State v. Osting

2019 Ohio 1278
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedApril 8, 2019
Docket4-18-09
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 2019 Ohio 1278 (State v. Osting) 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. Osting, 2019 Ohio 1278 (Ohio Ct. App. 2019).

Opinion

[Cite as State v. Osting, 2019-Ohio-1278.]

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF OHIO THIRD APPELLATE DISTRICT DEFIANCE COUNTY

STATE OF OHIO,

PLAINTIFF-APPELLEE, CASE NO. 4-18-09

v.

LINDA S. OSTING, OPINION

DEFENDANT-APPELLANT.

Appeal from Defiance County Common Pleas Court Trial Court No. 17 CR 13010

Judgment Affirmed

Date of Decision: April 8, 2019

APPEARANCES:

Clayton J. Crates for Appellant

Russell R. Herman for Appellee Case No. 4-18-09

PRESTON, J.

{¶1} Defendant-appellant, Linda S. Osting (“Osting”), appeals the July 20,

2018 judgment of sentence of the Defiance County Court of Common Pleas. For

the reasons that follow, we affirm.

{¶2} This case arises from a December 11, 2017 incident in which Osting

shot her husband, Mitchell Osting (“Mitchell”), following an argument. As a result

of the gun shot, Mitchell sustained injuries requiring extended hospitalization,

multiple surgeries, and ongoing medical treatment.

{¶3} On January 26, 2018, the Defiance County Grand Jury indicted Osting

on two counts: Count One of attempted aggravated murder in violation of R.C.

2903.01(A) and 2923.02(A), (E)(1) and Count Two of felonious assault in violation

of R.C. 2903.11(A)(2), (D)(1)(a), a second-degree felony. (Doc. No. 2). Counts

One and Two each contained a three-year mandatory firearm specification under

R.C. 2941.145(A). (Id.). On February 8, 2018, Osting appeared for arraignment

and entered pleas of not guilty to the counts and specifications in the indictment.

(Doc. No. 12).

{¶4} On June 4, 2018, under a negotiated plea agreement, Osting withdrew

her not guilty pleas and pleaded guilty to Count Two and the associated firearm

specification. (Doc. No. 21). In exchange, the State agreed to recommend dismissal

of Count One and its associated firearm specification. (Id.). Thereafter, the trial

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court accepted Osting’s guilty pleas, found her guilty as to Count Two and its

associated firearm specification, and ordered a presentence investigation (“PSI”).

(Id.). The trial court filed its judgment entry of conviction on June 11, 2018. (Id.).

On September 17, 2018, the trial court dismissed Count One of the indictment and

its accompanying firearm specification. (Doc. No. 34).

{¶5} On July 20, 2018, the trial court sentenced Osting to 8 years in prison

on Count Two and 3 years in prison for the firearm specification to be served

consecutively for an aggregate term of 11 years in prison. (See Doc. No. 23); (See

July 20, 2018 Tr. at 103).

{¶6} Osting filed her notice of appeal on August 16, 2018. (Doc. No. 26).

She raises three assignments of error.

Assignment of Error No. I

The trial court committed prejudicial error by imposing a maximum sentence.

{¶7} In her first assignment of error, Osting argues that the trial court erred

by imposing the maximum term of imprisonment. In particular, she contends that

the trial court failed to properly consider the R.C. 2929.12(C) and (E) felony-

sentencing factors.

{¶8} Under R.C. 2953.08(G)(2), an appellate court will reverse a sentence

“only if it determines by clear and convincing evidence that the record does not

support the trial court’s findings under relevant statutes or that the sentence is

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otherwise contrary to law.” State v. Marcum, 146 Ohio St.3d 516, 2016-Ohio-1002,

¶ 1. Clear and convincing evidence is that “‘which will produce in the mind of the

trier of facts a firm belief or conviction as to the facts sought to be established.’” Id.

at ¶ 22, quoting Cross v. Ledford, 161 Ohio St. 469 (1954), paragraph three of the

syllabus.

