Ceaser v. State

964 N.E.2d 911, 2012 WL 989584, 2012 Ind. App. LEXIS 126
CourtIndiana Court of Appeals
DecidedMarch 26, 2012
Docket49A02-1106-CR-580
StatusPublished
Cited by20 cases

This text of 964 N.E.2d 911 (Ceaser 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
Ceaser v. State, 964 N.E.2d 911, 2012 WL 989584, 2012 Ind. App. LEXIS 126 (Ind. Ct. App. 2012).

Opinion

OPINION

VAIDIK, Judge.

Case Summary

Lavern Ceaser appeals her conviction for Class D felony battery on her daughter, M.R. Ceaser contends that the trial court erred by allowing the State to present evidence regarding her prior conviction for battering M.R. Ceaser also contends that the trial court erred by denying her motion to dismiss and that evidence at trial was insufficient to rebut her claim of parental privilege. We conclude that Ceaser’s prior conviction for battering the same child in a manner similar to the underlying incident was admissible under the intent and lack of accident or mistake exceptions to Indiana Evidence Rule 404(b). We further conclude that the trial court properly denied Ceaser’s motion to dismiss and the *913 evidence at trial was sufficient to rebut her claim of parental privilege. We affirm.

Facts and Procedural History

The facts most favorable to the verdict are as follows. In April 2006, Ceaser was convicted of Class A misdemeanor battery on a child, her seven-year-old daughter, M.R. M.R. was removed from her mother’s care after the battery and then returned to Ceaser in January 2008. In November 2008, M.R., now nine, returned home from elementary school. Ceaser instructed M.R. to perform her chores, which included cleaning the living room. M.R. asked her mother if she could wait until her sister came home to clean the living room because they had dirtied the room together. Ceaser gave M.R. permission to wait for her sister. M.R. went to her room and fell asleep. A short time later, Ceaser entered M.R.’s room and asked M.R. why she had not cleaned the living room. M.R. stated that she thought Ceaser had given her permission to wait for her sister. Ceaser left the room and returned with the cord from a video game controller. 1 Ceaser used the cord to repeatedly strike M.R., who was wearing a shirt and khaki pants at the time. Ceaser struck M.R. on the arms, back, legs, and bottom. M.R. stated that the beating lasted as long as fifteen minutes and caused her pain. M.R. screamed, cried, and flailed her arms and legs while her mother struck her.

At school the next day, M.R. was still in pain. She showed her teacher welts from the beating. The teacher notified the local Department of Children and Family Services (“DCS”) and Steffie Roberts, a family case manager, came to the school to speak with M.R. M.R. showed the marks to Roberts and described being beaten with the cord. Roberts concluded that the marks were consistent with M.R.’s account of the beating. Tr. p. 275. DCS filed a petition alleging M.R. to be a Child In Need of Services (“CHINS”) and removed M.R. from Ceaser’s home. 2 In January 2009, the State charged Ceaser with Class D felony battery on a child.

At trial, the State sought to introduce evidence of Ceaser’s 2006 conviction for battering M.R. Specifically, the State sought to introduce evidence that Ceaser whipped an unclothed M.R., who was then seven years old, with a belt. M.R. sustained swelling and bruising to her face and other parts of her body and was taken to the emergency room. The State also sought to introduce evidence that M.R. was wearing only undergarments at the time of the beating, as well as Ceaser’s statements that her actions were wrong and that she should have simply talked to M.R. or walked away. Id. at 77.

At a hearing on the issue of the admissibility of Ceaser’s 2006 conviction, the court ruled that the State could not use evidence of the conviction in its case-in-chief but could use the evidence for rebuttal purposes if Ceaser relied on the defense of parental privilege. The trial court limited the evidence of Ceaser’s prior conviction, permitting references only to the misdemeanor conviction, not the initial felony charge, that the victim in both instances was M.R., that Ceaser used an object to whip M.R., and that M.R. sustained injuries to her face and body. Id. at 77-78. All *914 other evidence of the prior conviction was excluded.

