State v. Novell, Unpublished Decision (5-20-2005)
State v. Novell, Unpublished Decision (5-20-2005)
Opinion of the Court
{¶ 3} At the sentencing hearing, the trial court ordered appellant to serve 5 years of community control with conditions, including appellant's being accepted into and completing Volunteers of America's Halfway House Program for sex offenders, an 18 month treatment program. The trial court informed appellant a violation of his community control could lead to a prison term of up to five years. The trial court journalized the sentence via Sentencing Entry filed September 1, 1998. The Sentencing Entry likewise stated a violation of community control could result in a prison term of up to 5 years. Appellant was released from the VOA program on March 15, 1999, due to noncompliance. On March 24, 1999, the trial court sentenced appellant to a term of imprisonment of 4 years. Appellant completed his prison term on February 16, 2003.2
{¶ 4} On January 3, 2005, appellant filed a Motion to Vacate and Set Aside Sentence, based upon State v. Brooks,
{¶ 5} Via Order Overruling Vacation of Sentence filed January 21, 2005, the trial court found appellant's argument was moot as he already served his sentence, and found Brooks did not apply retroactively to appellant's conviction because such became final before Brooks was decided, citing State ex. rel. Maxwell v. Spicer,
{¶ 6} It is from this Order appellant appeals, raising as error:
{¶ 7} "I. The trial committed reversible error when the court failed to notify the defendant at sentencing hearing of community controal [sic] sanction, on three different related occasions, of the specific prison term that may be imposed for a violation the sanction as required under R.C.
{¶ 8} This case comes to us on the accelerated calendar. App. R. 11.1, which governs accelerated calender cases, provides, in pertinent part:
{¶ 9} "(E) Determination and judgment on appeal.
{¶ 10} "The appeal will be determined as provided by App. R. 11.1. It shall be sufficient compliance with App. R. 12(A) for the statement of the reason for the court's decision as to each error to be in brief and conclusionary form.
{¶ 11} "The decision may be by judgment entry in which case it will not be published in any form."
{¶ 12} This appeal shall be considered in accordance with the aforementioned rule.
{¶ 14} In Brooks, the Ohio Supreme Court held a trial court sentencing an offender to a community control sanction must, at the time of sentencing, notify the offender of the specific prison term that may be imposed for a violation of the conditions of the sanction, as a prerequisite to imposing a prison term on the offender for a subsequent violation. Id. at para. 29. The issue came before the Ohio Supreme Court upon certification of a conflict. The Brooks Court considered the certified question although appellant Brooks had already served his term of imprisonment for violating his community control sanction because the situation was capable of repetition yet evading review, and the case raised an issue of public importance and general interest. Id. at para. 5. The Court specifically stated the certified issue was moot as to appellant Brooks. Id.
{¶ 15} Herein, appellant has served his term of imprisonment for violating his community control. Accordingly, pursuant to Brooks, the issue is moot as to appellant. Additionally, because this appeal from the denial of appellant's January 3, 2005 Motion to Vacate or Set Aside Sentence is nothing more than a collateral attack on the trial court's September 1, 1998 Sentencing Entry and/or March 24, 1999 Sentencing Entry, it is barred by the doctrine of res judicata. Furthermore, appellant is not entitled to the retroactive application of Brooks to his conviction and sentence, which had become final before Brooks was decided. See, Ali v. State,
{¶ 16} Appellant's sole assignment of error is overruled.
{¶ 17} The Judgment of Richland County Court of Common Pleas is affirmed.
Hoffman, P.J. Wise, J. and Edwards, J. concur
Reference
- Full Case Name
- State of Ohio v. Arthur D. Novel, II
- Cited By
- 3 cases
- Status
- Unpublished