State v. Chaney, Unpublished Decision (12-11-2006)

2006 Ohio 6489
Ohio Court of Appeals·Decided December 11, 2006·No. No. 13-05-12.·Unpublished·Cited by 6 cases

Opinions

OPINION
{¶ 1} Defendant-Appellant, Daniel H. Chaney, appeals his convictions on two counts of gross sexual imposition and the judgment of the Seneca County Court of Common Pleas imposing two four year sentences to be served consecutively to each other as well as consecutively to the sentence in Seneca County Case Number 04 CR 0131.1 On appeal, Chaney contends that the trial court erred in denying his motion for acquittal pursuant to Crim.R. 29; that the trial court erred in granting the State's notice of intent to introduce other acts evidence; that the trial court erred in using post-1996 sentencing guidelines to sentence him; that the trial court erred in sentencing him to a third degree felony instead of a fourth degree felony; and, that the trial court erred in permitting prosecutorial misconduct during the closing arguments. Finding that Chaney was improperly sentenced under post-1996 Sentencing Guidelines, we reverse that portion of the trial court's judgment and remand the matter for further proceedings consistent with this opinion. However, the judgment is affirmed in all other respects.

{¶ 2} In Seneca County Case Number 04 CR 0131, Chaney was accused by his step-daughter, B.C., of rape and gross sexual imposition. After these accusations against Chaney were raised by B.C., Chaney was at a family meeting where his wife and numerous family members were present. During this family meeting, the members of Chaney's family brought up B.C.'s allegations after which Chaney left the meeting. Also, during this meeting, additional allegations surfaced involving B.C.'s cousins, M.W. and K.C.

{¶ 3} M.W. stated that in 1993 or 1994, when she was six or seven years old, two incidents occurred. In the first incident, M.W. stated that she and B.C. were sleeping on the living room floor at Chaney's residence. M.W. stated that she woke up and Chaney was next to her without clothes on and was masturbating. M.W. stated that Chaney proceeded to ask her if she wanted to touch him, removed M.W.'s clothes, and touched her bare breasts and vagina. M.W. stated that at the time this incident occurred, she did not have any breasts to touch, but Chaney did fondle her breast area. In the second incident, M.W. stated that she and B.C. were sleeping on the floor in the dining room of Chaney's residence, when Chaney knelt beside her causing her to wake up. M.W. continued that after she woke up, Chaney stated that it would not take long and proceeded to perform the same acts as the first incident.

{¶ 4} K.C. stated that in 1992, when she was nine years old, she stayed at B.C.'s house in Tiffin. K.C. stated that while she and B.C. were sleeping in front of the television, she suddenly woke up to the sound of the television, noticed that a pornographic movie was on the television, and rolled away from the television. K.C. continued that when she rolled away from the television, she saw Chaney sitting Indian style on the floor totally naked. K.C. stated that she believed that Chaney was masturbating while sitting there. K.C. also stated that Chaney attempted to remove the covers off her and attempted to lie on top of her. K.C. finally stated that Chaney was able to get his hand up inside the covers, touched her chest area between her breasts, and touched the top of her vagina.

{¶ 5} In October of 2004, a Seneca County Grand Jury indicted Chaney on two counts of gross sexual imposition in violation of R.C.2907.05(A)(4), felonies of the third degree. Count One of the indictment charged that sometime during the year of 1993 and/or 1994, as part of a continuous course of conduct, Chaney engaged in sexual contact with M.W., who was less than thirteen years old at the time of the offense. Count Two of the indictment charged that sometime in May of 1992, Chaney engaged in sexual contact with K.C., who was less than thirteen years old at the time of the offense. Neither M.W. nor K.C. has been married to Chaney at any time.

{¶ 6} In March of 2005, a jury unanimously found Chaney guilty on both counts of gross sexual imposition. Subsequently, a sentencing and sexual offender classification hearing was held. At the sentencing hearing, Chaney was sentenced to four years on each count of gross sexual imposition, and the trial court ordered these sentences be served consecutively to each other and to the sentences imposed in Seneca County Case Number 04 CR 0131. Chaney was also adjudicated a sexual predator, under R.C. 2950.09. It is from this judgment that Chaney appeals, presenting the following assignments of error for our review:

Assignment of Error No. I
Defendant's conviction was not supported by sufficient credible evidence. The trial court erred in denying Defendant's Motion for acquittal pursuant to Rule 29 of the Ohio Rules of Criminal Procedure.

Assignment of Error No. II
The trial court erred when it permitted the Notice of Intent to Introduce Other Acts Evidence to be granted.

Assignment of Error No. III
The trial court erred when it used post-1996 sentencing guidelines to sentence the Appellant.

Assignment of Error No. IV
The trial court erred when it sentenced the Appellant to a Third Degree felony.

Assignment of Error No. V
The trial court erred when it permitted prosecutorial misconduct during closing argument (Sic).

{¶ 7} Due to the nature of Chaney's assignments of error, we choose to address them out of order.

Assignment of Error No. I
{¶ 8} In his first assignment of error, Chaney argues that the trial court erred in denying his motion for acquittal, filed under Crim.R. 29(A). Specifically, Chaney contends that the evidence proving venue as to Count One was insufficient and that the evidence as to the element of sexual contact with respect to Count Two was insufficient. We disagree.

{¶ 9} Crim.R. 29 provides:

(A) Motion for judgment of acquittal. The court on motion of a defendant or on its own motion, after the evidence on either side is closed, shall order the entry of a judgment of acquittal of one or more offenses charged in the indictment, information, or complaint, if the evidence is insufficient to sustain a conviction of such offense or offenses. The court may not reserve ruling on a motion for judgment of acquittal made at the close of the state's case.

{¶ 10} Under Crim.R.

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State v. Chaney, Unpublished Decision (12-11-2006), 2006 Ohio 6489 (Ohio Ct. App. 2006).

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