State v. Mahone

2012 Ohio 5461
Procedural entryThis page is a short order in State v. Mahone. Read the opinion of the Court — 2014 Ohio 1251
Ohio Court of Appeals·Decided November 19, 2012·No. 12CA030023·Published

Opinion

[Cite as State v. Mahone, 2012-Ohio-5461.]

COURT OF APPEALS DELAWARE COUNTY, OHIO FIFTH APPELLATE DISTRICT

STATE OF OHIO JUDGES: Hon. W. Scott Gwin, P.J. Plaintiff-Appellee Hon. William B. Hoffman, J. Hon. Julie A. Edwards, J. -vs- Case No. 12CAA030023 GARY MAHONE

Defendant-Appellant OPINION

CHARACTER OF PROCEEDING: Appeal from the Delaware County Court of Common Pleas, Case No. 11CRI070392

JUDGMENT: Affirmed

DATE OF JUDGMENT ENTRY: November 19, 2012

APPEARANCES:

For Plaintiff-Appellee For Defendant-Appellant

CAROL HAMILTON O'BRIEN SAMUEL H. SHAMANSKY Delaware County Prosecuting Attorney DONALD L. REGENSBURGER GREGORY A. TAPOCSI 523 South Third Street Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Columbus, Ohio 43215 140 N. Sandusky St., 3rd Floor Delaware, Ohio 43015 Delaware County, Case No. 12CAA030023 2

Hoffman, J.

{¶1} Defendant-appellant Gary Mahone appeals his conviction for two counts

of sexual battery entered by the Delaware County Court of Common Pleas. Plaintiff-

appellee is the state of Ohio.

STATEMENT OF THE FACTS AND CASE

{¶2} On July 15, 2011, Appellant and J.W. attended a work related promotional

event where alcohol was served. Both Appellant and J.W. worked at Alum Creek RV,

and had a friendly relationship, often going out together after work. At the party, both

consumed alcohol.

{¶3} After the party concluded, several employees remained at the RV

dealership to clean up and hang out in the break room. While drinking with Appellant,

J.W. pulled her breasts out of her shirt and flashed Appellant, while covering her

nipples. J.W. admits to acting flirtatiously with Appellant throughout the evening.

{¶4} At 10:00 p.m., J.W.'s live-in boyfriend arrived to drive her home. The two

became involved in an argument, and it was determined J.W. would stay overnight at

the dealership and continue partying. Eventually, everyone left the premises except

J.W., at which point she telephoned Appellant and asked him to return.

{¶5} Upon arriving back at the premises, Appellant found J.W. in an upstairs

office, laying on a fold-out bed. He indicated she was "pretty much passed out" when

he returned. He testified he kissed her and stroked her, removing her pants, but she did

not reciprocate at any point during their encounter. He testified she raised her hips off

the bed in order for him to take off her pants. He stated her eyes were open, and she Delaware County, Case No. 12CAA030023 3

was motioning with her legs and hips. He rolled her onto her back, performed oral sex,

then had vaginal intercourse with her before ejaculating inside her vagina.

{¶6} J.W. testified she was unconscious during the sexual activity, and awoke

to find Appellant saying her name and ejaculating on her. She stated she was wearing

nothing but a shirt when she awoke. She later stated she had underwear on, but did not

recall Appellant replacing her underwear.

{¶7} As a result of the incident, Appellant was indicted on two counts of rape, in

violation of R.C. 2907.02, felonies of the first degree; and two counts of sexual battery,

in violation of R.C. 2907.03(A)(3), felonies of the third degree.

{¶8} The matter came on for a trial to the court on January 19, 2012, Appellant

having waived his right to a trial by jury. Following the presentation of the evidence, the

trial court found Appellant not guilty of the two rape counts, but guilty of two counts of

sexual battery, in violation of R.C. 2907.03(A)(3). The trial court scheduled the matter

for sentencing. On February 29, 2012, via judgment entry, the trial court sentenced

Appellant to a three year term of community control, community service, a fine and court

costs. The trial court also classified Appellant a Tier III sex offender registrant.

{¶9} Appellant now appeals, assigning as error:

{¶10} “I. APPELLANT WAS CONVICTED IN THE ABSENCE OF EVIDENCE

SUFFICIENT TO SUPPORT A FINDING OF GUILTY, IN VIOLATION OF HIS RIGHTS

AS GUARANTEED BY THE FOURTEENTH AMENDMENT OT THE UNITED STATES.

{¶11} “II. THE TRIAL COURT CONVICTED APPELLANT EVEN THOUGH IT

DID NOT FIND THE STATE HAD PROVEN EACH ELEMENT OF THE OFFENSE

BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT, IN VIOLATION OF HIS RIGHT TO DUE Delaware County, Case No. 12CAA030023 4

PROCESS AS GUARANTEED BY THE FOURTEENTH AMENDMENT TO THE

UNITED STATES.

{¶12} “III. APPELLANT’S CONVICTION WAS AGAINST THE MANIFEST

WEIGHT OF THE EVIDENCE, IN VIOLATION OF HIS RIGHT OF DUE PROCESS AS

GUARANTEED BY THE FOURTEENTH AMENDMENT TO THE UNITED STATES.”

I, II, and III.

{¶13} Appellant's assigned errors raise common and interrelated issues;

therefore, we will address the arguments together.

{¶14} 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.

{¶15} 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

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 Delaware County, Case No. 12CAA030023 5

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.

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

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.

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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)