State v. Scott, Unpublished Decision (1-25-2007)

2007 Ohio 303
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedJanuary 25, 2007
DocketNo. 06 CA 1.
StatusUnpublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 2007 Ohio 303 (State v. Scott, Unpublished Decision (1-25-2007)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Court of Appeals primary law.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State v. Scott, Unpublished Decision (1-25-2007), 2007 Ohio 303 (Ohio Ct. App. 2007).

Opinion

OPINION
{¶ 1} Appellant Angela Scott appeals her convictions and sentences, in the Morgan County Court of Common Pleas, on several drug-related felony offenses, set forth as follows:

{¶ 2} Count 2: Complicity to trafficking in marihuana in the vicinity of a juvenile.

{¶ 3} Count 3: Complicity to trafficking in crack cocaine.

{¶ 4} Count 4: Complicity to trafficking in marihuana.

{¶ 5} Count 5: Complicity to trafficking in crack cocaine.

{¶ 6} Count 8: Trafficking in crack cocaine.

{¶ 7} Count 9: Trafficking in marihuana in the vicinity of a juvenile.

{¶ 8} Count 10: Possession of cocaine.

{¶ 9} Count 11: Engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity.

{¶ 10} The relevant facts leading to this appeal are as follows.

{¶ 11} Between June 6, 2003 and November 23, 2004, the Morgan County Sheriff's Department conducted an undercover drug trafficking investigation of appellant, her husband Gary Scott, and two other individuals, Christopher Mayle and Jamie Potts.

{¶ 12} On June 6, 2003, Deputy Tom Jenkins of the Morgan County Sheriff's Department received information from a Washington County detective that a confidential informant had purchased crack cocaine at the residence of appellant and Gary Scott on Route 555 in Chesterhill. The confidential informant was sent to the Scott home, wearing a wire transmitter. According to Deputy Jenkins, appellant stated to the confidential informant that "Boney" (a nickname used by Gary Scott) was on his way to pick up some "shit" at a different location, which the deputy interpreted as slang for crack cocaine. Tr. at 149-150, 155. On the basis of that conversation, Morgan County Sheriff's deputies obtained a warrant, although the warrant was never served due to manpower issues. Tr. at 158.

{¶ 13} A new warrant to search appellant's and Gary's home was served on November 7, 2003, and $250.00 cash was taken from Chris Mayle, a co-defendant of appellant, and the only person present at the time of the search of the Scott residence. A number of items were seized from the home including cash, guns, jewelry, clothing and ashtrays. Among the items was a 44.53 grams of marijuana, secreted in a box discovered in a bedroom. Additional marijuana was found on the person of Christopher Mayle.

{¶ 14} Amy Nelson, who was working for the Morgan County Sheriff's Department as a confidential informant, testified that in late March, 2004, she went to the Scott home to purchase marijuana. Tr. at 375. On Nelson's first visit, Gary told her he didn't have any at the moment, but she should come back in a couple of days. Id. at 375-76. Ms. Nelson returned to the Scott home on March 31, 2004 and asked if Gary was home. Id. at 377-78. While waiting for him to come to the door, Ms. Nelson observed a 3 or 4 year old child in the home. Id. When Gary came to the door, Ms. Nelson asked him if she could purchase some marijuana. Id. at 378-379. Ms. Nelson watched as Gary walked to a couch where she could see three bags of marijuana. Id. Gary retrieved one of the bags and handed it to Ms. Nelson. Id. at 379-380. Ms. Nelson gave him $10.00 and left the residence. Id. This "buy" became the basis for count two of the indictment, complicity in trafficking marihuana in the vicinity of a juvenile.

{¶ 15} On April 15, 2004, the same confidential informant returned to the Scott residence and made two separate buys from Christopher Mayle. In the first instance, the informant bought marijuana and crack cocaine from Mr. Mayle. In the second, she bought crack cocaine from him. Neither the appellant nor Gary was present at the time. These "buys" form the basis for counts three, four and five of the indictment, complicity to sell crack cocaine, complicity to sell marihuana, and complicity to sell crack cocaine, respectively.

{¶ 16} According to this same confidential informant, Mayle and Potts sold these drugs from the Scott residence, but she did not see where Mayle went to get them within the house, and Potts went somewhere outside the house to retrieve the crack cocaine he sold her. According to the confidential informant, "Chris was just always there [at the Scott's residence], it was like he lived there."

{¶ 17} Based upon this "buy" Deputy Tom Jenkins obtained a second warrant to search the Scott's home. They retrieved cash from the appellant and Gary, a bank card, some marijuana from Christopher Mayle, and some other items suspected of being cocaine. The warrant was served on November 23, 2004. These transactions formed the basis for counts eight and nine of the indictment. Count eight was amended during trial to trafficking in crack cocaine. Count nine charged trafficking in marijuana in the presence of a minor.

{¶ 18} Count ten of the indictment alleged possession of cocaine. Count eleven of the indictment alleged involvement in a pattern of corrupt activity, as further discussed infra.

{¶ 19} Appellant was indicted on December 8, 2004, along with her husband Gary and Christopher Mayle.

{¶ 20} A two-day jury trial was commenced on September 29, 2005. At the conclusion of the trial, the jury found appellant guilty on counts 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10, and 11. Three remaining counts (i.e., one, six, and seven), which we need not set forth in this opinion, were returned by the jury as "not guilty."

{¶ 21} The matter came before the court for sentencing on January 3, 2006. After conducting the sentencing hearing, which included the court's review of the pre-sentence investigative report, appellant was sentenced to seven years on count eleven (engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity) and an additional thirty-five months on the remaining counts, some of which were ordered to be served consecutively to each other. Her aggregate sentence was 119 months (nine years, eleven months) in prison.

{¶ 22} Appellant filed a notice of appeal on January 12, 2006. She herein raises the following three Assignments of Error:

{¶ 23} "I. THE TRIAL COURT ERRED WHEN IT ENTERED JUDGMENT (SIC) AGAINST THE DEFENDANT WHEN THE EVIDENCE WAS INSUFFICIENT TO SUSTAIN A CONVICTION AND WAS NOT SUPPORTED BY THE MANIFEST WEIGHT OF THE EVIDENCE.

{¶ 24} "II. DEFENDANT-APPELLANT WAS DENIED EFFECTIVE ASSISTANCE OF COUNSEL AS GUARANTEED UNDER THE FIFTH, SIXTH, AND FOURTEENTH AMENDMENTS TO THE UNTIED (SIC) STATES CONSTITUTION AND ARTICLE I, SECTION 10 OF THE OHIO CONSTITUTION BECAUSE COUNSEL FAILED TO TIMELY OBJECT TO THE INTRODUCTION OF INADMISSIBLE EVIDENCE WHICH WAS HIGHLY DAMAGING AND UNFAIRLY PREJUDICIAL.

{¶ 25} "III. THE TRIAL COURT VIOLATED APPELLANT'S RIGHTS UNDER THE OHIO AND FEDERAL CONSTITUTIONS (SIC) WHEN IT SENTENCED HER BASED UPON POST-CONVICTION FACT-FINDINGS MADY (SIC) BY THE COURT, NOT FOUND BY A JURY."

I.
{¶ 26} In her First Assignment of Error, appellant argues her convictions are not supported by the sufficiency of the evidence and are against the manifest weight of the evidence. We disagree.

Sufficiency of the Evidence
{¶ 27}

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Bluebook (online)
2007 Ohio 303, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-scott-unpublished-decision-1-25-2007-ohioctapp-2007.