State v. Ecenbarger

2017 Ohio 165
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedJanuary 17, 2017
Docket2016 CA 00133
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

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Bluebook
State v. Ecenbarger, 2017 Ohio 165 (Ohio Ct. App. 2017).

Opinion

[Cite as State v. Ecenbarger, 2017-Ohio-165.]

COURT OF APPEALS STARK COUNTY, OHIO FIFTH APPELLATE DISTRICT

STATE OF OHIO JUDGES: Hon. Sheila G. Farmer, P. J. Plaintiff-Appellee Hon. John W. Wise, J. Hon. Craig R. Baldwin, J. -vs- Case No. 2016 CA 00133 JOHN FOSTER ECENBARGER

Defendant-Appellant OPINION

CHARACTER OF PROCEEDING: Criminal Appeal from the Massillon Municipal Court, Case No. 2015 CRB 02124

JUDGMENT: Affirmed

DATE OF JUDGMENT ENTRY: January 17, 2017

APPEARANCES:

For Plaintiff-Appellee For Defendant-Appellant

BETH LIGGETT DONALD GALLICK ASSISTANT PROSECUTOR THE LAW OFFICE OF City of Massillon Law Dept. DONALD GALLICK LLC 2 James Duncan Plaza 190 North Union Street, #102 Massillon, Ohio 44646 Akron, Ohio 44304 Stark County, Case No. 2016 CA 00133 2

Wise, J.

{¶1} Appellant John Foster Ecenbarger appeals his conviction and sentence

entered in the Massillon Municipal Court on one count of misdemeanor assault following

a jury trial.

{¶2} Appellee is the State of Ohio.

STATEMENT OF THE FACTS

{¶3} On September 21, 2015, the City of Massillon charged Appellant John

Foster Ecenbarger with one count of assault, a first-degree misdemeanor. This charge

arose out of an altercation between Appellant Ecenbarger and his neighbor Scott Hill. The

relevant facts are as follows:

{¶4} Hill was building a home at 1071 Manchester Ave., SW, adjacent to the

Appellant. (T. at 19). Prior to this incident he had never met his neighbor, the Appellant,

and did not know him. (T. at 19). Hill had a drainage pipe solely on his property that did

not reach Appellant's property. (T. at 22). On the date in question, Hill heard Appellant

mowing that area and observed that his drainage pipe had been moved. (T. at 22). Hill

went outside and repositioned the drainage pipe to where the contractor had placed it. (T.

at 24, 38). Appellant then came down the hill on his mower, jumped off, grabbed the pipe,

pulled it off of the duct tape and struck Hill in the head with it. (T. at 24). Appellant then

threw the pipe at Hill and came at him with his fists clenched. (T. at 24). Hill kept backing

up while telling Appellant to get off his property. (T. at 24). Hill then tripped over a piece

of plywood and fell backward. (T. at 24). Appellant was then on top of Hill punching and

kicking him. (T. at 24). Hill defended himself by hitting Appellant in the face while Appellant

was assaulting him. (T. at 24, 28, 34). Hill grabbed Appellant's shirt to keep from taking Stark County, Case No. 2016 CA 00133 3

full punches. (T. at 24). A neighbor and Hill's wife intervened and ended the fight. (T. 25).

During this incident, Hill never went on Appellant's property and never made any threats

to him. (T. at 34).

{¶5} Hill sustained lumps all over the back of his head, a bruise to his chest, and

injuries on his back from where he was kicked. (T. at 29). Hill saw his doctor three days

after the incident due to having chest pain from being hit so hard. (T. at 31). Photographs

and medical records corroborated Hill's testimony. (T. at 31).

{¶6} Joan Schaefer, a neighbor of both the Appellant and victim, Scott Hill,

testified. (T. at 4). Schaefer indicated that she was looking out her glass storm door and

she saw Appellant stop mowing his yard, get off of his lawn mower, pick up a black pipe

and swing it, hitting Hill and then pushing Hill. (T. at 9-10, 15). She stated that Appellant

acted aggressively when he moved the pipe, "... the way he picked up the pipe and threw

it." (T. at 11). Schaefer testified that Hill did not make any aggressive movements towards

Appellant. (T. at 10).

