In re D.R.H.

2023 Ohio 1694
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedMay 18, 2023
Docket22 MA 0095
StatusPublished

This text of 2023 Ohio 1694 (In re D.R.H.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In re D.R.H., 2023 Ohio 1694 (Ohio Ct. App. 2023).

Opinion

[Cite as In re D.R.H., 2023-Ohio-1694.]

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF OHIO SEVENTH APPELLATE DISTRICT MAHONING COUNTY

IN THE MATTER OF:

D.R.H.,

ALLEGED DELINQUENT CHILD.

OPINION AND JUDGMENT ENTRY Case No. 22 MA 0095

Juvenile Appeal from the Court of Common Pleas, Juvenile Division of Mahoning County, Ohio Case Nos. 04JA1253, 05JA116, 05JA1822, 06JA819, 07JA829, 07JA830

BEFORE: Carol Ann Robb, David A. D’Apolito, Mark A. Hanni, Judges.

JUDGMENT: Affirmed.

Atty. Rhys B. Cartwright-Jones, 42 N. Phelps Street, Youngstown, Ohio 44503 for Appellant and

Atty. Gina DeGenova, Mahoning County Prosecutor, Atty. Edward A. Czopur, Assistant Mahoning County Prosecutor, Mahoning County Prosecutor's Office, 21 West Boardman Street, 6th Floor, Youngstown, Ohio 44503 for Appellee.

Dated: May 18, 2023 –2–

Robb, J.

{¶1} Appellant, D.R.H, appeals the July 29, 2022 judgment rendered in six separate Mahoning County Juvenile Court cases. The judgment appealed collectively addresses and overrules Appellant’s post-sentence motions to vacate his plea agreements in each case. {¶2} Appellant contends the trial court's record of its acceptance of Appellant’s admission to the complaints in these six cases either fails to show the court complied with or that it did not actually comply with Juv.R. 29(D). As a result of the court’s alleged failure in each case, Appellant claims the trial court violated his constitutional right to due process, requiring us to vacate his six pleas of admission and sentences. For the following reasons, we affirm. STATEMENT OF THE CASE {¶3} According to Appellant’s six motions to vacate his pleas and convictions, he is 33 years old and is being sentencing in a federal criminal case. As part of his federal sentencing, the United States is considering Appellant’s six Mahoning County juvenile delinquency adjudications, which according to Appellant, will significantly increase his federal sentence. In an effort to reduce his pending federal sentence, Appellant challenges his juvenile adjudications and claims each is void and a violation of the Fifth, Sixth, and Fourteenth Amendments and Juv.R. 29. (June 28, 2022 Motions to Vacate.) {¶4} His motions contend that of his six juvenile delinquency cases and pleas of admission, the trial court was only able to produce a transcript or an audio recording of the hearing in one case. Thus, he claims the state cannot show it complied with Juv.R. 29 in five out of the six juvenile matters. As for the one case in which Appellant did secure a transcript of his plea hearing, he claims the trial court failed to comply with Juv.R. 29. {¶5} The state opposed Appellant’s motion in each juvenile case, arguing the test governing post-sentence motions to withdraw plea agreements in criminal matters, in Crim.R. 32.1, does not show Appellant was entitled to relief because he did not establish a “manifest injustice.” The trial court overruled Appellant’s six duplicate motions via the same judgment separately filed in each of his six juvenile cases.

