Dowler v. State

547 N.E.2d 1069, 1989 Ind. LEXIS 380, 1989 WL 155058
CourtIndiana Supreme Court
DecidedDecember 15, 1989
Docket34S00-8809-CR-829
StatusPublished
Cited by14 cases

This text of 547 N.E.2d 1069 (Dowler v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Indiana Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Dowler v. State, 547 N.E.2d 1069, 1989 Ind. LEXIS 380, 1989 WL 155058 (Ind. 1989).

Opinion

*1070 PIVARNIK, Justice.

On September 22, 1986, Defendant-Appellant Doyle Dowler was charged in the Howard Circuit Court with the offense of Neglect of a Dependent With Serious Resulting Bodily Injury, a Class B felony, and Murder. The jury found Dowler not guilty of murder but returned a verdict of guilty to neglect of a dependent with serious resulting bodily injury. The court subsequently sentenced Dowler for a term of twenty (20) years.

Five issues are presented for our review in this direct appeal as follows:

1. error of the trial court in permitting exhibits into the jury room during the jury’s deliberations;
2. insufficiency of the charging information;
3. insufficiency of the evidence to sustain Dowler’s conviction;
4. denial of motion for a new trial based upon newly discovered evidence; and
5. error in sentencing.

The facts show that victim Lucas Causey was fifteen (15) months old at the time of his death. His mother had abandoned the family and the father, Terry Causey, had custody of Lucas and two older children. Terry Causey and his children resided in a house in Kokomo along with Jeff Lamphier, Tim Moore, and Defendant-Appellant Doyle Dowler. Causey was often gone from the home and the other men would look after the children. There was some testimony that there was an agreement between Causey and the other men that they would look after the children when he was not there. There was also testimony that many times when Causey was gone Lamphier and/or Dowler would feel they were “stuck” with the children and would have to take care of them. Dowler fed, bathed, watched and disciplined the children when he was present and Causey was gone. The evidence showed that Dowler and Lamphier, in caring for the children, often mistreated Lucas. Each of them often “smacked” Lucas. Dowler had also forcefully thrown Lucas into his bed, causing him to bounce on the mattress and collide with the wooden rails. Dowler and Lamphier also had force fed Lucas by pushing food into his mouth and down his throat. There were times when Lucas would choke from this action. Also, Dowler had wrestled with Lucas and had “body-slammed” him and used his elbows on the baby. Dowler was not happy about having to care for the children as often as he did. There were other acts of violence, abuse, and neglect by Dowler and Lamphier.

The evidence showed that in the week prior to September 12, 1986, Lucas was ill. On the night of September 12, Dowler was intoxicated and dropped Lucas while carrying him around the house. Lucas thereafter had trouble breathing and was obviously injured and in pain. Later that night, Lucas’ condition worsened and the child was taken to Howard Community Hospital in the early morning hours of September 13, 1986. Medical personnel at the hospital recognized a probability of child abuse and notified the police. Lucas was subsequently transported to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis by lifeline helicopter. In spite of all efforts to revive him, including CPR, he died that morning. An autopsy revealed numerous bruises on Lucas’ body which had been caused at various times previous to the last injury. Medical examiners determined from the coloration and condition of his bruises that Lucas had been abused over a period of time. In addition, the body showed signs of dehydration and malnutrition. Death resulted from blunt force injuries to the abdomen that apparently ruptured intestines and caused peritonitis. Medical experts also were of the opinion that had the child not been so dehydrated and malnourished, he might have survived the abdominal injuries with prompt medical care.

I

The trial judge indicated in open court that he was going to allow the evidence to go to the jury room “as I normally do in criminal cases.” Dowler objected generally in that this would call attention to certain evidence in the case, and not other evidence which had been presented, and was therefore prejudicial and probably *1071 improper. The prosecuting attorney stated he had no objection since all of the evidence was going to the jury and not only selected parts of it and, moreover, Dowler had not pointed out any particular evidence to which he objected. Defense counsel then specified he had no objection to objects such as bottles, photographs, and other physical evidence but objected to statements of witnesses because other people had testified and not all of their testimony was going to the jury. He stated he had a problem with that and thought it was unfair. His objection was noted and overruled by the court.

On appeal, Dowler objects to Exhibits 39, 42, 43, and 45, arguing that those exhibits were equivalent to depositions, had no value other than impeachment and were improperly sent to the jury pursuant to this Court’s decision in Thomas v. State (1972), 259 Ind. 537, 289 N.E.2d 508 and its progeny-

The State claims Dowler has waived this issue because he gave different grounds at trial than he gives on this appeal. It is, of course, true that objections at trial must be specific and any grounds not raised are not available on appeal nor can a defendant add to or change his grounds for objection in the reviewing court. Bedgood v. State (1985), Ind., 477 N.E.2d 869, 872; Sills v. State (1984), Ind., 463 N.E.2d 228, 234. Dowler changed his position on appeal by pointing out the specific exhibits, by number and content, to which he assigns error. Since he failed to raise this issue before the trial court, it is not reviewable on appeal.

II

Dowler claims the charging information on the neglect count was insufficient in that it did not specify the nature of the serious bodily injury alleged therein. The statute involved, Ind. Code § 35-34-1-4, provides the proper attack to make on an information on this ground is a motion to dismiss filed not later than twenty (20) days prior to the Omnibus date. Dowler did not file a motion to dismiss. He filed a “Motion to Make More Specific” sixteen (16) days before the Omnibus date. The above statute provides that if the motion is made later than the twenty (20) days, it is subject to summary denial. Foster v. State (1988), Ind., 526 N.E.2d 696, 698; Gibbs v. State (1985), Ind., 483 N.E.2d 1365, 1366. Even assuming arguendo that Dowler did sufficiently raise the question by his “Motion to Make More Specific,” we fail to see prejudice meriting reversal. Dowler’s motion was directed to the count charging him with murder. In his oral argument he also referred to the neglect count, and claimed it, too, was lacking in sufficiency for the same reason. The trial court heard the motion and denied it.

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

Related

Nathaniel L. Jordan v. State of Indiana
Indiana Court of Appeals, 2024
Tanesha McGowan v. State of Indiana
89 N.E.3d 424 (Indiana Court of Appeals, 2017)
Dellia Castile v. State of Indiana
Indiana Court of Appeals, 2013
Jones v. State
868 N.E.2d 1205 (Indiana Court of Appeals, 2007)
Commonwealth v. Panagopoulos
801 N.E.2d 317 (Massachusetts Appeals Court, 2004)
Denney v. State
695 N.E.2d 90 (Indiana Supreme Court, 1998)
Thames v. State
653 N.E.2d 517 (Indiana Court of Appeals, 1995)
State v. Galloway
628 A.2d 735 (Supreme Court of New Jersey, 1993)
Penrod v. State
611 N.E.2d 653 (Indiana Court of Appeals, 1993)
Shoup v. State
570 N.E.2d 1298 (Indiana Court of Appeals, 1991)
Thomas v. State
562 N.E.2d 43 (Indiana Court of Appeals, 1990)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
547 N.E.2d 1069, 1989 Ind. LEXIS 380, 1989 WL 155058, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/dowler-v-state-ind-1989.