Dennis Vermillion v. State of Indiana

978 N.E.2d 459, 2012 Ind. App. LEXIS 574, 2012 WL 5862473
CourtIndiana Court of Appeals
DecidedNovember 20, 2012
Docket13A01-1201-CR-17
StatusPublished
Cited by32 cases

This text of 978 N.E.2d 459 (Dennis Vermillion v. State of Indiana) 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
Dennis Vermillion v. State of Indiana, 978 N.E.2d 459, 2012 Ind. App. LEXIS 574, 2012 WL 5862473 (Ind. Ct. App. 2012).

Opinion

OPINION

VAIDIK, Judge.

Case Summary

Dennis Vermillion was convicted of two counts of Class C felony sexual misconduct with a minor after an incident in 2009. He was sentenced to eight years — five years executed and three years suspended to probation — on each count, to run consecutively, for a total sentence of sixteen years. On appeal, Vermillion contends that the trial court erred in admitting prior-misconduct evidence and his convictions violate Indiana’s Double Jeopardy Clause. He also raises numerous arguments regarding his sentence. We find that Vermillion’s convictions do not violate double jeopardy, and while the admission of prior-misconduct evidence was error, it does not amount to fundamental error. We also conclude that the trial court acted within its discretion in ordering Vermillion to serve consecutive sentences. However, we conclude that Vermillion’s total sentence exceeds the cap permitted by Indiana Code section 35-50-l-2(c), which allows, at most, a ten-year sentence in these circumstances. We therefore affirm in part, reverse in part, and remand for resentenc-ing.

Facts and Procedural History

Fourteen-year-old S.H.’s father was friends with Vermillion. S.H. often babysat Vermillion’s infant daughter and helped with tasks at Vermillion’s house, such as painting. S.H. considered Vermillion a friend. In May 2009, Vermillion came to S.H.’s house when S.H. was home alone. While Vermillion and S.H. watched television, Vermillion began rubbing S.H.’s leg. S.H. told him to stop, but Vermillion ignored her and put his hand inside her shirt and bra, touching her breast. He then straddled S.H. and began kissing her neck. S.H. told Vermillion to “get off of her” and again asked him to stop. Tr. p. 102. Vermillion told S.H. to “ask nicely,” and S.H. responded, “please.” Id. Despite S.H.’s request, Vermillion continued kissing her neck. He then began rubbing her vagina through her clothing. S.H. continued to ask Vermillion to stop, telling him that her father would be home soon. Id. Eventually, Vermillion stopped touching S.H. and stood to leave. Vermillion told *462 S.H., “What happens here, stays here.” Id.

S.H. reported the incident to her high-school principal. The State charged Vermillion with two counts of Class C felony sexual misconduct with a minor. One count charged Vermillion with touching S.H.’s breast, while the other charged Vermillion with touching S.H.’s vagina. See Appellant’s App. p. 7.

At trial, S.H. testified about the May 2009 incident:

[I] was just watching TV and then he, he just starts rubbing my leg[,] and I tried to get him to stop. I just say stop and then he is putting his hand up my shirt and up my bra and starts touching my breast and starts kissing on my neck and then he straddles me....

Tr. p. 102. After a pause, she continued:

I ask him to get off and he says, and he says ask nicely. So, I said please. And ... [ ] he doesn’t get off me and he’s still kissing my neck and then I’m wearing what I consider night clothes, a tank top and some shorts and he is trying to rub the outside of my shorts on my vagina area and I’m like[,] my dad should be getting home any minute. Saying that thinking maybe he’d get off me and he didn’t and then after plenty of times of saying please get off me [ ] he tells me to calm down[,] and I tell him I am calm and he tells me to stay still[,] and I didn’t want to kick him or try to push him or anything [be] cause he is a bigger guy than me and I was alone and I was scared. So, eventually he did get off me and before he left, the only thing he could say to me was what happens here, stays here.

Id. at 108. S.H. also testified that on two previous occasions, Vermillion paid her for babysitting and painting with alcohol and cigarettes. Id. at 96. S.H. also described another incident at Vermillion’s home when S.H. asked Vermillion for a cigarette and Vermillion responded, “I’ll give you a whole pack if you show me your tit.” Id. at 125.

Vermillion did not testify at his trial, but his defense counsel argued that the incident S.H. described did not take place because Vermillion was at a church dinner that evening. Counsel also called witnesses, including Vermillion’s wife and mother-in-law, to testify that Vermillion was indeed at the church dinner on the night in question.

The jury found Vermillion guilty on both counts. At sentencing, the trial court identified the following aggravators: (1) Vermillion’s “prior criminal history,” id. at 410, which included past charged offenses dismissed as part of a plea agreement; (2) Vermillion’s position of trust with respect to S.H.; and (8) evidence of Vermillion’s uncharged misconduct involving minors, which included providing them with alcohol and sexually explicit materials. As a mitigating factor, the court noted that Vermillion’s incarceration would be a hardship on his family. The court sentenced Vermillion to eight years — five years executed and three years suspended to probation— on each count, to run consecutively, for a total sentence of sixteen years.

Vermillion now appeals.

Discussion and Decision

Vermillion contends that the trial court erred in admitting prior-misconduct evidence and that his convictions violate Indiana’s Double Jeopardy Clause. He also raises numerous arguments regarding his sentence.

I. Prior-Misconduct Evidence

Vermillion challenges the admission of S.H.’s testimony that he offered to pay her for babysitting and painting with alcohol and cigarettes and tried to bribe her *463 with cigarettes to expose her breasts. Vermillion argues that this prior-misconduct evidence was improperly offered to show that he “groomed” S.H. 1 The State, however, argues that the evidence was not offered for this purpose, but instead, to show Vermillion “intended to have some kind of sex with [S.H.] at some point in time.” Appellee’s Br. p. 12. 2

At trial, Vermillion did not object to the testimony he now challenges. His claims are therefore waived unless he can show that fundamental error occurred. Kimbrough v. State, 911 N.E.2d 621, 634 (Ind.Ct.App.2009). The fundamental-error rule is extremely narrow. Id. Fundamental error occurs only when the error “constitutes a blatant violation of basic principles, the harm or potential for harm is substantial, and the resulting error denies the defendant fundamental due process.” Id.

Indiana Evidence Rule 404(b) provides that “[ejvidence of other crimes, wrongs, or acts is not admissible to prove the character of a person in order to show action in conformity therewith.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
978 N.E.2d 459, 2012 Ind. App. LEXIS 574, 2012 WL 5862473, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/dennis-vermillion-v-state-of-indiana-indctapp-2012.