{¶7} Appellant was arrested for one count of Assault against Hill.

{¶8} On September 18, 2015, the Stark County Sheriff Department arrested and

charged Appellant with one count of Assault against victim Scott Hill. Appellant entered a

not guilty plea. The parties attempted to mediate the case, but such mediation was

unsuccessful.

{¶9} The matter was set for a jury trial in Massillon Municipal Court.

{¶10} At trial, the prosecution called several witnesses in the case, including the

alleged victim, Scott Hill, and a neighbor/independent witness named Joan Schaefer Stark County, Case No. 2016 CA 00133 4

whose testimony is set forth above. The prosecution also called a Stark County Sheriff

deputy to testify.

{¶11} Appellant also testified in his own defense.

{¶12} After considering all of the evidence, the jury convicted Appellant on the one

count of Assault. The matter was scheduled for a sentencing hearing. The Court made

certain findings on the record and sentenced Appellant to a jail term of 30 days, imposed

a fine, court costs and psychological counseling sessions.

{¶13} Appellant now appeals, raising the following errors for review:

ASSIGNMENTS OF ERROR

{¶14} “I. APPELLANT SUFFERED FROM INEFFECTIVE ASSISTANCE OF

COUNSEL AS THE AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE OF SELF-DEFENSE WAS NOT

ASSERTED AND A CRIMINAL RULE 29 MOTION WAS NOT MADE.

{¶15} “II. THE TRIAL COURT'S MISDEMEANOR SENTENCE WAS AN ABUSE

OF DISCRETION AND RETALIATION FOR NOT RESOLVING THE CASE PRIOR TO

TRIAL.”

I.

{¶16} In his First Assignment of Error, Appellant argues that he was denied the

effective assistance of counsel. We disagree.

{¶17} In order to substantiate a claim of ineffective assistance of counsel, the

appellant must show (1) counsel's performance was deficient, and (2) the deficient

performance prejudiced the defendant so as to deprive him of a fair trial. State v. Trimble,

122 Ohio St.3d 297, 2009–Ohio–2961, 911 N.E.2d 242, ¶ 98, citing Strickland v.

Washington, 466 U.S. 668, 687, 104 S.Ct. 2052, 80 L.Ed.2d 674 (1984). When a Stark County, Case No. 2016 CA 00133 5

convicted defendant complains of the ineffectiveness of counsel's assistance, the

defendant must show that counsel's representation fell below an objective standard of

reasonableness. Strickland at 688. Judicial scrutiny of defense counsel's performance

must be highly deferential. Id. at 689. In Ohio, there is a presumption that a properly

licensed attorney is competent. State v. Calhoun, 86 Ohio St.3d 279, 714 N.E.2d 905

(1999).

{¶18} Even assuming that counsel's performance was ineffective, the defendant

must still show that the error had an effect on the judgment. State v. Bell, 8th Dist.

Cuyahoga No. 102141, 2015–Ohio–4178, ¶ 60, citing State v. Bradley, 42 Ohio St.3d

136, 142, 538 N.E.2d 373 (1989). Reversal is warranted only where the defendant

demonstrates that there is a reasonable probability that, but for counsel's errors, the result

of the proceeding would have been different. Id.

{¶19} In the case sub judice, Appellant argues that his trial counsel was ineffective

for 1) failing to strongly assert a self-defense argument, and 2) failing to make a Crim.R.

29 motion to preserve the issue of sufficiency of the evidence.

{¶20} Initially we note that Appellant has only provided this Court with a partial

transcript.

“(B) The transcript of proceedings; duty of appellant to order;

notice to appellee if partial transcript is ordered

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2017 Ohio 165, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-ecenbarger-ohioctapp-2017.