State v. Minarik

112 N.E.3d 550, 2018 Ohio 3586
CourtCourt of Appeals of Ohio, Eighth District, Cuyahoga County
DecidedAugust 30, 2018
DocketNo. 106326
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 112 N.E.3d 550 (State v. Minarik) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Ohio, Eighth District, Cuyahoga County primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Minarik, 112 N.E.3d 550, 2018 Ohio 3586 (Ohio Super. Ct. 2018).

Opinion

MARY J. BOYLE, J.:

{¶ 1} Defendant-appellant, Matthew Minarik, appeals his conviction for sexual imposition, a misdemeanor of the third degree, and his sentence. He raises three assignments of error for our review:

1. The defendant was denied the effective assistance of counsel, in derogation of his rights under the Sixth and Fourteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution, and Article I, Section 10 of the Ohio Constitution.
2. The trial court abused its discretion and/or otherwise issued an unlawful sentence when it imposed as a condition of probation that a physician's assistant, convicted of sexual imposition involving a patient, a third degree misdemeanor, is prohibited from working in any healthcare position where he has contact with patients and cannot examine or treat patients; the order exceeded the court's authority and the "residual" provision of R.C. 2929.27(C) is unconstitutionally vague in violation of due process.
3. The imposition of a fifteen-year period of sex-offender registration upon a defendant who commits a third degree misdemeanor constitutes an excessive punishment, in violation of the Eighth Amendment to the United States Constitution, and Article I, Section 9 of the Ohio Constitution.

{¶ 2} Finding no merit to his assignments of error, we affirm.

I. Procedural History and Factual Background

{¶ 3} On January 25, 2017, the Cuyahoga County Grand Jury indicted Minarik for one count of gross sexual imposition in violation of R.C. 2907.05(A)(1), one count of gross sexual imposition in violation of R.C. 2907.05(A)(3), and one count of menacing by stalking in violation of R.C. 2903.211(A)(3). Minarik pleaded not guilty to the indictment, and the case proceeded to a jury trial where the following took place.

{¶ 4} The state first called the victim, who explained that on July 14, 2016, she woke up and could not move her neck and had "excruciating" back pain. As a result, she had her mother drop her off at the Parma General Hospital's emergency room. She stated that she was escorted back to an examination room where a nurse took her vitals, told her that Minarik, *556a "good back doctor," would be in to see her, and left the room.

{¶ 5} She stated that when Minarik came in the room, he checked her vitals and asked her some background questions, including what her occupation was. The victim told Minarik that she was a server at Bahama Breeze and that she visited a chiropractor the day before. Minarik told her that she was likely suffering muscle spasms and gave her a Valium and sent her to get x-rays.

{¶ 6} The victim stated that after meeting with Minarik, she changed into a hospital gown and was escorted by two other men to get x-rays. She testified that after taking the Valium, she became "very giggly" and felt "very light."

{¶ 7} She testified that after completing the x-rays, Minarik "said he needed to check [her] out again, do [her] vitals before [she left,] check [her heart rate,] listen to [her] lungs." She stated at that point he began examining her chest with a stethoscope and asked her to unclasp her bra. The victim described her bra as one with a "front clasp * * * [with] a criss-cross back." She said that once she unclasped the bra, it fell open and left her totally exposed.

{¶ 8} The victim testified that as he was checking her heart rate, Minarik told her that she "could make a lot of money on those things, referring to [her] breasts." She explained that Minarik was checking her heart rate with the stethoscope in between his fingers, near the palm of his hand. She stated at one point, Minarik put the stethoscope at the bottom of her breast, "as if he was holding up [her] boob like a bra[.]" She stated that he did that "in separate intervals for maybe 30 seconds."

{¶ 9} The victim testified that after Minarik finished checking her heart, he gave her his phone number on one of his business cards and said that if she quit smoking cigarettes, he would take her out to dinner. She stated that his comment made her uncomfortable.

{¶ 10} According to the victim's mother, who dropped the victim off at the hospital, the victim texted her asking her to "please hurry, this doctor is a perve." The victim stated that when her mother picked her up, she told her what happened.

{¶ 11} Later that evening, Minarik left the victim a voicemail on her mother's phone. During the 20-second message, Minarik states, "This is Matt, [inaudible] the physician's assistant that took care of you the other day. Just checking to see how your back is doing. Please give me a call back. [Gives phone number.] I'll be here until 7 o'clock tonight. Take care. Hope you're doing well."

{¶ 12} During her testimony, the victim explained that she did not immediately tell anyone besides her mother about her visit to the emergency room because she was embarrassed and felt degraded. Eventually, however, the victim spoke with an acquaintance who worked as a nurse and who told her to go to the police. She also told her probation officer who also told her to go to the police.1

{¶ 13} The victim reported the incident to the Parma Police Department and spoke with Detective David Sheridan on July 29, 2016. Later that week, the victim identified Minarik as the perpetrator in a photo lineup.

{¶ 14} On August 2, 2016, the victim stated she was working at Bahama Breeze when she saw Minarik sitting at the bar *557with a friend. She stated that Minarik waved her over. She stated that she did not go to talk to him and called her mother and Detective Sheridan. According to the victim, Detective Sheridan told her to play it off, "tell [Minarik] that she would call him later." She said she went over and had a conversation with Minarik as he was leaving and told him that she would call him later.

{¶ 15} When Detective Sheridan arrived at the restaurant, the victim called Minarik with the detective and another officer listening. She stated that the goal of the call was to "get him to admit to what he had done previously."

{¶ 16} The state played the recording, during which the following can be heard:

MINARIK: Matt Minarik.
VICTIM: Hi, it's [victim's name].
MINARIK: Hey. How are you?
VICTIM: I'm good. How are you doing?
MINARIK: I didn't recognize the number so I didn't pick up the first time.
VICTIM: Okay. When you originally called, you called my mom's phone. She gave me the message.
MINARIK: Oh is that right?
VICTIM: Mm-hmm.
MINARIK: Yeah. I had it as your number, but that's okay.
VICTIM: So what were you doing at my work today? You stalking me?
MINARIK: Yes, [inaudible]. [Laughs.] I went to meet my buddy. [Inaudible.] And he says, "Where do you want to meet?" I says, "I know a place where we can meet." [Laughs.] So I said, "I hope she doesn't think I'm stalking her, because I'm certainly not." [Laughs.] I thought, "I wonder if she thinks I am, because I'm really not." So it's kind of funny. How's work, okay -

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Bluebook (online)
112 N.E.3d 550, 2018 Ohio 3586, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-minarik-ohctapp8cuyahog-2018.