State v. Coe

2014 Ohio 256
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedJanuary 27, 2014
Docket12-13-03
StatusPublished

This text of 2014 Ohio 256 (State v. Coe) 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. Coe, 2014 Ohio 256 (Ohio Ct. App. 2014).

Opinion

[Cite as State v. Coe, 2014-Ohio-256.]

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF OHIO THIRD APPELLATE DISTRICT PUTNAM COUNTY

STATE OF OHIO,

PLAINTIFF-APPELLEE, CASE NO. 12-13-03

v.

ANDREW COE, OPINION

DEFENDANT-APPELLANT.

Appeal from Putnam County Common Pleas Court Trial Court No. 2012 CR 64

Judgment Reversed and Cause Remanded

Date of Decision: January 27, 2014

APPEARANCES:

Esteban R. Callejas for Appellant

Todd C. Schroeder for Appellee Case No. 12-13-03

WILLAMOWSKI, P.J.

{¶1} Defendant-appellant Andrew Coe (“Coe”) brings this appeal from the

judgment of the Court of Common Pleas of Putnam County challenging his

conviction for burglary and his sentence. For the reasons set forth below, the

judgment is reversed.

{¶2} On or about January 31, 2012, the home of Anthony Morman

(“Morman”) was burglarized. When Morman arrived home on February 1, 2012,

he found a flat screen TV, a game console and games, two guns, knives, and

miscellaneous other property missing. Earlier in the evening, the Ottawa police

had observed an improperly parked vehicle belonging to Matthew Straley

(“Straley”). The police found Straley with Coe and requested that Straley move

the vehicle. At that time, the police saw a flat screen TV, a game console and

games, two guns, knives, and other property. The police questioned Straley and

Coe about the property. Coe claimed the TV was his and then refused to answer

any additional questions. Straley was eventually arrested for possession of

weapons while under disability and was interviewed by the police. Straley

indicated that Coe had stolen the property from Morman.

{¶3} On July 30, 2012, the Putnam County Grand Jury indicted Coe on two

separate offenses. Doc. 2. The first was for receiving stolen property in violation

of R.C. 2913.51, a felony of the fourth degree, and the second was for burglary in

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violation of R.C. 2911.12(A)(2), a felony of the second degree. Id. On December

14, 2012, Coe filed a motion to sever Counts I and II. Doc. 60. The motion was

denied.1 A jury trial was held on December 19 and 20, 2012. The State presented

the testimony of five witnesses relevant to the burglary.2 Coe presented the

testimony of three witnesses, including his own.

{¶4} The first witness for the State was Straley. Straley testified on direct

that on January 31, 2012, Coe called him to come pick him up in a trailer court in

Ottawa. Tr. 142. When Straley arrived, he saw Coe with a bag and a TV. Tr.

143. They placed the TV in the trunk and Coe put the bag in the back seat of the

car. Tr. 144. Straley testified that he did not see a gun placed in the car. Tr. 144.

They then went to a second apartment and went inside. Tr. 145. When Straley

went to get Coe, it was dark. Tr. 145. Later that night, the police arrested him for

outstanding warrants and searched the car. Tr. 146. The next day, the police

questioned him concerning the stolen property in his car. Tr. 147-48. As a result

of a gun being found in his vehicle, Straley was charged with “attempted weapons

under disability.” Tr. 151.

{¶5} On cross-examination Straley admitted that the gun found in his car

was a rifle and was large. Tr. 156-57. Straley testified that he did not know that

Coe had stolen the items at the time he picked him up and did not know what was

1 The trial court did not rule on the motion prior to trial, but it was verbally overruled at the trial. Tr. 359. 2 Additional witnesses were presented on the receiving stolen property charge, however, since that charge is not part of the appeal, the testimony of those witnesses is irrelevant to this appeal.

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in the laundry bag. Tr. 157-58. Straley also admitted that he was convicted and

sentenced to prison for receiving stolen property and having a weapon while under

a disability as a result of this case. Tr. 160.

{¶6} The State’s second witness was Morman. He testified that Coe was an

acquaintance of his and had been to his home a couple of times prior to the

burglary. Tr. 166. Morman testified that when he and a friend returned to his

home around midnight on February 1, 2012, he noticed that his back door was

pried open and other doors were open as well. Tr. 169. Upon entering the home,

he noticed that his TV and various other items were missing. Tr. 169-70.

Morman then contacted the police. Tr. 170. Later the police called him to come

look at a vehicle that had been found with some property in it. Tr. 171. Morman

identified 90% of the property as his. Tr. 171. Morman testified that he identified

the DVDs, video games, tools, a fireproof safe, knives, a replica gun, a rifle, a

small case of ammunition for the rifle, and a flat screen TV which were found in

the car as his stolen property. The prosecutor then had Morman identify all of his

property from photographs taken of the items found in Straley’s car. Tr. 175-76

{¶7} On cross-examination, Morman testified that the police had found a

shoeprint at the backdoor that did not match his shoes or those of his friend. Tr.

183-84. Morman also testified that the items stolen would not have all fit inside a

laundry bag. Tr. 184. Morman testified that he was in and out of the house a

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couple times during the day before he came home to find the house burglarized.

Tr. 186. He also admitted that on the morning of January 31, 2012, he met with

the prosecutor concerning charges that his “ex” had kicked in his front door.3 Tr.

190.

{¶8} The next witness called by the State was Lieutenant Marvin

Schwiebert (“Schwiebert”), who was employed by the Putnam County Sheriff’s

Office at that time. Tr. 193. Schwiebert testified that he received a report that

Straley’s car had been investigated with “all kinds of stuff” in it. Tr. 194.

Schwiebert and Ottawa Police Officer John Mullins (“Mullins”) attempted to

question Coe concerning the TV. Tr. 195. Coe told him that the TV belonged to

his father. Tr. 195. Coe then asked for his wallet, which was lying on the

floorboard of the passenger seat and refused to answer any questions. Tr. 195.

Schwiebert refused to return the wallet or to give him the TV. Tr. 196.

{¶9} On cross-examination, Schwiebert testified that he did not remember

the date and that he had not made a report concerning his conversation with Coe.

Tr. 197. The car including the TV was impounded at the Sheriff’s department.

Tr. 198. Afterwards, he was not really involved in the case because it was turned

over to the Ottawa Police Department. Tr. 198-99. Schwiebert testified that he

did interview Straley after Straley made many requests to speak with someone

3 The record is not clear if this is an ex-wife or an ex-girlfriend.

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from his office. Tr. 200. Straley was attempting to “work his way out of” his

problems by offering to buy drugs for the department and become a confidential

informant. Tr. 200. Schwiebert admitted, after reviewing the report written by

Mullins following the encounter with Coe that Mullins’ version did not agree with

his. Tr. 208.

{¶10} The fourth witness presented by the State was Mullins. Mullins

testified that he observed Straley’s vehicle parked improperly, ran the license plate

number and learned that Straley had an outstanding warrant. Tr. 210-11. Mullins

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2014 Ohio 256, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-coe-ohioctapp-2014.