State v. Bates

358 N.E.2d 584, 48 Ohio St. 2d 315, 2 Ohio Op. 3d 453, 1976 Ohio LEXIS 756
CourtOhio Supreme Court
DecidedDecember 23, 1976
DocketNo. 76-904
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 358 N.E.2d 584 (State v. Bates) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Bates, 358 N.E.2d 584, 48 Ohio St. 2d 315, 2 Ohio Op. 3d 453, 1976 Ohio LEXIS 756 (Ohio 1976).

Opinion

Per Curiam.

I.

The record before us establishes the following facts:

On November 25, 1974, the defendant-appellant, Leroy Bates, was living at his sister’s residence located at 2248 Wheeler Street, in Cincinnati. Ellis Shelton, a friend of Leroy Bates for about six years, stopped by the Wheeler Street address to see Bates that afternoon.

Shelton explained to Bates that he was planning an armed robbery of the Warner Tavern and that it would be necessary for him to have a gun. Shelton also informed Bates that when he pulled the robbery oft he would have the gim with him; that he would have ammunition for the gun; and that it would be loaded.

Shelton asked Bates if he knew of anyone who had a gun, and, if so, could he obtain it. Bates told Shelton that he knew of an individual who had guns and that.he could get a gun for Shelton. He then telephoned a friend by the name of Kenneth Carter. From past experience he, knew that Carter had access to firearms. Bates asked Carter to loan him. a gun, hut Carter refused and said that he was willing to sell him one for $20. Bates agreed to this purchase price.

. During their discussion, Shelton told Bates that he would need help and assistance in executing the robbery. When asked if he would assist Shelton in the robbery, Bates agreed.

Later that day, in the early evening, Kenneth Carter, arrived at the Wheeler Street address carrying a sawed-off, 12-gauge shotgun. Shelton met Carter on the street in front of Bates’ sister’s home where Carter handed the [317]*317gun to Shelton,, who, in turn, handed $13 to Carter. The balance of $7 was to be paid to Carter at' a later time. .Shel-tdn was also given three or four shotgun shells with ..number 5 dr 6 size shot.

..¡Shelton departed after the transaction with Carter and' subsequently returned in the late evening hours of- the Same day. Shelton and Bates then left the Wheeler Street address together and headed for a wooded hillside known ash‘TV; Hill,” located in the "Wheeler Street area.- the property pf WCET television studios. '

"When the two men arrived at the hill, Shelton removed the uuasSeinbl-éd shotgun from a bag. The weapon, in three pieces, was then assembled by Shelton. Appellant' observed Shelton assembling the weapon and also saw that Shelton was in possession of several shotgun shells for; the weapon. Both men then put. stocking masks ’ over- their heads before they proceeded to the bar. Bates* role in the robbery was to go behind the bar and take the'.money while Shelton held the shotgun on the patrons. The expects ed take in the robbery was to be about $200.

. They departed “TV Hill” together, headed for the Warner Tavern located at 303 Warner Street. Upon, their arrival both men looked into the tavern and observed, three people sitting in the bar. .'V/

Bates and Shelton then entered the tavern with the former leading the way. The time was approximately midnight or shortly thereafter. Lois Wells was tending: bar and standing next to the cash register. Robert Sehultheis was seated at the bar located in the rear part of- the bjar-rpom. Lloyd Adkins, an off-duty Pinkerton guard, Was 'seated at the bar next to the front entrance. Adkins and Schul-theis were approximately 15 to 18 feet apart. y

Lois Wells asked the masked men what they wanted. Shelton remained by the front door and Bates moved, to the rear area of the bar. The opening to the rear of:the bar was located next to where Sehultheis was sitting. After Lois Wells inquired as to the nature of their business, Shelton raised the shotgun over the bar aiming directly at [318]*318her. -Wells then stated, “All right, I know what you want.”

When Bates started to move around to her side of the bar, it was Wells’ intention to let him take the money. As Lois Wells moved to the rear of the bar, she heard Adkins say to Shelton, “Oh, no you don’t!” She then turned and looked toward the front of the tavern, where Shelton and Adkins were struggling. Wells heard Shelton shout at Adkins to get back or he would be killed. Wells then observed Shelton push Adkins off balance. Shelton then stepped back and fired the fatal shot directly at Adkins from a distance of several feet.

Meanwhile, Bates engaged Schultheis in a fight and struck him. As a result, Schultheis was knocked to the floor and kicked by Bates. Schultheis than managed to get off the floor and move to a back room and hide $280 that he had on his person.

Lois Wells identified Bates, at the trial, as the man who entered the tavern first and subsequently struck Schul-theis.

After the shooting, Bates and Shelton fled the tavern on foot. They went back to “TV Hill” and stripped the stocking masks from their heads and threw them away. The shotgun was then disassembled, and the two returned to 2248 Wheeler Street.

At. approximately 1:30 a. m., on November 26, 1974, Kenneth Carter received a telephone call from Bates asking Carter to pick up the shotgun that Shelton had used to murder Adkins. Carter did not reclaim the gun as the appellant had requested.

Carter saw the appellant, at approximately 2:00 p. m., on November 26, 1974, and appellant again told Carter of the events of the preceding evening, including the shooting.

• ■ .Carter testified at trial that the gun was- capable of firing.- He also testified that the weapon had to be cocked before it could he fired. The shotgun was identified at trial.

Bates hid the gun in the backyard of his sisters’s residence and kept it there for about two days. Then he took the-gun, wrapped in a towel and secured with a string, to a [319]*319wooded area in Mt. Airy Forest near Kirby Road where he threw the shotgun away.

On December 12, 1974, Bates was placed under arrest. He was repeatedly advised of his constitutional rights and signed a waiver of his rights. The appellant then freely told police of his involvement in the robbery attempt and murder which occurred at the Warner Tavern.

The coroner testified that the cause of death was hemorrhage as a result of a gunshot wound of the chest.

II.

Appellant advances four propositions of law, the first of which asserts that:

“The court erred to the prejudice of defendant-appellant in denying his motion to suppress his statement made to law enforcement officers in violation of his rights guaranteed by the Fifth and Sixth Amendments to the Constitution of the United States of America.”

The record indicates that Bates was arrested at his sister’s home at about 3:00 p. m. on December 12, 1974, and apprised of what the police wished to talk to him about. According to Officer Burgess’ testimony, his speech was clear and his appearance normal, and he was neither drunk nor under the influence of drugs. They arrived at the homicide squad office at approximately 3:30 p. m. At that time, Officer Sefton advised him orally of his constitutional rights in an interrogation room. Next, defendant was informed that his brother, Frank, and Kenneth Carter had told police about his involvement in the attempted robbery and killing. He spoke to his brother, who was brought to the interrogation room, and the latter denied saying anything to the police.

Officer Drescher then talked to the appellant after first advising him of his constitutional rights. They talked for an hour.

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Bluebook (online)
358 N.E.2d 584, 48 Ohio St. 2d 315, 2 Ohio Op. 3d 453, 1976 Ohio LEXIS 756, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-bates-ohio-1976.