State v. Ihinger

2014 Ohio 5237
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedNovember 24, 2014
Docket2014CA00014
StatusPublished

This text of 2014 Ohio 5237 (State v. Ihinger) 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. Ihinger, 2014 Ohio 5237 (Ohio Ct. App. 2014).

Opinion

[Cite as State v. Ihinger, 2014-Ohio-5237.]

COURT OF APPEALS COSHOCTON COUNTY, OHIO FIFTH APPELLATE DISTRICT

STATE OF OHIO JUDGES: Hon. William B. Hoffman, P.J. Plaintiff-Appellee Hon. Sheila G. Farmer, J. Hon. Patricia A. Delaney, J. -vs- Case No. 2014CA0014 JESSICA IHINGER

Defendant-Appellant OPINION

CHARACTER OF PROCEEDING: Appeal from Coshocton Municipal Court, Case No. CRB 1400092

JUDGMENT: Affirmed

DATE OF JUDGMENT ENTRY: November 24, 2014

APPEARANCES:

For Plaintiff-Appellee For Defendant-Appellant

BY: CHRISTIE M. L. THORNSLEY MARK A. PERLAKY Assistant Law Director 111 W. Main St. 760 Chestnut Street Newcomerstown, Ohio 43832 Coshocton, Ohio 43812 Coshocton County, Case No. 2014CA0014 2

Hoffman, P.J.

{¶1} Defendant-appellant Jessica Ihinger appeals her conviction entered by the

Coshocton Municipal Court on one count of aiding and abetting theft, in violation of R.C.

2923.03(A)(2). Plaintiff-appellee is the state of Ohio.

STATEMENT OF THE FACTS AND CASE

{¶2} On February 25, 2014, officers were dispatched to Woodbury Outfitters in

reference to a shoplifting offense occurring on February 24, 2014. Bruce Adams, the

Loss Prevention Manager for Woodbury Outfitters, reported three individuals were

involved in a theft offense during which a woman put an old pair of boots in a box and

walked out of the store wearing a new pair of boots. A male individual whom

accompanied the woman kept watch during the event. At the same time, in the parking

lot of the store, a woman exited the vehicle in which the male and female had arrived,

walked towards the store entrance, activated the entrance doors, which subsequently

allowed the male and female to exit the store without passing the cash registers or

exiting properly via the exit doors. Adams testified without the women's assistance in

activating the entrance doors, the male and female perpetrators would not have been

able to activate the entrance doors from inside the store.

{¶3} On March 4, 2014, Appellant was charged with one count of aiding and

abetting another in committing a theft offense, in violation of R.C. 2923.03(A)(2).

{¶4} The matter proceeded to a bench trial on May 7, 2014. Appellant was

found guilty of one count of aiding and abetting a theft offense, in violation of R.C.

2923.03(A)(2). The trial court sentenced Appellant to thirty days in jail and a fine of

$150.00. Coshocton County, Case No. 2014CA0014 3

{¶5} Appellant appeals, assigning as error:

{¶6} “I. THE TRIAL COURT ERRED IN FINDING APPELLANT GUILTY, AS

SAID FINDING WAS BASED ON INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE.

{¶7} “II. THE TRIAL COURT ERRED IN FINDING APPELLANT GUILTY, AS

SAID FINDING WAS AGAINST THE MANIFEST WEIGHT OF THE EVIDENCE.”

I. and II.

{¶8} Appellant's first and second assignments of error raise common and

interrelated issues; therefore, we will address the arguments together.

{¶9} Appellant maintains her conviction for aiding and abetting a theft offense is

against the manifest weight and sufficiency of the evidence.

{¶10} Our review of the constitutional sufficiency of evidence to support a

criminal conviction is governed by Jackson v. Virginia, 443 U.S. 307, 319, 99 S.Ct.

2781, 61 L.Ed.2d 560 (1979), which requires a court of appeals to determine whether

“after viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the prosecution, any rational

trier of fact could have found the essential elements of the crime beyond a reasonable

doubt.” Id.; see also McDaniel v. Brown, 558 U.S. 120, 130 S.Ct. 665, 673, 175 L.Ed.2d

582(2010) (reaffirming this standard); State v. Fry, 125 Ohio St.3d 163, 926 N.E.2d

1239, 2010–Ohio–1017, ¶ 146; State v. Clay, 187 Ohio App.3d 633, 933 N.E.2d 296,

2010–Ohio–2720, ¶ 68.

