State v. Shedrick

610 N.E.2d 1147, 80 Ohio App. 3d 823, 1992 Ohio App. LEXIS 3890
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedJuly 29, 1992
DocketNo. 15368.
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 610 N.E.2d 1147 (State v. Shedrick) 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. Shedrick, 610 N.E.2d 1147, 80 Ohio App. 3d 823, 1992 Ohio App. LEXIS 3890 (Ohio Ct. App. 1992).

Opinion

Cacioppo, Judge.

The appellant, Donald Shedrick, was found guilty of aggravated murder; guilty of two counts of rape; and guilty of aggravated burglary. These convictions involved the violent rape and murder of thirteen-year-old Lori Ewald.

Shedrick appealed to this court, which affirmed the convictions. The primary issue on appeal was whether the testimony of a previous Shedrick rape victim, that victim’s mother, and a police officer violated R.C. 2151.358(H) and Evid.R. 404(B). In affirming the convictions, this court held that R.C. 2151.358(H) prohibited only the use of the transcript of testimony from a prior juvenile proceeding, and that the evidence of the previous rape satisfied the admission requirements for “other acts” evidence under Evid.R. 404(B). State v. Shedrick (Feb. 28, 1990), Summit App. No. 14211, unreported, 1990 *825 WL 18132. Finding its decision to be in conflict with State v. Hall (1989), 57 Ohio App.3d 144, 567 N.E.2d 305, concerning the applicability of R.C. 2151.-358(H), this court certified the case to the Supreme Court of Ohio.

The Supreme Court held:

“1. Under R.C. 2151.358(H), testimony, documents, or exhibits, presented as evidence against a juvenile in a juvenile proceeding, are inadmissible against the juvenile in any other case or proceeding. (R.C. 2151.358(H), construed.)
“2. Where a witness has testified in a juvenile proceeding, R.C. 2151.-358(H) prohibits that witness from giving essentially the same testimony in any other case or proceeding.
“3. The testimony of a witness which is not essentially the same as that given in the prior juvenile proceeding is not barred from admission in a subsequent case or proceeding by R.C. 2151.358(H).” State v. Shedrick (1991), 59 Ohio St.3d 146, 572 N.E.2d 59, paragraphs one, two and three of the syllabus.

The Supreme Court further found that the evidence was properly admissible under Evid.R. 404(B) and R.C. 2945.59. On rehearing, the Supreme Court, in clarifying its previous holding, held:

“1. Under R.C. 2151.358(H), testimony, documents, or exhibits, presented as evidence against a juvenile in a juvenile proceeding, are inadmissible against the juvenile in any other criminal case or criminal proceeding except ones in which the same underlying alleged crime is being adjudicated. (R.C. 2151.358[H], construed.)
“2. Where a witness has testified in a juvenile proceeding, R.C. 2151.-358(H) prohibits that witness from giving essentially the same testimony in any other criminal case or criminal proceeding. (State v. Shedrick [1991], 59 Ohio St.3d 146, 572 N.E.2d 59, vacated and clarified.)” State v. Shedrick (1991), 61 Ohio St.3d 331, 574 N.E.2d 1065, paragraphs one and two of the syllabus.

The Supreme Court remanded the case to the trial court with the following instructions:

“Because of the discrepancy between the facts represented by state’s counsel at oral argument and the facts suggested by the record, we must remand the case to the trial court for a disposition in accordance with the law as we have set it forth. If C.Y., her mother, or officer Bambrick testified at the juvenile proceeding, then R.C. 2151.358(H) bars the testimony of those witnesses in this case to the extent that such testimony is essentially the same as that previously given. On the other hand, if any one of these three *826 witnesses did not testify at the juvenile proceeding or if their testimony in the instant case was not essentially the same, then such testimony would be admissible in the instant case. Finally, if evidence was admitted in this case in violation of R.C. 2151.358(H), the trial court must determine whether the effect was prejudicial and whether a new trial is warranted for Shedrick.” Id. at 336, 574 N.E.2d at 1069.

On remand, the state stipulated that the subject witnesses had testified at Shedrick’s juvenile proceeding, and that their testimony at the juvenile proceeding and this criminal proceeding was similar, thus rendering the testimony inadmissible under R.C. 2151.358(H). Thus, the only issue remaining for the trial court was the possible prejudicial effect of the evidence. After reviewing the evidence, the trial court determined that:

“(1) Excluding the evidence of similar acts admitted erroneously at trial including the testimony of C.Y., her mother and police officer Daniel Bambrick, the remaining evidence, if believed by the triers of fact, warrants a finding of guilty beyond a reasonable doubt of the crimes of which the Defendant was convicted.
“(2) The error in the admission of such evidence of similar acts was harmless beyond a reasonable doubt because the remaining evidence standing alone constitutes overwhelming proof of defendant’s guilt.
“(3) The above-referenced error in the admission of evidence of similar acts was nonprejudicial because it was harmless beyond a reasonable doubt in that it affirmatively appears on the record that the defendant was not prejudiced thereby.
“(4) The other evidence (excluding the similar acts testimony) standing alone constitutes overwhelming proof of defendant’s guilt.”

Based upon these determinations, the trial court denied Shedrick a new trial.

Shedrick appeals from the trial court’s determination on remand, asserting the following assignments of error:

Assignments of Error

“I. The trial court erred and the appellant was denied due process when he (i.e., the appellant) was not awarded a new trial.
“II. The court erred in ruling certain evidence was admissible under favor of Rule 404(B).”

The primary issue for review in this appeal is whether the introduction of the evidence in violation of R.C. 2151.358(H) was prejudicial to Shedrick or whether it constituted harmless error.

*827 The Supreme Court of the United States has recognized the test set forth in Chapman v. California (1967), 386 U.S. 18, 87 S.Ct. 824, 17 L.Ed.2d 705, rehearing denied (1967), 386 U.S. 987, 87 S.Ct. 1283, 18 L.Ed.2d 241, as the proper standard for evaluating whether an error is harmless. Yates v. Evatt (1991), 500 U.S. -, -, 111 S.Ct. 1884, 1892, 114 L.Ed.2d 432, 448. The Chapman test is whether it appears “beyond a reasonable doubt that the error complained of did not contribute to the verdict obtained.” Id.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
610 N.E.2d 1147, 80 Ohio App. 3d 823, 1992 Ohio App. LEXIS 3890, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-shedrick-ohioctapp-1992.