State v. Shabazz

2011 Ohio 2260
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedMay 12, 2011
Docket95021
StatusPublished
Cited by25 cases

This text of 2011 Ohio 2260 (State v. Shabazz) 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. Shabazz, 2011 Ohio 2260 (Ohio Ct. App. 2011).

Opinion

[Cite as State v. Shabazz, 2011-Ohio-2260.]

Court of Appeals of Ohio EIGHTH APPELLATE DISTRICT COUNTY OF CUYAHOGA

JOURNAL ENTRY AND OPINION No. 95021

STATE OF OHIO PLAINTIFF-APPELLEE

vs.

KAREEM SHABAZZ DEFENDANT-APPELLANT

JUDGMENT: AFFIRMED

Criminal Appeal from the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas Case No. CR-532608

BEFORE: Blackmon, P.J., Celebrezze, J., and E. Gallagher, J.

RELEASED AND JOURNALIZED: May 12, 2011

-i- 2

ATTORNEY FOR APPELLANT

Stephen L. Miles 20800 Center Ridge Road Suite 405 Rocky River, Ohio 44116

ATTORNEYS FOR APPELLEE

William D. Mason Cuyahoga County Prosecutor

Jeffrey S. Schnatter Brad S. Meyer Assistant Prosecuting Attorneys The Justice Center, 9th Floor 1200 Ontario Street Cleveland, Ohio 44113

PATRICIA ANN BLACKMON, P.J.:

{¶ 1} Appellant Kareem Shabazz appeals the trial court’s denial of his

motion to dismiss and his subsequent convictions. Shabazz assigns the

following errors for our review:

“I. The trial court erred by denying the appellant’s motion to dismiss because his right to a speedy trial was violated.”

“II. Appellant’s convictions were against the manifest weight of the evidence.” 3 {¶ 2} Having reviewed the record and pertinent law, we affirm the trial

court’s decision and Shabazz’s convictions. The apposite facts follow.

{¶ 3} On December 30, 2009, as a result of a burglary at a home in

Maple Heights, Ohio and a robbery1 of a Dollar General store in the same

city, a Cuyahoga County Grand Jury issued a multi-count indictment against

Shabazz and his codefendant, David Merritt. The grand jury indicted

Shabazz on six counts of kidnapping, two counts of aggravated robbery, four

counts of felonious assault, and two counts of receiving stolen property. The

foregoing charges had one and three-year firearm specifications attached.

{¶ 4} The grand jury also indicted Shabazz on one count of having

weapons while under disability. Shabazz pleaded not guilty at his

arraignment and numerous pretrials and continuances followed. On

February 22, 2010, Shabazz waived his right to a jury trial on the charge of

having weapons while under disability. The state dismissed the four counts

of felonious assault. On March 15, 2010, a jury trial commenced on the

remaining charges; the next day, the trial court denied Shabazz’s motion to

dismiss for speedy trial violation.

Jury Trial

1 The jury subsequently found Shabazz not guilty of all the charges relating to the robbery of the Dollar General store; thus, this opinion will contain only a limited discussion of the testimony relating to the robbery. 4 {¶ 5} At trial, the state presented the testimony of 16 witnesses

including Kenneth Dostie, who testified that on April 21, 2009, his home in

Maple Heights, Ohio was burglarized. Dostie also testified that the burglary

must have taken place between the hours of 7:30 AM and 3:00 PM, while his

daughter was at school. Dostie stated that numerous items were taken from

the house including, but not limited to, a red 1995 Ford Mustang automobile,

rare gold and silver coins, handcuffs, several watches, a television set, and a

black Harley Davidson leather jacket.

{¶ 6} In addition, the burglar took a prescription bottle containing

Dostie’s medication, passports belonging to him and his daughter, vehicle

registration and insurance card for the 1995 Ford Mustang, the garage door

opener, keys to his 1999 Harley Davidson motorcycle and 2004 Dodge Ram

truck. Further, the burglar took a paycheck stub and other personal

papers.

{¶ 7} Finally, after reporting the burglary to the Maple Heights Police

Department and providing them with a list of the rare coins that were taken

from the home, Dostie also contacted coin dealers, as well as pawn shops

throughout the area, to alert them of possible sales of his property.

{¶ 8} Dostie’s daughter, Michelle, 2 testified that she returned home

from school on April 21, 2009, and found the garage door opened. Michelle

We will refer to this witness by her first name because of the shared last 2 5 immediately noticed that the red 1995 Ford Mustang was missing and that

the Harley Davidson motorcycle had been moved to the opposite side of the

garage. Michelle called her father to inquire whether her aunt had borrowed

the Mustang. Michelle’s father indicated that her aunt had not borrowed the

car and instructed her to check the house, while he called the police.

{¶ 9} Rebecca Masters, the manager of Bedford Jewelry and Coin,

testified that on April 22, 2009, Shabazz, accompanied by another male,

entered her shop and attempted to sell her gold and silver coins, as well as a

silver bar. Masters stated that Shabazz indicated that the items were from

an inheritance. Masters had been alerted earlier that day by Dostie, who

faxed her a list of the coins that had been stolen from his home.

{¶ 10} Masters testified that the individual who accompanied Shabazz to

the store asked to use her restroom, but she told him he could not, and

suggested he go to the restaurant next door. Masters surreptitiously

signaled her niece to summon the police, while she feigned interest in the

coins by having Shabazz fill out paperwork and provide identification. The

police arrived a short time later, arrested Shabazz and the other male, who

had gone next door to the restaurant.

{¶ 11} Matthew Berger and William Blaha, officers with the Maple

Heights Police Department, testified that on April 22, 2009, they responded to

name with her father. 6 the Bedford Coin and Jewelry where they arrested Shabazz, as well as the

other male that had accompanied him to the store, and confiscated the items

Shabazz was trying to sell.

{¶ 12} Patrolmen Berger and Blaha conducted an inventory tow sheet of

the vehicle Shabazz and his companion had traveled in to the coin store. The

patrolmen found several items in the vehicle that had been taken from

Dostie’s home, including, but not limited to rolls of coins, passports belonging

to Dostie and his daughter, a prescription bottle, a Dell computer, garage door

opener, and four sets of keys.

{¶ 13} Patrolman Justin Ludwig, also of the Maple Heights Police

Department, testified that on April 21, 2009, he responded to Dostie’s home

on report of a burglary. Patrolman Ludwig testified that while he was at

Dostie’s home, he heard over the radio that a robbery had taken place at a

Dollar General store and the suspects had driven away in a red sports car.

Due to the very close vicinity of the burglary and the robbery, Patrolman

Ludwig notified dispatch that the vehicle involved in the robbery might be the

one that had been taken from Dostie’s home. Patrolman Ludwig later

discovered Dostie’s red Ford Mustang a few blocks away from the Dollar

General store.

{¶ 14} Crystal Gibson testified that she is the manager of the Dollar

General store located on Lee Road South in Maple Heights, Ohio. Gibson 7 testified that on April 21, 2009, two individuals entered the store and robbed

them at gunpoint. Gibson stated that a tall, heavy set, black male, who was

wearing a sweatshirt with a flame on the front, brandished a shotgun, while

the other individual was wearing a black leather jacket and a bandana over

his face. Gibson testified that the second individual did not have a gun, but

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