Before trial, but after the filing period provided by Indiana Code section 35-34-1-4(a)(5), Ceaser filed a motion to dismiss. 3 The trial court denied Ceaser’s motion to dismiss under Section 35-34-l-4(a)(5) as untimely but heard evidence on Ceaser’s motion to dismiss under Section 35-34-1-4(a)(ll). Ceaser testified that M.R. had been lying about her homework and had not performed her chores and that she had tried other forms of discipline before beating M.R. with the cord. The State cross-examined Ceaser but due to its failure to timely file a witness list, the State was not permitted to offer evidence to rebut Ceaser’s testimony. Following the hearing, the trial court denied Ceaser’s motion under Section 35-34-l-4(a)(ll). The trial court explained that there were facts in dispute and noted that Ceaser intended to assert the defense of parental privilege, which was an issue to be determined by the trier of fact. Id. at 41.

A jury trial was held. The trial court ruled that Ceaser’s opening statement opened the door to allow the State to introduce evidence of Ceaser’s 2006 conviction. Id. at 207. The State elicited this evidence from Detective Robert Chappell, who testified that in the course of investigating the 2008 incident, he discovered that Ceaser had been convicted in 2006 for battering M.R. Id. at 321. In addition to testimony from Detective Chappell, the trial court also heard testimony from M.R., DCS caseworker Roberts, and M.R.’s elementary-school teacher.

At the close of the prosecution’s case, Ceaser moved for judgment on the evidence, arguing that the State had not met its burden of disproving her claim of parental privilege. The trial court denied the motion, stating that because the parental-privilege claim was an affirmative defense, Ceaser was required to present evidence regarding that defense.

Ceaser testified that in the weeks preceding the 2008 beating, M.R. lied about her homework and had not been keeping her bedroom clean. Id. at 344. She said that she tried disciplining M.R. for this behavior in various ways, which were not successful. Id. at 346. During the beating, Ceaser stated that she struck a crying M.R. seven or eight times, perhaps more. Id. at 346, 361. When asked about the 2006 beating, Ceaser indicated that she lost control and in addition to beating M.R., she slapped her. Id. at 348. Ceaser stated that although she did not believe her behavior in 2006 was reasonable, she felt the force used on M.R. in 2008 was reasonable. Id. at 361, 363-64.

The jury found Ceaser guilty of Class D felony battery on a child. The trial court sentenced Ceaser to 545 days with 544 days suspended to probation and one day’s credit. Id. at 463. Ceaser now appeals.

Discussion and Decision

Ceaser raises three issues on appeal. First, she contends that the trial court erred by allowing the State to present evidence regarding her 2006 conviction for battering M.R. Ceaser argues that this evidence was inadmissible and that its probative value was outweighed by its prejudicial effect.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Elijah Mills v. State of Indiana
Indiana Court of Appeals, 2023
Guadalupe Pava v. State of Indiana
Indiana Court of Appeals, 2020
Goldie Crews v. State of Indiana (mem. dec.)
Indiana Court of Appeals, 2019
Carlos Owens v. State of Indiana (mem. dec.)
Indiana Court of Appeals, 2018
Casey L. Hill v. State of Indiana
Indiana Court of Appeals, 2018
Hill v. State
91 N.E.3d 1078 (Indiana Court of Appeals, 2018)
Donnetta Newell v. State of Indiana
7 N.E.3d 367 (Indiana Court of Appeals, 2014)
State of Indiana v. Chad Bryant
4 N.E.3d 808 (Indiana Court of Appeals, 2014)
Robert Corbin v. State of Indiana
999 N.E.2d 70 (Indiana Court of Appeals, 2013)
Newman v. State
298 P.3d 1171 (Nevada Supreme Court, 2013)
State of Indiana v. Bobby Walden
Indiana Court of Appeals, 2013
Donzahue Pearson v. State of Indiana
Indiana Court of Appeals, 2012

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
964 N.E.2d 911, 2012 WL 989584, 2012 Ind. App. LEXIS 126, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/ceaser-v-state-indctapp-2012.