Ankney v. State

825 N.E.2d 965, 2005 Ind. App. LEXIS 670, 2005 WL 949947
CourtIndiana Court of Appeals
DecidedApril 26, 2005
Docket15A05-0404-CR-216
StatusPublished
Cited by11 cases

This text of 825 N.E.2d 965 (Ankney v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Indiana Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Ankney v. State, 825 N.E.2d 965, 2005 Ind. App. LEXIS 670, 2005 WL 949947 (Ind. Ct. App. 2005).

Opinion

OPINION

NAJAM, Judge.

STATEMENT OF THE CASE

Michael Ankney appeals his convictions for Attempted Escape, as a Class B felony, two counts of Battery, as Class C felonies, Battery, as a Class D felony, and Resisting Law Enforcement, as a Class D felony, following a jury trial. He presents the folldiaving issues for our review:

1. Whether the trial court abused its discretion when it excluded evidence ._ of hig mental illness at trial.
2. Whether his convictions for attempted escape and resisting law enforcement violate double jeopardy.
3. Whether the trial court abused its -- discretion when it sentenced: him.

We affirm in part, reverse in part, and remand with instructions.

FACTS AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY

On January 13, 2002, Indiana State Police Detective Samuel Arp was patrolling U.S. 50 in Lawrenceburg when he saw Ankney walking along the highway. Detective Arp stopped to talk to Ankney, who smelled like alcohol. Detective Arp observed that Ankney had bloodshot eyes and slurred speech. When Ankney refused to take a breath test, Detective Arp arrested him for public intoxication and transported him to the Dearborn County Law Enforcement Center ("the LEC").

Officers Foresteen Hann and Rebecca Giles were in charge of booking arrestees at the LEC when Ankney arrived. Officer Giles took Ankney to a changing room and told him to change out of his street clothes and into a jail uniform. When Ankney first emerged from the changing room, he had failed to remove the socks he was wearing when he arrived at the LEC. Accordingly, Officer Giles instructed him to return to the changing room and change out of his socks. At some point, Officer Hann approached the changing room to see whether Officer Giles needed assistance. Ankney approached Officer Hann and suddenly struck her in the face and knocked her to the floor. He then struck Officer Giles and knocked her to the floor, as well.

Ankney then ran for an exit, but another officér was able to secure the door before he got to it. Detective Arp then approached Ankney, and Ankney "charged" him. Transcript at 261. As Detective Arp tried to subdue Ankney, Ankney struck him several times with bis fists. Finally, another officer was able to assist Detective Arp in restraining Ankney. Officer Hann was later treated for a broken nose; Officer Giles was treated for a detached retina and swelling in one of her eyes; and Officer Arp underwent treatment for a knee injury he sustained during the altercation with Ankney.

The State charged Ankney with public intoxication, false informing, 1 attempted escape, three counts of battery, and resisting law enforcement. The attempted escape, battery, and resisting law enforcement counts were all elevated to higher classes of offenses based upon the bodily injuries sustained by the officers. Because Ankney exhibited signs of mental illness at *969 the time of his arraignment on January 15, 2002, the trial court ordered that he undergo evaluations with two psychiatrists to determine his competency to stand trial. In a letter dated January 17, 2002, those physicians concluded in relevant part as follows:

[Ankney] has a history of mental illness and is currently in a state of psychotic decompensation.
It is obvious that he is not competent to stand trial at this time but considered to be restorable with appropriate psychiatric treatment.

Appellant's App. at 27. After undergoing treatment, Ankney was ultimately deemed competent to stand trial and returned to the LEC. Because Ankney continued to exhibit symptoms of his mental illness, his counsel requested a reevaluation of his competency on July 25, 2003. Accordingly, the trial court ordered that Ankney again be evaluated by two psychiatrists, who concluded that he was competent to stand trial.

During a December 12, 2008 hearing, Ankney conceded that he was competent to stand trial. However, his counsel advised the trial court and the State as follows:

Mr. Ankney wants this matter brought to trial as soon as possible and I concur with that, although I am going to proceed with a defense and I will put the State on notice at this time that when this action occurred, that Mr. Ankney was not ... in essence I guess [we would assert] an insanity defense ... a temporary insanity defense that because of his mental condition at the time, he was not able to control his actions or appreciate the fact that they were illegal and the consequences thereof, and in order to pursue that defense we might have to ask for a continuance if I can't get that evidence before the Court in time or prepared in time by January b....

Transcript at 31. But Ankney never submitted a written notice of his intention to assert an insanity defense, nor did he move for a continuance or submit evidence to the trial court in support of such a defense. ~

When Ankney's jury trial began on February 2, 2004, the trial court ruled on the State's motion in limine, which sought to preclude Ankney from asserting an insanity defense. The trial court granted the motion, but explained that ruling as follows:

COURT: What that means is ... before you can present any such evidence [of Ankney's mental illness] you're going to have to approach the bench and obtain permission from the Court.... I think we've discussed this in chambers, is that acceptable Counsel?
[Ankney's Counsell: Yes, Your Honor.
COURT: That's not saying that such evidence may not be permitted, ... it just means you're going to have to «approach the bench and obtain permission from the Court after making an offer to prove so I can see where this is at....

Transcript at 37. Ankney only made one offer to prove in an effort to present evidence of his mental illness, but the trial court excluded that proffered testimony. The jury acquitted Ankney on the public intoxication and false informing charges, but found him guilty of the remaining charges. The trial court entered judgment accordingly and sentenced him to a total executed term of fifteen years. This appeal ensued.

DISCUSSION AND DECISION

Issue One: Insanity Defense

Ankney first contends that his oral notice of his intention to assert an insanity *970 defense was sufficient under Indiana Code Section 35-36-2-1. That statute provides in relevant part that a defendant who intends to assert an insanity defense must "file a notice of that intent with the trial court no later than: (1) twenty (20) days [before the omnibus date] if the defendant is charged with a felony[.]" Ind.Code § 85-36-2-1. "However, in the interest of justice and upon a showing of good cause, the court may permit the filing to be made at any time before commencement of the trial." Id.

Here, it is undisputed that Ankney attempted a late filing of the required notice, and, thus, the trial court had discretion whether to accept it. See Eveler v.

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Bluebook (online)
825 N.E.2d 965, 2005 Ind. App. LEXIS 670, 2005 WL 949947, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/ankney-v-state-indctapp-2005.