Case No. 22 MA 0095 –3–

Juvenile Case Number 2004 JA 1253 {¶6} The oldest of the six cases where Appellant sought to withdraw his plea of admission is juvenile case number 2004 JA 1253. In this case, Appellant was charged as a delinquent child via an August 16, 2004 Complaint. It alleged Appellant was fourteen years old and charged him with receiving stolen property, i.e., an automobile, a fourth- degree felony. He initially denied the charge and was appointed counsel. (August 19, 2004 Magistrate’s Decision.) {¶7} The court subsequently held a pre-trial hearing at which the court granted the state’s motion to amend the charge from receiving stolen property, a fourth-degree felony, to receiving stolen property in violation of R.C. 2913.51, a first-degree misdemeanor. (September 16, 2004 Magistrate’s Order.) Appellant admitted to receiving stolen property and was sentenced to 90 days in juvenile detention, which was suspended; probation; and was ordered to pay restitution and a fine. He was represented by counsel and was accompanied by his mother at the time of the plea. (September 16, 2004 Order; September 23, 2004 Disposition Decision; October 19, 2004 Judgment.) Appellant did not appeal. {¶8} Appellant’s probation was negatively terminated on May 27, 2008 based on his failure to meet the terms and conditions of his probation. (May 27, 2008 Negative Probation Termination.) {¶9} On May 16, 2019, the trial court issued an order noting the juvenile court no longer had jurisdiction over the matter because Appellant was 29 years old, and as such, the fines and costs imposed expired on his 21st birthday. (May 16, 2019 Magistrate’s Order.) {¶10} Seventeen years and three months after the September 2004 disposition, Appellant filed a motion seeking copies of the audio recordings and/or transcripts of his plea and sentencing hearings on January 13, 2022. The court granted his motion and ordered the court reporter to transcribe the hearings. (March 28, 2022 Judgment Entry.) {¶11} Thereafter, on June 28, 2022, Appellant filed his motion captioned “Motion to Vacate Pleas and Sentences and Request for Hearing.” Appellant alleged his plea should be vacated because the trial court record does not show that it complied with the

Case No. 22 MA 0095 –4–

mandates in Juv.R. 29(B) and (D) or that the trial court conducted a colloquy concerning Appellant’s Fifth and Sixth Amendment rights. {¶12} Appellant contends he only received a copy of one hearing transcript in this case. However, attached to his motion to vacate are two hearing transcripts in this case, i.e., an August 16, 2004 arraignment and a September 16, 2004 adjudication hearing, but not a copy of the plea hearing or a recording of it. During the arraignment, the court reviewed Appellant’s rights with him before his initial plea of not guilty. The court reviewed the charges and potential consequences he was facing and reviewed Appellant’s right to an attorney and his right to remain silent. (Tr. 5-8.) These transcripts are not filed in the trial court and are only attached to Appellant’s motion to vacate. {¶13} Contrary to Appellant’s assertion, there is no trial court judgment indicating a lack of plea and sentencing hearing transcript or record. There is likewise no evidence showing there was no recording or transcript made of his plea hearing. Instead, this allegation is only in Appellant’s motion and Appellate brief. {¶14} In response, the state urged the trial court to overrule his motion to vacate because Appellant failed to provide the court with authority in support of his motion, and upon applying the post-sentence motion to withdraw a plea agreement test or standard set forth in Crim.R. 32.1, Appellant failed to show a manifest injustice warranting the withdrawal of his plea. (July 26, 2022 Response.) As stated, the trial court overruled his motion to vacate. (July 29, 2022 Judgment.) Juvenile Case Number 2005 JA 116 {¶15} In juvenile case number 2005 JA 116, a delinquency complaint was filed on February 1, 2005 charging Appellant with receiving stolen property, a fourth-degree felony, and criminal damaging, a second-degree misdemeanor. He was fifteen years old. (February 1, 2005 Complaint.) Appellant appeared with his mother at the arraignment, denied the charges, and was appointed counsel. (February 4, 2005 Magistrate’s Decision.) {¶16} He failed to appear for a November 30, 2005 hearing. The court issued an order of apprehension, and Appellant was eventually apprehended in March of 2006. (March 21, 2006 Magistrate’s Decision.)

Case No. 22 MA 0095 –5–

{¶17} On May 9, 2006, the trial court accepted Appellant’s plea of admission to the charge of receiving stolen property and granted the state’s motion to dismiss the second charge, criminal damaging.

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2023 Ohio 1694, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-drh-ohioctapp-2023.