State v. Craycraft

2008 Ohio 2192, 889 N.E.2d 1100, 147 Ohio Misc. 2d 5
CourtClermont County Court of Common Pleas
DecidedMarch 6, 2008
DocketNos. 2007 CR 0489 and 2007 CR 1005
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 2008 Ohio 2192 (State v. Craycraft) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Clermont County Court of Common Pleas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Craycraft, 2008 Ohio 2192, 889 N.E.2d 1100, 147 Ohio Misc. 2d 5 (Ohio Super. Ct. 2008).

Opinion

Haddad, Judge.

{¶ 1} This matter came before the court on November 27, 2007, pursuant to a motion to suppress or motion in limine filed by the defendant. The hearing was continued in progress until December 12, 2007. Upon hearing oral arguments on the motion, the court took the matter under advisement and now renders the following decision.

FINDINGS OF FACT

{¶ 2} The defendant, Jeremiah Craycraft, was originally indicted on June 13, 2006, in case No. 2007 CR 0489, on two counts of felonious assault and four counts of endangering children. However, the defendant was reindicted on these same charges on December 5, 2007, in case No. 2007 CR 1005, with the indictment containing two additional counts of domestic violence against his children.1

{¶ 3} In Count One of the indictment, the defendant is charged with felonious assault against his minor child, Sierra Craycraft. Specifically, he is accused of causing Sierra Craycraft, born March 8, 2007, to sustain rib fractures as well as a buckle fracture of the left tibia. Further, he is accused of causing frenulum tears inside her mouth as a result of forced feeding. In Count Two of the indictment, the defendant is charged with felonious assault against his minor child, Kaiden Craycraft. Specifically, he is accused of causing traumatic brain injury to Kaiden Craycraft, born March 8, 2007. Kaiden also sustained retinal hemorrhaging and a displaced fracture of the distal right radial metaphysis with periosteal reaction. [9]*9The defendant is further charged under Counts Three through Six of the indictment with endangering his minor children, resulting in the same injuries previously discussed. In Counts Seven and Eight of the indictment, the defendant is charged with committing domestic violence against his two children, and it is alleged that the defendant has prior convictions for domestic violence.

{¶ 4} The defendant filed a motion to suppress and a motion in limine in relation to several videotaped statements made during the course of the investigation, and a hearing was held on the motions. The first set of interviews occurred on May 17, 2007, prior to the defendant’s arrest.2 The defendant objects to the admission of those interviews on the grounds that the videotape contains hearsay statements of the officers and statements made by the officers regarding the defendant’s reputation, as well as statements of the officers’ opinions as to the course of events that resulted in the children’s injuries. The defendant argues that these statements would not be admissible at trial under Evid.R. 608(A), 701, 702, and 802. The defendant further argues that the interviews contained information that, taken as a whole, would be highly prejudicial to the defendant. Further, the defendant suggests that eliminating the objectionable portions of the videotape would result in a loss of context and would cause the tape to lose its probative value. Therefore, the defendant encourages the court to exclude in their entirety the three interviews that occurred prior to the defendant’s arrest.

{¶ 5} Another interview occurred on May 31, 2007, after the defendant was incarcerated on a separate and unrelated charge. The defendant argues that this video contains all of the same issues raised with respect to hearsay, reputation, and opinion. However, the defendant asserts that the opinion testimony was much more serious, as the investigator argumentatively told the defendant what she believed happened in this case.

{¶ 6} Finally, the defendant raises an issue of constitutional significance. The defendant argues that he appeared in jail-issued clothing, handcuffs, and shackles during the interview that occurred after his incarceration. The defendant asserts that playing this video before the jury would result in a direct violation of the holding of the United States Supreme Court in Estelle v. Williams (1976), 425 U.S. 501, 96 S.Ct. 1691, 48 L.Ed.2d 126. Therefore, the defendant requests that the court grant the motion to suppress on the grounds that this video would be unfairly prejudicial to the defendant.

LEGAL ANALYSIS

{¶ 7} The defendant objects to the admission of the first set of interviews dated May 17, 2007, which occurred prior to the defendant’s arrest, on the grounds that [10]*10the videotape contains hearsay, statements about the defendant’s reputation, and statements of opinions as to the course of events that resulted in injuries to the defendant’s children. It is the defendant’s contention that these statements would not be admissible at trial under Ohio’s Rules of Evidence. The defendant further argues that the interviews contained information that would be highly prejudicial to the defendant and thus should be excluded under Evid.R. 403. The defendant suggests that eliminating these portions would result in loss of context and probative value; therefore, the defendant encourages the court to exclude the entirety of the interviews that occurred prior to the defendant’s arrest.

{¶ 8} Evid.R. 403(A) provides: “Although relevant, evidence is not admissible if its probative value is substantially outweighed by the danger of unfair prejudice, of confusion of the issues, or of misleading the jury.” The remainder of the defendant’s objections are made pursuant to Evid.R. 608(A), 701, 702, and 802. Those rules provide as follows:

The credibility of a witness may be attacked or supported by evidence in the form of opinion or reputation, but subject to these limitations: (1) the evidence may refer only to character for truthfulness or untruthfulness, and (2) evidence of truthful character is admissible only after the character of the witness for truthfulness has been attacked by opinion or reputation evidence or otherwise.

Evid.R. 608(A).

If the witness is not testifying as an expert, the witness’ testimony in the form of opinions or inferences is limited to those opinions or inferences which are (1) rationally based on the perception of the witness and (2) helpful to a clear understanding of the witness’ testimony or the determination of a fact in issue.

Evid.R. 701.

A witness may testify as an expert if all of the following apply: The witness’ testimony either relates to matters beyond the knowledge or experience possessed by lay persons or dispels a misconception common among lay persons; [t]he witness is qualified as an expert by specialized knowledge, skill, experience, training, or education regarding the subject matter of the testimony; [t]he witness’ testimony is based on reliable scientific, technical, or other specialized information.

Evid.R. 702(A), (B), and (C).

Hearsay is not admissible except as otherwise provided by the Constitution of the United States, by the Constitution of the State of Ohio, by statute enacted by the General Assembly not in conflict with a rule of the Supreme [11]*11Court of Ohio, by these rules, or by other rules prescribed by the Supreme Court of Ohio.

Evid.R. 802.

Interviews of May 17, 2007

{¶ 9} The first statement to which the defendant objects occurred at 2:16 on the video.

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Bluebook (online)
2008 Ohio 2192, 889 N.E.2d 1100, 147 Ohio Misc. 2d 5, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-craycraft-ohctcomplclermo-2008.