State v. O'keefe, 08ap-724 (3-31-2009)

2009 Ohio 1563
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedMarch 31, 2009
DocketNos. 08AP-724, 08AP-725, 08AP-726.
StatusPublished
Cited by9 cases

This text of 2009 Ohio 1563 (State v. O'keefe, 08ap-724 (3-31-2009)) 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. O'keefe, 08ap-724 (3-31-2009), 2009 Ohio 1563 (Ohio Ct. App. 2009).

Opinions

OPINION
{¶ 1} Defendant-appellant, Patrick O'Keefe ("appellant"), appeals the judgments of the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas, which convicted appellant of second-degree felonious assault and third-degree robbery following appellant's guilty plea on these charges. Because the sentence imposed by the trial court was not contrary to law, we affirm those judgments. *Page 2

{¶ 2} On October 11, 2007, the Franklin County Grand Jury indicted appellant and three other individuals on one count of first-degree aggravated robbery, one count of first-degree robbery with specification, one count of robbery, three counts of second-degree felonious assault with specification, and one count of tampering with evidence. The indictment arose from events on October 3, 2007. From these same events, the grand jury issued a second indictment on April 21, 2008. In this second indictment, the grand jury indicted appellant and the same three individuals on one count of first-degree aggravated robbery with specification, second-degree robbery with specification, and one count of third-degree robbery. In the meantime, in November 2007, the grand jury had also indicted appellant on an unrelated fourth-degree theft offense.

{¶ 3} Appellant and his three co-defendants all entered guilty pleas. Appellant pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree felonious assault and one count of third-degree robbery arising from the October 3, 2007 events. He also pleaded guilty to the fourth-degree theft offense. Plaintiff-appellee, state of Ohio ("the state"), requested dismissal of the remaining charges.

{¶ 4} At the plea hearing, the prosecutor presented the following facts. In the early morning hours of October 3, 2007, Matthew Shaver, David Capaldi, Kathryn Rodgers, and Nicky Portman were leaving Jack's Corner Pub. Appellant, along with Christopher Viera, Alicia Marteney, and Brock Woodrick followed them. An altercation occurred between the two groups. Appellant and Woodrick struck Capaldi, Rodgers, and Shaver. The prosecutor referred to the "allegations" that appellant "had some brass knuckles as part of this altercation. He did strike both David Capaldi and also *Page 3 Katie Ro[d]gers. As a result, Katie Ro[d]gers and David Capaldi were both rendered unconscious." (O'Keefe Plea Tr. 6.) Rodgers' purse and its contents were on the ground. Woodrick and Marteney picked up these items "and they, along with [appellant,] went later to a gas station where credit cards were used to fill up the gas tank of various cars," and those cars may have included a car belonging to appellant. (O'Keefe Plea Tr. 7.)

{¶ 5} In response, appellant's counsel stated that the stolen credit cards were not used to fill up appellant's car. Otherwise, appellant's counsel did not object to the facts as presented by the prosecution.

{¶ 6} The unrelated theft charge arose from the theft of a vehicle in February 2006. Appellant admitted to stealing the vehicle, and he had been cooperative with detectives.

{¶ 7} The trial court held sentencing hearings for all the defendants on July 25, 2008. The witnesses and victims did not speak at each hearing, but the court told the parties that the testimony from all the hearings would be considered for purposes of sentencing each defendant. Counsel for all the defendants had the opportunity to participate in the hearings. The four sentencing hearings collectively provide the factual detail relevant to this appeal.

{¶ 8} At the Christopher Viera sentencing, the court indicated that Viera had pleaded guilty on one count of third-degree robbery. In exchange for his plea, the state agreed to dismiss the other charges. Consistent with statements made at Viera's plea hearing, the prosecution and defense jointly recommended that the court consider a *Page 4 sentence of community control. Viera's counsel stated that Viera had "cooperated with the state to every extent that he could." (Viera Sentencing Tr. 3.)

{¶ 9} The prosecutor agreed that Viera had been cooperative and that the victims agreed "with working with this man." (Viera Sentencing Tr. 6.) The prosecutor also said that Columbus Police Detective Gary Bowman agreed that, while Viera engaged in the activity, "he is not the one who turned this ultra violent. He is not the one who engaged in the beating there at the scene." (Viera Sentencing Tr. 6.)

{¶ 10} Noting that Viera had 248 days of jail credit, the trial court sentenced Viera to five years of community control on the third-degree robbery charge. The court also imposed court costs and ordered restitution in the amount of $2,500 to Rodgers. The court said that Viera "got a substantially reduced charge which dropped the repeat violent offender specification in exchange for the remorse that you showed in the aftermath of this tragic incident." (Viera Sentencing Tr. 8.)

{¶ 11} At the Brock Woodrick sentencing hearing, Woodrick's counsel argued that Woodrick should receive the same sentence as Viera, i.e., community control. Counsel said that Woodrick had only three misdemeanors on his record, but admitted that Woodrick had had a positive drug screen and has a "drug issue." (Woodrick Sentencing Tr. 13.)

{¶ 12} Woodrick addressed the court directly. He said that he was defending himself in the incident.

{¶ 13} The prosecutor challenged any argument that the actions of Woodrick and Viera were similar. He said that Woodrick was the person who started the whole *Page 5 incident. He also said that Woodrick's statements during the pre-sentence investigation attempted to minimize the incident and that Woodrick presented a danger.

{¶ 14} One of the victims, Matthew Shaver, testified. He said that he owed about $6,700 in medical bills. He had injuries to his lip and a scratched cornea.

{¶ 15} Shaver said that, on October 3, 2007, he was at Jack's Corner Pub with Capaldi, Rodgers, and Portman. As they were leaving, "[something happened." (Woodrick Sentencing Tr. 24.) He turned around and saw Capaldi getting hit. Before he knew what was going on, he "was getting hit. I didn't approach anyone." (Woodrick Sentencing Tr. 24.) It was Woodrick who first approached the group, and Woodrick hit Shaver.

{¶ 16} A second victim, David Capaldi, also testified. He said that "calling it a bar fight, too, is not right. We were jumped. * * * It was just, you know, we were on the receiving end the whole time." (Woodrick Sentencing Tr. 31.) Woodrick punched Capaldi, who blacked out. Capaldi had a black eye, swollen jaw, and an injury requiring stitches to the back of his head. His outstanding medical bills totaled more than $5,000.

{¶ 17} The third victim, Kathryn Rodgers, testified that she, Shaver, Capaldi, and Portman did nothing to provoke an attack. Marteney and appellant hit her. Rodgers' cheekbone was broken, and she had to have 13 stitches to her face. She also had to have reconstructive surgery. She experienced pain and depression and still suffers from anxiety. Her medical bills totaled about $30,000, although she received $7,000 in victims-of-crime compensation. *Page 6

{¶ 18} Rodgers told the court that Woodrick should get substantial prison time.

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Bluebook (online)
2009 Ohio 1563, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-okeefe-08ap-724-3-31-2009-ohioctapp-2009.