State v. Levy, Unpublished Decision (8-26-2004)

2004 Ohio 4489
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedAugust 26, 2004
DocketCase No. 83114.
StatusUnpublished
Cited by12 cases

This text of 2004 Ohio 4489 (State v. Levy, Unpublished Decision (8-26-2004)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Court of Appeals primary law.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State v. Levy, Unpublished Decision (8-26-2004), 2004 Ohio 4489 (Ohio Ct. App. 2004).

Opinion

JOURNAL ENTRY and OPINION
{¶ 1} Appellant Jermaine Levy appeals from his conviction in the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas for escape and forgery. Levy assigns the following errors for our review:

{¶ 2} "I. The trial court denied the defendant due process of law when it overruled his motion to dismiss the indictment pursuant to Ohio Revised Code 2963.30 and 2941.401."

{¶ 3} "II. Defendant was denied his constitutional right to a public trial when the court excluded the defendant-appellant's children from the courtroom."

{¶ 4} "III. The trial court denied the defendant-appellant due process of law when it denied the defendant-appellant's Rule 29 Motion with regard to count II (forgery)."

{¶ 5} "IV. The trial court denied the defendant-appellant due process of law when it denied the defendant-appellant's Rule 29 Motion with regard to count I (escape)."

{¶ 6} "V. The trial court denied the defendant-appellant due process of law when it specifically instructed the jury as to how to judge the credibility of law enforcement officials and correction officers."

{¶ 7} "VI. The trial court denied the defendant-appellant due process of law when it specifically instructed the jury as to how to judge the credibility of defendant's testimony."

{¶ 8} Having reviewed the record and pertinent law, we affirm the judgment of the trial court. The apposite facts follow.

{¶ 9} On April 30, 2001, the Ohio Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office lodged a detainer against Jermaine Levy with the Warden at the Lewisburg Penitentiary in Pennsylvania. Ohio Codified the Federal Interstate Agreement on Detainers (I.A.D.) in R.C. 2963.30.1 The prosecutor charged Levy with attempting to escape and forgery while in the custody of the Cuyahoga County jail on an unrelated corruption charge. Before we develop the facts relative to those charges, it is important to focus on the facts relative to Levy's claim that under Ohio's I.A.D., the time had expired to bring him to trial on those charges.

{¶ 10} In substance, Article III and IV of R.C. 2963.30 speak to the right of a detainee to have a speedy trial. Article III defines the procedure when the detainee initiates the process for trial and sets the speedy trial time at one hundred eighty days. The detainee must serve notice on both the prosecutor and the court, which must contain a certification from the warden stating the terms of the detainee's incarceration. Article IV sets forth the procedure to be followed when the prosecutor initiates the detainer procedure. Under Article IV, the time for trial starts to run one hundred twenty days after the party arrives in the requesting state.

{¶ 11} Levy had been transferred to the Cuyahoga County [jail] from Lewisburg Penitentiary on the unrelated charge of corruption, when he attempted to escape the Cuyahoga County jail by assuming the identity of another inmate. Levy returned to Lewisburg before his indictment on the escape and forgery charge; consequently, he knew of the possibility of those criminal charges.

{¶ 12} On February 8, 2001, and April 16, 2001, Levy attempted to invoke his rights under the detainer laws by filing his final disposition request with the Warden. The Warden failed to respond to the February request but did inform him on April 19, 2001 that no detainer existed for him from Ohio.

{¶ 13} The Cuyahoga County Grand Jury indicted Levy on March 30, 2001. On April 16, 2001, Levy filed a pleading with the Clerk of Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court invoking his speedy trial rights under both R.C. 2963.30 and R.C. 2941.401.2 We note at the outset that R.C. 2941.401 does not apply; Levy was not in a correctional institution of this state when he invoked his speedy trial rights. We read R.C. 2941.401 to apply when the prisoner is in prison in Ohio and seeks to have untried charges resolved in Ohio.

{¶ 14} The clerk time-stamped Levy's request on April 18, 2001. Levy's pleading does not show proof of service to the prosecutor's office; although Levy testified at his speedy trial hearing that he served the prosecutor's office on April 8, 2001, which the prosecutor denies receiving.

{¶ 15} On April 30, 2001, the prosecutor's office filed an I.A.D. request for temporary custody of Levy with the Warden at Lewisburg. On May 10, 2001, Levy declined to complete the form; he informed the Warden that he did not want to jeopardize his speedy trial rights. However, on July 26, 2001, he did complete the form.

{¶ 16} On September 12, 2001, Levy was returned to Ohio. On December 5, 2001, he waived his speedy trial rights. On December 18, 2001, Levy filed his motion to dismiss the indictment under R.C. 2963.30, which the trial court denied. His trial for escape and forgery began on February 11, 2002.

{¶ 17} At the trial, the State's first witness, corrections officer Andrea Averyheart, testified at 11:00 p.m., he collected the inmates designated for release, which included the release of James Evans. He called the name James Evans and a male responded. The inmate identified himself as James Evans and responded to several personal questions. Averyheart stated the photograph on the floor card did not match the inmate who responded. The inmate then responded to Averyheart that the photograph was not him.

{¶ 18} Averyheart took him to an area for him to change into his civilian clothing. After the inmate dressed, Averyheart inquired further asking more personal questions. The inmate could not respond to information such as Evans' father's name or whether he had sisters or brothers.

{¶ 19} Averyheart requested verification from Scientific Invest-igation Unit (SIU) and SIU responded the card belonged to James Evans. Averyheart notified his corporal that an escape had been attempted.

{¶ 20} Averyheart testified that ultimately the inmate was identified as Jermaine L. Levy. The State called several other witnesses that confirmed Averyheart's testimony.

{¶ 21} Detective Dave Schilling investigated the case and learned that co-defendants Landon Nicholson and Willie Harris had secured the bond for the release of a James Evans. Schilling also discovered that Landon Nicholson had visited Levy before the incident.

{¶ 22} The State rested, and Levy called three witnesses who had no knowledge of the events. Levy testified while waiting to be transported to Lewisburg, an officer approached him and told him to get dressed. After getting dressed, a card was shown to him and he was asked if he knew the person in the picture. Averyheart then took him downstairs and placed him in the dressing room while he went to an adjacent room. When he returned, Averyheart told Officer Doniver that Levy said his name was James Evans. Levy denied telling Averyheart his name was James Evans; he told him earlier the picture on the card was not him. Afterwards, the supervisors were called; they placed him in a holding cell.

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2004 Ohio 4489, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-levy-unpublished-decision-8-26-2004-ohioctapp-2004.