State v. Carver

283 N.E.2d 662, 30 Ohio App. 2d 115, 59 Ohio Op. 2d 230, 1971 Ohio App. LEXIS 427
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedSeptember 28, 1971
Docket873
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 283 N.E.2d 662 (State v. Carver) 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. Carver, 283 N.E.2d 662, 30 Ohio App. 2d 115, 59 Ohio Op. 2d 230, 1971 Ohio App. LEXIS 427 (Ohio Ct. App. 1971).

Opinion

Okay, J.

This cause is in this court upon appeal from a judgment of the Court of Common Pleas of Scioto County wherein defendant was found guilty by a jury verdict of murder in the first degree, with mercy recommended. Defendant, feeling aggrieved at this result of his trial before the jury, filed his notice of appeal and assigned the following errors:

“1. The court erred in admitting oral statements allegedly made to the prosecutor’s secretary by an 18 year old defendant held incommunicado for four hours between 1:30 and 5:30 a. m., charged with murder, with only a formalistic or perfunctory advice as to his rights, when the secretary was only able to report part of the alleged confession because the other statements were ‘off the record.’
“2. The court erred in directing that the jury be selected and examined piece meal, once on the question of belief in capital punishment and again on other factors without asking whether ‘his opinions precluded him from finding the accused guilty of an offense punishable with death. ’
“3. The court erred in failing to dismiss the indictment after a jury had been impanelled where it was admitted that defendant was prosecuted as an aider and abettor under Section 1.17 Ohio Revised Code and not as a principal, where the principal had been indicted but had not yet been brought to trial.
“4. The court erred in overruling defendant’s motion for a directed verdict at the close of the state’s case and at the close of all the evidence because of the failure of the state to prove defendant’s guilt, a ‘purposeful’ homicide, a corpus delicti or a robbery.
*117 “5. Tlie court erred in permitting the introduction into evidence over defendant’s objections, statements made by Paul Dyer, Maurice Dyer and Robert McCleary.
“6. The court erred in permitting the introduction into evidence over defendant’s objections, of an incident occurring on September 3, 1969, involving Paul Dyer, and in failing to instruct the jury as to the purpose for which this evidence was received.
“7. The court erred in failing to instruct the jury that, from the undisputed testimony, defendant had withdrawn from any alleged conspiracy and altercation, and in failing to properly respond to the jury’s inquiry concerning the law of withdrawal.
“8. The court erred in refusing defendant’s request to charge on the lesser included offenses of manslaughter, assault with intent to rob, and assault and battery.
“9. The court erred in declining to submit to the jury defendant’s written special instruction tendered after argument on the subject of accessories after the fact.
“10. The court erred in permitting the prosecuting attorney to state to the jury that defendant asked ‘How much did we get, ’ that this case was just like the case of a lookout for a bank robbery, and that the defendant should be punished to make the streets of Portsmouth safe for the jurors, prosecutor and otherwise.”

During the evening of September 3, 1969, defendant, age 18, spent some time with Paul Dyer, age 22, Maurice Dyer, age 17, and Robert McCleary, age 16. Later, in the early morning hours of September 4, 1969, Maurice Dyer and Robert McCleary went to Tony’s Bar and Grill located on Gallia Street in the city of Portsmouth. It was reported by the two juveniles to the two older boys that a “queer” was sitting in a white automobile near the Acme Paint Store at Fourth and Sinton in Portsmouth, and that “they could get money off of him.” Maurice and Bob went to the automobile. The victim was behind the wheel and was working on the glove compartment. Paul and defendant followed. Paul opened the door of the car and started hitting the victim. Defendant opened the door on the driv *118 er’s side and tried to “jerk” him out. Bob McCleary kicked him a couple of times. The four of them finally got him on the sidewalk. Paul and the deceased scuffled. Defendant stated that he didn’t think that deceased “was hurt other than us hitting on him” (emphasis supplied). The fight attracted the attention of motorists passing by. Defendant walked over to the cars and told the drivers to move on. The deceased, Bill Lynn Samuel, was “hollerin for someone to go to the police.” During the course of the affray Paul pulled out his knife and stabbed Bill. The knife blade penetrated the left chest in the first intercostal space, the lung and also the arch of the aorta. Bill died in a few minutes.

Maurice and Bobby left the scene together. Paul and defendant left the area later and then went to Stu Barber’s Bar. The bartender testified that ‘‘Mike called me over to the edge of the bar and asked me if anybody came in to say he had been there all evening.”

In his statement to the police defendant made the following admission:

“A. ‘How did he say it? He said I stuck him with a knife. I don’t think I cut him very bad. When we got there 1 told Doug if anybody came in looking for us to tell them we had been sitting there for awhile. Then we sat down in a booth and told them to get us a beer. We walked around the side of the building of the Acme Paint Store. We asked how much money they got off of him.” (Emphasis supplied. )

Paul had originally gone to Tony’s Bar and Grill to see his girl friend who was a ‘ ‘ go-go ’ ’ girl at that establishment. Paul was interfering with her dancing and the bartender and the owner were required to request that Paul not intrude again. At that time Paul had a knife in his hand “punching it in the table.” The knife was opened and defendant was sitting across the table from him.

Barbara Bloomfield, a girl friend of the bartender at Tony’s, testified that she was at the bar waiting to go on a date with her boy friend after closing. That at about 1:30 a. m. on September 4, 1969, Paul, Maurice, Robert and defendant were all standing close to her booth getting ready *119 to leave, at which time the following’ conversation took place:

“Q. What did Pan! Dyer say at that time?
“Mr. Huddleston: Objection.
“The court: Overruled.
“* * * [Defendant’s exceptions noted]
“A. Paul, whenever they were getting ready to leave, Paul called to me and said, Barb, come here a minute. I walked over to him and he said, tell Brenda I’ll be back after while, not to worry, there’s money involved and for her to stay put. I ’ll be back. ’ ’

She testified further that she saw all four of them go toward the Acme Paint Store. This store is near where the homicide occurred.

A driver of an autmobile wrecker was passing by on an early morning call. He testified as follows:

“A. Pew more fists throwed, you know, fighting and then somewhere on the way, somebody had pulled a knife, I’d say it was a knife, and took a couple three [sic] jabs at the fellow in the chest. One of them was standing back a little ways.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
283 N.E.2d 662, 30 Ohio App. 2d 115, 59 Ohio Op. 2d 230, 1971 Ohio App. LEXIS 427, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-carver-ohioctapp-1971.