State v. Cottrill, 2006-Ca-79 (4-26-2007)
State v. Cottrill, 2006-Ca-79 (4-26-2007)
Opinion of the Court
{¶ 2} On April 20, 2004 appellant entered pleas of guilty to 1). aggravated robbery, with a gun specification, a felony of the first degree, in violation of R.C.
{¶ 3} Appellant did not directly appeal his convictions and sentences. *Page 3
{¶ 4} On June 23, 2005 appellant filed a petition for post-conviction relief essentially arguing that the procedure used by the trial court to impose non-minimum, consecutive sentences was unconstitutional under the authority of Blakely v. Washington, supra. The trial court denied this petition by Judgment Entry filed July 19, 2005. Appellant appealed the trial court's denial in Fifth District Court of Appeals, Case No. 2005CA00087. This Court dismissed appellant's appeal by Judgment Entry filed September 29, 2005 and remanded the case to the trial court with instructions to make the required findings of facts and conclusions of law. The trial court filed Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law on December 7, 2005.
{¶ 5} On February 21, 2006 appellant filed a motion requesting leave to file a delayed appeal. This Court denied appellant's request in Case No. 2006CA00018 by Judgment Entry filed April 10, 2006.
{¶ 6} On July 11, 2006 appellant filed a Motion to Vacate Judgment on the Basis of New Supreme Court Decisions in Accordance with Civil Rule 60(B). The trial court denied appellant's motion by Judgment Entry filed July 12, 2006.
{¶ 7} Appellant appeals from the July 12, 2006 Judgment Entry denying his Motion to Vacate Judgment on the Basis of New Supreme Court Decisions in Accordance with Civil Rule 60(B), raising the following assignments of error for our review:
{¶ 8} "I. DEFENDANT WAS SENTENCED UNCONSTITUTIONALLY WHEN HIS SENTENCE WAS ENHANCED BY FACTS FOUND BY A JUDGE BY A PREPONDERANCE OF EVIDENCE, AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN GRANTED POST CONVICTION RELIEF. *Page 4
{¶ 9} "II. THE DENIAL OF DEFENDANT'S CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS UNDER THE SIXTH AND FOURTEENTH AMENDMENTS REPRESENTS `PLAIN ERROR' AND SHOULD BE RECOGNIZED BY THE COURT AS SUCH."
{¶ 10} Appellee, the State of Ohio has not filed a brief in this matter. Therefore, we may accept appellant's statement of facts and issues as correct and reverse the judgment if that action reasonably appears to be supported by appellant's brief. App.R. 18(C). State v.Caynor (2001),
{¶ 11} Courts have allowed the use of a Civ. R. 60(B) motion in a criminal case in very limited circumstances. See, State v. Wooden, 10th Dist. No. 02AP-473, 2002-Ohio-7363 at ¶ 8-9. When a trial court overrules a petition for post conviction relief pursuant to R.C.
{¶ 12} A party may not use a Civ.R. 60(B) motion as a substitute for a timely appeal or to extend the time for perfecting an appeal from the original judgment. Key v. Mitchell (1998),
{¶ 13} Even if we were to consider the motion properly filed we would affirm the trial court's ruling. The United States Supreme Court has not made the decision in Blakely v. Washington (2004),
{¶ 14} Accordingly, as appellant's conviction and sentence is already final on direct review, we agree Foster is not applicable.
{¶ 15} As such we dismiss appellant's appeal based on the fact that it was untimely filed and appellant failed to show that an exception to the prohibition on untimely petitions applies. "`[O]nce a court has determined that a petition is untimely, no further inquiry into the merits of the case is necessary.'" State v. Wilson, Lawrence App. No. 05CA22, at ¶ 16,
{¶ 16} Accordingly, appellant's appeal is dismissed.
*Page 7By Gwin, P.J., Farmer, J., and Edwards, J., concur
Reference
- Full Case Name
- State of Ohio v. Jamie Cottrill
- Cited By
- 3 cases
- Status
- Published