State v. Baumle

2015 Ohio 220
Ohio Court of Appeals·Decided January 26, 2015·No. 11-14-06·Published·Cited by 1 cases

Opinion

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF OHIO THIRD APPELLATE DISTRICT

PAULDING COUNTY

STATE OF OHIO, PLAINTIFF-APPELLEE, CASE NO. 11-14-06 v.

ABAGAIL L. BAUMLE, OPINION DEFENDANT-APPELLANT.

Appeal from Paulding County Common Pleas Court Trial Court No. CR-13-587

Judgment Affirmed

Date of Decision: January 26, 2015

APPEARANCES:

Timothy C. Holtsberry for Appellant Joseph R. Burkard for Appellee

PRESTON, J.

{¶1} Defendant-appellant, Abagail L. Baumle (“Baumle”), appeals the June 4, 2014 judgment entry of sentence of the Paulding County Court of Common Pleas. For the reasons that follow, we affirm.

{¶2} On November 15, 2013, the Paulding County Grand Jury indicted Baumle on one count of theft in violation of R.C. 2913.02(A)(1), (B)(2), a fifth- degree felony. (Doc. No. 1). The indictment alleged that on September 5, 2013 through September 24, 2013 Baumle purposely deprived the victim, Courtney Temple (“Temple”), of an item of property listed in R.C. 2913.71, a “credit/debit card,” or exerted control over that property without Temple’s consent. (Id.).

{¶3} On November 25, 2013, Baumle entered a not-guilty plea at arraignment. (Doc. No. 11).

{¶4} On February 25, 2014, Baumle waived her right to a trial by jury and a trial to the court was held on April 10, 2014. (Doc. Nos. 18, 19, 24). The trial court found Baumle guilty as to the count in the indictment and ordered a presentence investigation (“PSI”). (Doc. No. 24); (Apr. 10, 2014 Tr. at 51).

{¶5} On April 22, 2014, Baumle filed a “Motion for Dismissal” under Crim.R. 29, 47, and 48, arguing that there was insufficient evidence that she intended to permanently deprive Temple of her debit card. (Doc. No. 25). The trial court denied Baumle’s motion on April 30, 2014. (Doc. No. 26).

{¶6} On June 2, 2014, the trial court sentenced Baumle to four years of community control. (June 4, 2014 JE, Doc. No. 29). Baumle’s community control sanctions included: that she will serve 20-days in jail with work-release privileges; that she may not consume alcohol or controlled substances and enter any bars, taverns, or establishments that serve alcohol by the single serving; that she will be subject to random blood, breath, and urine screens; that she will pay court costs in this case; and that she will maintain employment during her term of community control. (Id.).

{¶7} Baumle filed her notice of appeal on July 3, 2014. (Doc. No. 31).

Baumle raises three assignments of error for our review. We elect to address Baumle’s first and second assignments of error together, followed by her third assignment of error.

Assignment of Error No. I

The trial court’s finding of guilt for a violation of R.C.

2913.02(A)(1) for theft of a debit card is against the manifest weight of the evidence.

Assignment of Error No. II

The trial court erred in overruling defendant’s motion to dismiss pursuant to Criminal Rules 29, 47 and 48.

{¶8} In her first and second assignments of error, Baumle argues that her conviction is against the manifest weight of the evidence and is not supported by sufficient evidence. In particular, Baumle argues that there is insufficient

evidence that she purposely deprived Temple of her debit card because Baumle replaced it in Temple’s wallet after each time she used it. She also contends that there is insufficient evidence that Temple did not consent to Baumle’s use of her debit card.

{¶9} As an initial matter, we note that Baumle argues in her second assignment of error that the trial court erred in overruling her “motion to dismiss.” However, Baumle mischaracterizes her motion. Instead, because Baumle’s motion was made after the presentation of evidence and requested the trial court to examine the evidence presented and dismiss the indictment since there was insufficient evidence that Baumle intended to permanently deprive Temple of her debit card, the motion was framed as, and treated as, a motion for acquittal under Crim.R. 29.1 See State v. Stout, 3d Dist. Logan No. 8-06-12, 2006-Ohio-6089, ¶ 11 (“If a motion to dismiss requires examination of evidence beyond the face of the complaint, it must be presented as a motion for acquittal under Crim.R. 29 at the close of the state’s case.”), citing State v. Varner, 81 Ohio App.3d 85, 86 (9th Dist.1991). Nevertheless, Baumle’s motion had no application in her bench trial. See State v. Miller, 3d Dist. Seneca No. 13-12-52, 2013-Ohio-3194, ¶ 27, fn. 3 (“‘The purpose of a motion for judgment of acquittal is to test the sufficiency of the evidence and, where the evidence is insufficient, to take the case from the jury.

