Marc Lindsey v. State of Indiana (mem. dec.)

Indiana Court of Appeals·Decided September 12, 2016·No. 20A03-1508-CR-1086·Published

Opinion

MEMORANDUM DECISION Pursuant to Ind. Appellate Rule 65(D), FILED

this Memorandum Decision shall not be Sep 12 2016, 8:42 am

regarded as precedent or cited before any CLERK Indiana Supreme Court

court except for the purpose of establishing Court of Appeals and Tax Court

the defense of res judicata, collateral estoppel, or the law of the case.

ATTORNEY FOR APPELLANT ATTORNEYS FOR APPELLEE Nancy E. McCaslin Gregory F. Zoeller McCaslin & McCaslin Attorney General of Indiana Elkhart, Indiana Chandra K. Hein

Deputy Attorney General

Indianapolis, Indiana

IN THE

COURT OF APPEALS OF INDIANA

Marc Lindsey, September 12, 2016 Appellant-Defendant, Court of Appeals Case No.

20A03-1508-CR-1086

v. Appeal from the Elkhart Superior Court

State of Indiana, The Honorable David C. Appellee-Plaintiff. Bonfiglio, Judge Trial Court Cause No.

20D06-1210-FD-1224

May, Judge.

Court of Appeals of Indiana | Memorandum Decision 20A03-1508-CR-1086 | September 12, 2016 Page 1 of 18

[1] Marc Lindsey appeals his conviction of Class D felony operating a vehicle while intoxicated. 1 He presents five issues for our review which we restate as:

1. Whether the prosecutor committed misconduct during closing argument;

2. Whether the trial court properly instructed the jury regarding the element of endangerment;

3. Whether the State presented sufficient evidence Lindsey committed Class D felony operating a vehicle while intoxicated; 2

4. Whether the trial court erred when it delayed Lindsey’s sentencing past the thirty-day statutory limit; and

5. Whether Lindsey’s trial counsel was ineffective.

We affirm.

Facts and Procedural History [2] On October 11, 2012, Officer Evan Witt initiated a traffic stop after he observed

Lindsey exceeding the speed limit. Lindsey pulled into a nearby driveway and began to exit the vehicle. Officer Witt told Lindsey to stay in the vehicle.

1 Ind. Code § 9-30-5-3(1) (2008).

2 The trial court also convicted Lindsey of Class A misdemeanor driving while suspended. He does not challenge that conviction.

Court of Appeals of Indiana | Memorandum Decision 20A03-1508-CR-1086 | September 12, 2016 Page 2 of 18

Lindsey again attempted to exit the vehicle, and Officer Witt again told Lindsey to remain in the vehicle.

[3] When Officer Witt approached Lindsey’s vehicle, he noticed Lindsey “was fumbling as he [was] putting the keys back in the ignition” so he could roll down the window. (Tr. at 108.) Once Lindsey rolled down the window, Officer Witt noticed a heavy odor of alcoholic beverage and Lindsey’s glassy and bloodshot eyes. Officer Witt told Lindsey he had observed Lindsey speeding, and Lindsey indicated his license was suspended and asked Officer Witt not to give him a speeding ticket. Officer Witt noticed Lindsey’s speech was slurred.

[4] Officer Witt then asked Lindsey to complete three standard field sobriety tests and Lindsey failed all three. Officer Witt asked Lindsey to take a Certified Chemical Test and Lindsey refused. Lindsey was arrested and transported to jail, where he again refused to take a Certified Chemical Test.

[5] On October 15, 2012, the State charged Lindsey with Class A misdemeanor operating a vehicle while intoxicated, Class A misdemeanor operating a vehicle while suspended, and Class D felony operating a vehicle while intoxicated, which is an enhancement of the misdemeanor charge based on Lindsey’s prior conviction of driving while intoxicated. 3 On June 1, 2015, a jury returned a guilty verdict on all charges. The trial court merged the two operating a vehicle

3 Ind. Code § 9-30-5-2(b).

Court of Appeals of Indiana | Memorandum Decision 20A03-1508-CR-1086 | September 12, 2016 Page 3 of 18 while intoxicated verdicts and entered convictions of Class D felony driving while intoxicated and Class A misdemeanor operating while suspended. On July 15, 2015, the trial court sentenced Lindsey to three years for the Class D felony and one year for the Class A misdemeanor, to be served concurrently.

