State v. Warren, Unpublished Decision (6-30-2005)
State v. Warren, Unpublished Decision (6-30-2005)
Opinion of the Court
{¶ 3} After the victim had attended a club meeting at school and was headed back to her fourth grade class, she was approached by appellant who asked her if she was ready to play the game. Appellant instructed the victim to go into the old boy's locker room, which served as a storage room and was unlocked. Once inside, appellant ordered the victim to take off her coat and place her hands against the tables that were leaning against the wall. Appellant unzipped his pants, stood behind the victim, and began rubbing up and down the victim's back with his stomach and "private part." The victim grabbed her coat, ran out of the room, and turned back to notice that appellant's penis was exposed. The victim began running upstairs to her classroom, but appellant grabbed her by the arm, offered her some sunflower seeds, and told her not to tell anyone because he would get in trouble. The victim got away and went immediately to the principal's office to tell on appellant.
{¶ 4} On the way to the principal's office, the victim bumped into Miss Johnson, the other fourth grade teacher, and told her that appellant was bothering her. Appellant, apparently following the victim, threw his hands into the air in a questioning fashion before Miss Johnson confronted him with the victim's accusations. Miss Johnson then took the victim, who was visibly shaken, upset, and crying, and appellant to the principal's office. Before the victim told the principal what occurred, appellant said that he did not know what the victim was talking about. The principal called an investigator in the school system to investigate after talking to both the victim and appellant. At the close of the investigation, the police came to the school and arrested appellant. Appellant was charged with kidnapping with a sexual motivation specification and gross sexual imposition, found guilty by the jury on both counts, was classified a sexually oriented offender, and was sentenced to a total of nine years in prison.
{¶ 6} This very issue was addressed by this court's en banc decision in State v. Atkins-Boozer (May 31, 2005), Cuyahoga App. No. 84151. InAtkins-Boozer, we held that R.C.
{¶ 8} R.C.
{¶ 9} "A sentence imposed for a felony shall be reasonably calculated to achieve the two overriding purposes of felony sentencing set forth in division (A) of this section, commensurate with and not demeaning to the seriousness of the offender's conduct and its impact upon the victim, and consistent with sentences imposed for similar crimes committed by similar offenders."
{¶ 10} The purpose of R.C.
{¶ 11} Here, appellant failed to illustrate, at the trial court level or in his appeal, that similarly situated offenders were sentenced differently. Because there is nothing in the record that indicates that the imposed sentence is either inconsistent with or disproportionate to sentences that have been imposed on similar offenders who have committed similar offenses, appellant's second assignment of error is overruled.
{¶ 13} First, appellant's failure to request a specific jury instruction or object to the trial court's instructions on the kidnapping charges to the jury waives his argument. Errors otherwise waived may be considered by an appellate court under the doctrine of plain error where the error affects a substantial right. See Crim.R. 52(B). "Notice of plain error under Crim.R. 52(B) is to be taken with the utmost caution, however, under exceptional circumstances and only to prevent a miscarriage of justice." State v. Ford, Cuyahoga App. No. 84138,
{¶ 14} Appellant has failed to show that the jury would not have found him guilty of kidnapping had the jury been instructed that they were required to unanimously agree that either appellant kidnapped the victim by removing the victim from a place or by restraining her of her liberty. Pursuant to R.C.
{¶ 15} Second, appellant cannot show that, but for his counsel's failure to object to or request a specific jury instruction, he would have been acquitted of kidnapping. State v. Wolf, Cuyahoga App. No. 83632,
{¶ 17} Here, on cross-examination of Mr. Pinkins, the school custodian, appellant's counsel asked if he had heard of any other complaints about appellant. Mr. Pinkins stated that he was aware of other complaints. Appellant's counsel attempted to limit the complaints to those regarding other children, of which Mr. Pinkins stated that he was not aware. The trial court, after a sidebar with counsel, properly indicated that any objection from the defense as to other complaints would be overruled because appellant's counsel opened the door on cross-examination of the state's witness. Moreover, appellant's counsel invited any error when he asked Mr. Pinkins again on cross-examination if he was aware of any complaints about how appellant acted around some of the adult female staff. Under the invited error doctrine, "a party is not entitled to take advantage of an error that he himself invited or induced." State v. Doss, Cuyahoga App. No. 84433, 2005-Ohio-775, ¶ 5, citing State ex rel. Kline v. Carroll,
{¶ 19} In addressing a claim for prosecutorial misconduct, we must determine "(1) whether the prosecutor's conduct was improper and (2) if so, whether it prejudicially affected the defendant's substantial rights." State v. Smith (1984),
{¶ 20} First, the prosecutor asked the jurors to consider how courageous the nine-year-old victim was to testify in court about the crimes committed against her. This comment is not improper, nor does it play improperly to the passions and prejudices of the jurors.
{¶ 21} Second, the prosecutor urged the jurors to return a guilty verdict to correct an injustice. There was no comment to "send a message" to the community.
{¶ 22} Third, the prosecutor did not vouch for the credibility of the victim. Instead, the prosecutor simply stated that it is hard to fake emotion. Even if this was improper, it cannot be said that such statement, in light of all the evidence presented, would have resulted in a different outcome for appellant.
{¶ 23} Finally, the prosecutor did not question appellant's counsel's integrity. Instead, the prosecutor asked the jury to see through the arguments presented by appellant's counsel, which is not only a proper comment, but extremely common in closing argument. Because none of the statements made by the prosecutor during closing argument would have resulted in appellant's acquittal, appellant's sixth assignment of error is overruled.
Judgment affirmed.
It is ordered that appellee recover of appellant its 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.
Dyke, P.J., and Sweeney, J., concur.
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