1 Although Baumle characterized her motion as a “motion to dismiss,” we note that she stated that her arguments were being made under Crim.R. 29, 47, and 48. (See Doc. No. 25).

In the non-jury trial, however, the defendant’s plea of not guilty serves as a motion for judgment of acquittal, and obviates the necessity of renewing a Crim.R. 29 motion at the close of all the evidence.’”), quoting City of Dayton v. Rogers, 60 Ohio St.2d 162, 163 (1979). Accordingly, we will treat Baumle’s assignment of error as challenging the sufficiency of the evidence. Id., citing State v. Tatum, 3d. Dist. Seneca No. 13-10-8, 2011-Ohio-3005, ¶ 43 and State v. Miley, 114 Ohio App.3d 738, 742 (4th Dist.1996).

{¶10} “An appellate court’s function when reviewing the sufficiency of the evidence to support a criminal conviction is to examine the evidence admitted at trial to determine whether such evidence, if believed, would convince the average mind of the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.” State v. Jenks, 61 Ohio St.3d 259 (1981), paragraph two of the syllabus, superseded by state constitutional amendment on other grounds as stated in State v. Smith, 80 Ohio St.3d 89 (1997). Accordingly, “[t]he relevant inquiry is whether, after viewing the evidence in a light most favorable to the prosecution, any rational trier of fact could have found the essential elements of the crime proven beyond a reasonable doubt.” Id. “In deciding if the evidence was sufficient, we neither resolve evidentiary conflicts nor assess the credibility of witnesses, as both are functions reserved for the trier of fact.” State v. Jones, 1st Dist. Hamilton Nos. C-120570 and C-120571, 2013-Ohio-4775, ¶ 33, citing State v. Williams, 197 Ohio App.3d 505,

2011-Ohio-6267, ¶ 25 (1st Dist.). See also State v. Berry, 3d Dist. Defiance No. 4-12-03, 2013-Ohio-2380, ¶ 19 (“Sufficiency of the evidence is a test of adequacy rather than credibility or weight of the evidence.”), citing State v. Thompkins, 78 Ohio St.3d 380, 386 (1997).

{¶11} On the other hand, in determining whether a conviction is against the manifest weight of the evidence, a reviewing court must examine the entire record, “‘weigh[ ] the evidence and all reasonable inferences, consider[ ] the credibility of witnesses and determine[ ] whether in resolving conflicts in the evidence, the [trier of fact] clearly lost its way and created such a manifest miscarriage of justice that the conviction must be reversed and a new trial ordered.’” Thompkins at 387, quoting State v. Martin, 20 Ohio App.3d 172, 175 (1st Dist.1983). A reviewing court must, however, allow the trier of fact appropriate discretion on matters relating to the weight of the evidence and the credibility of the witnesses. State v. DeHass, 10 Ohio St.2d 230, 231 (1967). When applying the manifest-weight standard, “[o]nly in exceptional cases, where the evidence ‘weighs heavily against the conviction,’ should an appellate court overturn the trial court’s judgment.” State v. Haller, 3d Dist. Allen No. 1-11-34, 2012-Ohio-5233, ¶ 9, quoting State v. Hunter, 131 Ohio St.3d 67, 2011-Ohio-6524, ¶ 119.

{¶12} The criminal offense of theft is codified in R.C. 2913.02, which provides, in relevant part: “No person, with purpose to deprive the owner of

property or services, shall knowingly obtain or exert control over either the property or services * * * [w]ithout the consent of the owner or person authorized to give consent.” R.C. 2913.02(A)(1).

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State v. Baumle, 2015 Ohio 220 (Ohio Ct. App. 2015).

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