{¶11} Weight of the evidence addresses the evidence's effect of inducing belief.

State v. Thompkins, 78 Ohio St.3d 380, 386–387, 678 N.E.2d 541 (1997), superseded

by constitutional amendment on other grounds as stated by State v. Smith, 80 Ohio

St.3d 89, 684 N.E.2d 668, 1997–Ohio–355. Weight of the evidence concerns “the Coshocton County, Case No. 2014CA0014 4

inclination of the greater amount of credible evidence, offered in a trial, to support one

side of the issue rather than the other. It indicates clearly to the jury that the party

having the burden of proof will be entitled to their verdict, if, on weighing the evidence in

their minds, they shall find the greater amount of credible evidence sustains the issue,

which is to be established before them. Weight is not a question of mathematics, but

depends on its effect in inducing belief.” (Emphasis sic.) Id. at 387, 678 N.E.2d 541,

quoting Black's Law Dictionary (6th Ed.1990) at 1594.

{¶12} When a court of appeals reverses a judgment of a trial court on the basis

that the verdict is against the weight of the evidence, the appellate court sits as a

“‘thirteenth juror” and disagrees with the fact finder's resolution of the conflicting

testimony. Id. at 387, 678 N.E.2d 541, quoting Tibbs v. Florida, 457 U.S. 31, 42, 102

S.Ct. 2211, 72 L.Ed.2d 652 (1982). However, an appellate court may not merely

substitute its view for that of the jury, but must find that “‘the jury clearly lost its way and

created such a manifest miscarriage of justice that the conviction must be reversed and

a new trial ordered.” State v. Thompkins, supra, 78 Ohio St.3d at 387, quoting State v.

Martin, 20 Ohio App.3d 172, 175, 485 N.E.2d 717, 720–721(1st Dist.1983). Accordingly,

reversal on manifest weight grounds is reserved for “the exceptional case in which the

evidence weighs heavily against the conviction." Id.

{¶13} “[I]n determining whether the judgment below is manifestly against the

weight of the evidence, every reasonable intendment and every reasonable

presumption must be made in favor of the judgment and the finding of facts.

{¶14} * * * Coshocton County, Case No. 2014CA0014 5

{¶15} “If the evidence is susceptible of more than one construction, the

reviewing court is bound to give it that interpretation which is consistent with the verdict

and judgment, most favorable to sustaining the verdict and judgment.”

{¶16} Seasons Coal Co., Inc. v. Cleveland, 10 Ohio St.3d 77, 80, 461 N.E.2d

1273 (1984), fn. 3, quoting 5 Ohio Jurisprudence 3d, Appellate Review, Section 60, at

191–192 (1978).

{¶17} Appellant was convicted of aiding and abetting a theft offense for her part

in activating the outside entrance doors, allowing the male and female perpetrators to

exit the store without passing the cash registers or through the exit doors.

IDENTIFICATION

{¶18} Deputy Wesley Wright Eppley of the Coshocton County Sheriff's Office

testified at trial as to the identification of the defendants, in this matter:

"Q. How did you find out who these people were?

"A.

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Related

McDaniel v. Brown
558 U.S. 120 (Supreme Court, 2010)
Jackson v. Virginia
443 U.S. 307 (Supreme Court, 1979)
Tibbs v. Florida
457 U.S. 31 (Supreme Court, 1982)
State v. Fry
2010 Ohio 1017 (Ohio Supreme Court, 2010)
State v. Martin
485 N.E.2d 717 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 1983)
State v. Clay
933 N.E.2d 296 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 2010)
Seasons Coal Co. v. City of Cleveland
461 N.E.2d 1273 (Ohio Supreme Court, 1984)
State v. Thompkins
678 N.E.2d 541 (Ohio Supreme Court, 1997)
State v. Smith
80 Ohio St. 3d 89 (Ohio Supreme Court, 1997)

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2014 Ohio 5237, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-ihinger-ohioctapp-2014.