{¶9} “It is well-established that the statutes governing felony sentencing no

longer require the trial court to make certain findings before imposing a maximum

sentence.” State v. Maggette, 3d Dist. Seneca No. 13-16-06, 2016-Ohio-5554, ¶ 29,

citing State v. Dixon, 2d Dist. Clark No. 2015-CA-67, 2016-Ohio-2882, ¶ 14

(“Unlike consecutive sentences, the trial court was not required to make any

particular ‘findings’ to justify maximum prison sentences.”) and State v. Hinton, 8th

Dist. Cuyahoga No. 102710, 2015-Ohio-4907, ¶ 9 (“The law no longer requires the

trial court to make certain findings before imposing a maximum sentence.”).

Rather, “‘[t]rial courts have full discretion to impose any sentence within the

statutory range.’” State v. Smith, 3d Dist. Seneca No. 13-15-17, 2015-Ohio-4225, ¶

9, quoting State v. Noble, 3d Dist. Logan No. 8-14-06, 2014-Ohio-5485, ¶ 9, citing

State v. Saldana, 3d Dist. Putnam No. 12-12-09, 2013-Ohio-1122, ¶ 20. In this case,

as a second-degree felony, felonious assault carries a non-mandatory sanction of

two to eight years’ imprisonment. R.C. 2903.11(A)(2), (D)(1)(a) (Oct. 17, 2017)

(current version at R.C. 2903.11(A)(2), (D)(1)(a) (Mar. 22, 2019)); R.C.

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2929.14(A)(2) (Oct. 17, 2017) (current version at R.C. 2929.14(A)(2) (Mar. 22,

2019)). The firearm specification under Count Two carries a mandatory three-year

prison term. R.C. 2941.145. Because the trial court sentenced Osting to 8 years in

prison on Count Two and 3 years in prison on the firearm specification for an

aggregate of 11 years in prison, Osting’s sentence falls within the statutory range.

“[A] sentence imposed within the statutory range is ‘presumptively valid’ if the

[trial] court considered applicable sentencing factors.” Maggette at ¶ 31, quoting

State v. Collier, 8th Dist. Cuyahoga No. 95572, 2011-Ohio-2791, ¶ 15.

{¶10} “R.C. 2929.11 provides, in pertinent part, that the ‘overriding purposes

of felony sentencing are to protect the public from future crime and to punish the

offender.’” Smith at ¶ 10, quoting R.C. 2929.11(A) (Sept. 30, 2011) (current version

at R.C. 2929.11(A) (Oct. 29, 2018)). “In advancing these purposes, sentencing

courts are instructed to ‘consider the need for incapacitating the offender, deterring

the offender and others from future crime, rehabilitating the offender, and making

restitution to the victim of the offense, the public, or both.’” Id., quoting R.C.

2929.11(A) (Sept. 30, 2011) (current version at R.C. 2929.11(A) (Oct. 29,

2018)). “Meanwhile, R.C. 2929.11(B) states that felony sentences must be

‘commensurate with and not demeaning to the seriousness of the offender’s conduct

and its impact upon the victim’ and also be consistent with sentences imposed in

similar cases.” Id., quoting R.C. 2929.11(B) (Sept. 30, 2011) (current version at

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R.C. 2929.11(B) (Oct. 29, 2018)). “In accordance with these principles, the trial

court must consider the factors set forth in R.C. 2929.12(B)-(E) relating to the

seriousness of the offender’s conduct and the likelihood of the offender’s

recidivism.” Id., citing R.C. 2929.12(A). “‘A sentencing court has broad discretion

to determine the relative weight to assign the sentencing factors in R.C. 2929.12.’”

Id. at ¶ 15, quoting State v. Brimacombe, 195 Ohio App.3d 524, 2011-Ohio-5032, ¶

18 (6th Dist.), citing State v. Arnett, 88 Ohio St.3d 208, 215 (2000).

{¶11} “Although the trial court must consider the purposes and principles of

felony sentencing set forth in R.C. 2929.11 and the sentencing factors listed in R.C.

2929.12, the sentencing court is not required to ‘state on the record that it considered

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Bluebook (online)
2019 Ohio 1278, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-osting-ohioctapp-2019.