distress. We, therefore, conclude that the judgment of the trial court is not against the manifest weight of the evidence.
{¶ 18} Accordingly, we hereby overrule Appellant's sole assignment of error and affirm the judgment of conviction and sentence entered in the Coshocton Municipal Court.
{¶ 19} Attorney Terrence J. Baxter's Motion to Withdraw as Counsel for Appellant is hereby granted.
Gwin, P.J., Edward, J. and Boggins, J. concur.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.