George v. State

397 N.E.2d 1027, 73 Ind. Dec. 115, 1979 Ind. App. LEXIS 1477
Indiana Court of Appeals·Decided December 17, 1979·No. 1-179A4·Published·Cited by 17 cases

Opinion

CHIPMAN, Judge.

Defendant James George was charged by indictment with Involuntary Manslaughter and convicted by a jury of the lesser included offense, Battery Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury. 1 George appeals from this conviction raising the following issues for our review:

1. Whether there is sufficient evidence to support the verdict;

2. Did the trial court err by admitting into evidence certain statements made by the defendant to police officers;

3. Whether the trial court erroneously ordered the defendant to produce the work-product of his attorney;

4. Was the jury panel selected in a manner contrary to law; and

5. Whether the trial court erred by giving final instruction No. 27.

We affirm.

*1030 I. SUFFICIENCY OF THE EVIDENCE

Defendant George contends the verdict is contrary to law in that it is unsupported by sufficient evidence of probative value. We hold there is sufficient evidence to support the defendant’s conviction.

In reviewing the sufficiency of the evidence, we do not weigh the evidence or judge the credibility of witnesses. We consider only that evidence most favorable to the State, together with all reasonable and logical inferences to be drawn therefrom. Where there is substantial evidence of probative value supporting the verdict, the conviction will not be set aside. Poindexter v. State, (1978) Ind., 374 N.E.2d 509; Grigsby v. State, (1978) Ind., 371 N.E.2d 384.

The elements of Battery Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury are: (1) knowingly or intentionally (2) touching another person (3) in a rude, insolent or angry manner (4) resulting in serious bodily injury. The evidence most favorable to the State shows that during January 1978, the defendant and the victim, Wilbert Uland, were the only tenants living at the Vosloh rooming house in Bloomfield, Indiana. Their respective rooms were located on the second floor of the house, accessible by way of a stairway located just inside the front door of the building. The men shared a common bathroom, which was also located on the second floor.

On January 10, 1978, at approximately 9:40 p. m., Uland was found unconscious on the front porch of the rooming house. Blood stains were found running from the top of the staircase down to the front door of the building. Medical examination disclosed the victim had a broken jaw, several broken ribs, and numerous cuts and bruises. The bulk of Uland’s injuries were to the left side of his body, leading Dr. Richard Rak, the treating physician, to conclude the victim. had been hit repeatedly with a blunt instrument, or perhaps kicked. Uland never regained consciousness. The immediate cause of the victim’s death was pneumonia, which was linked to his injuries.

The defendant’s whereabouts were traced until he was last seen leaving the O.K. Coral Bar in Bloomfield at approximately 8:30 p. m. on the night in question. He was next observed in his room at the Vosloh rooming house at 11:00 p. m., passed out on his bed, his clothes in a state of disarray.

On January 11, defendant told several police officers he had been involved in an altercation with the victim the previous evening. At trial, Officer James Harts-burgh testified as to what the defendant told him about the incident:

Q. What did the defendant say to you?
A. He said on the night of the evening of January 10th, which would have been last night, that he the defendant had left his room to use the bathroom, the back bathroom being the only one there I believe and that as they went there the doorss [sic] shut and Uland said there was inside using the bathroom it was occupied at that time. So the defnedant [sic] took a seat outside the door and waited his turn, that Uland said the [sic] opened the door to come out and that the defendant stood and when he did for no apparent reason that Uland struck him in the left eye of his face.
A. I then continued with this questioning. I asked the defnedent [sic] what he had done after Uland subject struck him in the left eye. He stated that he grabbed Uland by the front of his shirt and shoved him up against the wall. I asked George if he would, the defendant if he would get up and I got up and walked to the end of the table if he would show me just how he had grabbed Uland and shoved him. Which he did.

Officer David West also spoke with the defendant about his altercation with the victim. At trial, West testified as follows:

A. I ask him what had happened to Mr. Uland. He said that he had came in the night before that he had wentto [sic] the restroom and when he came- *1031 out of the restroom Uland, he described him as the old man, was standing- there apparently waiting to go into the restroom when he walked out of the restroom the defendant told me he told the old man why don’t you go in and take a bath you stink at that time the way he described it the old man clipped him. He pointed to his left eye. I said, what did you do? He said, what would you have done, I clipped him back.
Q. Those were his words? What would you have done, I clipped him back.
A. To the best of my recollection yes.

Circumstantial evidence is no different from other evidence for the purpose of determining whether there is evidence of probative value from which a reasonable trier of fact can infer the defendant’s guilt beyond reasonable doubt. Mitchell v. State, (1977) 266 Ind. 656, 366 N.E.2d 183. Corpus delicti and criminal agency of the defendant may be proved by circumstantial evidence. Ellis v. State, (1969) 252 Ind. 472, 250 N.E.2d 364. Circumstantial evidence, standing alone, may sufficiently support a conviction. Hartman v. State, (1978) Ind.App., 376 N.E.2d 100. The evidence in this case placed the defendant at the scene of the crime approximately one hour before the victim was found. The defendants were the only two tenants at the boarding house. This evidence, considered in light of the defendants statements as to his having “clipped” the victim on the night in question, is sufficient to support the conviction.

II. ADMISSIBILITY OF DEFENDANT’S STATEMENTS

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George v. State, 397 N.E.2d 1027, 73 Ind. Dec. 115, 1979 Ind. App. LEXIS 1477 (Ind. Ct. App. 1979).

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