State v. Burton, 06ca2892 (5-10-2007)

2007 Ohio 2320
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedMay 10, 2007
DocketNo. 06CA2892.
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 2007 Ohio 2320 (State v. Burton, 06ca2892 (5-10-2007)) 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
State v. Burton, 06ca2892 (5-10-2007), 2007 Ohio 2320 (Ohio Ct. App. 2007).

Opinion

DECISION AND JUDGMENT ENTRY
{¶ 1} Defendant-Appellant, Dale C. Burton, appeals from his conviction of theft, in violation of RC. 2913.02, a fifth degree felony, after a jury trial in the Ross County Court of Common Pleas. Appellant contends that 1) there was insufficient evidence upon which a jury could have convicted him; 2) the jury's verdict is against the manifest weight of the evidence; 3) the trial court erred in failing to grant his motion for dismissal pursuant to Crim.R 29 challenging proof of value; 4) if trial counsel failed *Page 2 to renew the CrimR. 29 motion at the close of evidence, such failure does not bar review or reversal; and 5) if trial counsel failed to renew the CrimR. 29 motion at the close of evidence, such failure constitutes ineffective assistance of counsel. Because we find that the Appellant's conviction was supported by sufficient evidence and is not against the manifest weight of the evidence, we find Appellant's first and second assignments of error to be without merit. Further, because we find Appellant failed to preserve his CrimR 29(A) motion for acquittal by failing to renew his motion at the close of all evidence, and in light of our finding that the State provided sufficient proof that the value of the item that was the subject of the theft was in excess of $500.00, we find Appellant's third, fourth and fifth assignments of error to be without merit. Accordingly, we affirm Appellant's conviction.

I. Facts
{¶ 2} Charles Henneberger purchased a new Yamaha four-wheeler in 1998 for between $5,500.00 and $5,800.00. During the time that the four-wheeler was in Mr. Henneberger's possession, he and his wife used the four-wheeler around their house and yard, primarily to pull a wood cart, plant flowers and to take their grandchildren for rides. *Page 3

{¶ 3} On August 24, 2004, Mr. Henneberger's four-wheeler was stolen from his garage when he was not at home. While Mr. Henneberger was gone from his home, his neighbors, Wesley and Kristy Alderman, were in the process of getting into their car to leave their house when Mr. Alderman noticed a pickup truck with three people in it pass by, heading in the direction of Mr. Henneberger's house.1 The Aldermans proceeded to leave their house and when they drove by Mr. Henneberger's house, they noticed that his garage door was opened and his four-wheeler was parked next to the road. Mr. Alderman then witnessed the pickup truck he had seen earlier pull up to Mr. Henneberger's four-wheeler. Two men jumped out of the pickup truck and loaded the four-wheeler into the back of the truck. At this point, Mr. Alderman turned around in a neighboring driveway and drove back towards Mr. Henneberger's residence, parking his vehicle sideways in the road in an attempt to block the pickup truck from driving away; however, the driver of the truck maneuvered the truck through a ditch and around the Aldermans' vehicle.

{¶ 4} As the truck drove around the Aldermans' vehicle, both Wesley and Kristy Alderman recognized the driver as Dale Burton, a former classmate of theirs. The Aldermans obtained the license plate number of the *Page 4 truck, called the sheriffs office and were also able to provide the Sheriffs department with descriptions of the other two individuals in the truck. In the meantime, Mr. Henneberger was contacted and notified that his four-wheeler had been stolen.

{¶ 5} The Sheriffs department was able to locate the truck used in the commission of the crime; however, the four-wheeler was never recovered. The truck was registered to Michael Barnes. When questioned about his truck, Michael Barnes stated that he had loaned the truck to his daughter, Constance Barnes. Constance Barnes in turn claimed that she traded vehicles with her cousin, Ricky Smith2, on the day in question. Ricky Smith later admitted to being in possession of the truck but refused to provide details.

{¶ 6} Appellant, Dale C. Burton, was indicted on one count of Theft, a fifth degree felony, in violation of R.C. 2913.02 in connection with these events. During the two-day jury trial, Mr. Henneberger testified that he purchased his four-wheeler in 1998, new, for between $5,500.00 and $5,800.00. He also testified that it was in good condition at the time it was stolen, with the exception of a broken tail light. Both Wesley and Kristy Alderman testified that the driver of the truck was Dale Burton, explaining *Page 5 that they recognized him as a former classmate of theirs through middle school and high school. They also picked Dale Burton out of a lineup and identified him in court. Additionally, the State put on expert testimony via Mickey J. Long. Mr. Long testified that he had sold over 350 new and used ATVs while working at All Terrain Sports in Chillicothe, Ohio, and that the resale value of a four-wheeler such as Mr. Henneberger's, in good condition and taking the busted tail light into consideration, would be approximately $2,100.00. He further testified that such a four-wheeler would be substantially in excess of $500.00, unless it had been totally destroyed.

{¶ 7} Appellant moved for acquittal pursuant to Crim. R. 29 at the close of the State's evidence, which was denied by the trial court. Appellant then provided two of his neighbors as alibi witnesses, who were able to testify that Appellant was at his home between noon and 1:00 p.m. and then from 6:30 p.m. on, on the day in question, but were unable to account for Appellant's whereabouts in between those times. Appellant testified on his own behalf, claiming that he was home all day playing X-box. He claimed that his girlfriend, Katherine McCoy and his friend, Mike Bates, were with him however, neither of these individuals testified at trial.

{¶ 8} Appellant did not renew his CrimR. 29 motion for acquittal at the close of his own case, and the matter was submitted to the jury for *Page 6 deliberations. The jury returned a verdict finding Appellant guilty as charged. Although Appellant did not initially appeal his conviction, this Court granted Appellant's motion for leave to file a delayed appeal. Appellant now assigns the following errors for our review.

II. Assignments of Error
{¶ 9} "I. THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE UPON WHICH A JURY COULD HAVE CONVICTED THE DEFENDANT.

{¶ 10} II. THE JURY'S VERDICT IS AGAINST THE MANIFEST WEIGHT OF THE EVIDENCE.

{¶ 11} III. THE TRIAL COURT ERRED IN FAILING TO GRANT BURTON'S MOTION FOR DISMISSAL PURSUANT TO RULE OF CRIMINAL PROCEDURE 29 CHALLENGING PROOF OF VALUE.

{¶ 12} IV. IF TRIAL COUNSEL FAILED TO RENEW BURTON'S RULE OF CRIMINAL PROCEDURE 29 MOTION AT THE CLOSE OF EVIDENCE, SUCH FAILURE DOES NOT BAR REVIEW OR REVERSAL.

{¶ 13} V. IF TRIAL COUNSEL FAILED TO RENEW BURTON'S RULE OF CRIMINAL PROCEDURE 29 MOTION AT THE CLOSE OF EVIDENCE, SUCH FAILURE CONSTITUTES INEFFECTIVE ASSISTANCE OF COUNSEL."

III. Legal Analysis
{¶ 14} In his first assignment of error, Appellant contends that there was insufficient evidence upon which the jury could have convicted him.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
2007 Ohio 2320, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-burton-06ca2892-5-10-2007-ohioctapp-2007.