Discussion and Decision

I. Prosecutorial Misconduct [6] Our standard of review regarding alleged prosecutorial misconduct is well-

settled:

In reviewing a claim of prosecutorial misconduct properly raised in the trial court, we determine (1) whether misconduct occurred, and if so, (2) “whether the misconduct, under all of the circumstances, placed the defendant in a position of grave peril to which he or she would not have been subjected” otherwise.

Cooper v. State, 854 N.E.2d 831, 835 (Ind. 2006), quoted in Castillo v. State, 974 N.E.2d 458, 468 (Ind. 2012). A prosecutor has the duty to present a persuasive final argument and thus placing a defendant in grave peril, by itself, is not misconduct. Mahla v.

State, 496 N.E.2d 568, 572 (Ind. 1986). “Whether a prosecutor’s argument constitutes misconduct is measured by reference to case law and the Rules of Professional Conduct. The gravity of peril is measured by the probable persuasive effect of the misconduct on the jury’s decision rather than the degree of impropriety of the conduct.” Cooper, 854 N.E.2d at 835 (emphasis added) (citations omitted). To preserve a claim of prosecutorial misconduct, the defendant must - at the time the alleged misconduct occurs - request an admonishment [sic] to the jury, and if further relief is desired, move for a mistrial. Id.

Ryan v. State, 9 N.E.3d 663, 667 (Ind. 2014), reh’g denied. Court of Appeals of Indiana | Memorandum Decision 20A03-1508-CR-1086 | September 12, 2016 Page 4 of 18

[7] Though he objected to one of the prosecutor’s statements during closing arguments, Lindsey did not request an admonition or move for a mistrial. Thus, Lindsey failed to preserve his claim of prosecutorial misconduct and must establish fundamental error. See id. at 667-68. Error is fundamental when it so blatantly violates basic elementary principles that its harm or potential for harm is inescapable, and the prejudicial effect of the violation is such that the defendant’s right to a fair trial is eviscerated. Id. at 668. The defendant carries a heavy burden in demonstrating fundamental error. Id.

[8] Lindsey asserts prosecutorial misconduct based on two statements during closing argument. Lindsey objected to the first:

[State]: . . . Refusal to take this [breath test] will result in your license being suspended for at least one year.

You heard, you heard Officer Witt testify, you heard Officer Witt read that from memory. That’s because he reads it a lot. He memorizes it. When you’ve done something a hundred plus times, it sticks in your head. So you ask yourself, why didn’t he take the test?

[Lindsey]: Objection, your Honor. That is improper.

[Court]: I think the law allows it to be admitted into evidence that --

[Lindsey]: He has the right to refuse.

[Court]: But the law says it can be admitted into evidence so counsel can argue what it means.

Court of Appeals of Indiana | Memorandum Decision 20A03-1508-CR-1086 | September 12, 2016 Page 5 of 18

[Lindsey]: Thank you, your Honor.

[State]: So why didn’t he take the test? Because he knew he was intoxicated. So he would rather take the lengthy, an additional lengthy suspension on his license rather than take that test and prove the inevitable. In opening statement the defense said that he didn’t take that breath test because he didn’t want to be railroaded. And, again, I suggest to you, he didn’t take that test, not because he didn’t want to be railroaded, because he knew he was intoxicated.

(Tr. at 191-2.) Lindsey did not object to the second statement:

[State]: And as jurors you can use your common sense what reason would Mr. Lindsey have to refuse to take that test if he wasn’t intoxicated. Why would be [sic], for lack of a better word, why would he eat a one year license suspension if he wasn’t afraid of the results?

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