State v. Short, Unpublished Decision (9-1-2005)

2005 Ohio 4578
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedSeptember 1, 2005
DocketNo. 83804.
StatusUnpublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 2005 Ohio 4578 (State v. Short, Unpublished Decision (9-1-2005)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Court of Appeals primary law.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State v. Short, Unpublished Decision (9-1-2005), 2005 Ohio 4578 (Ohio Ct. App. 2005).

Opinion

JOURNAL ENTRY AND OPINION
{¶ 1} Appellant, Eddie Short, appeals his conviction and sentence imposed after a jury found him guilty of drug possession, in violation of R.C. 2925.11; two counts of second-degree drug trafficking, in violation of R.C. 2925.03; and one count of first-degree drug trafficking, in violation of R.C.2925.03, with a major drug offender specification.

{¶ 2} He was sentenced to a seven-year prison term for the drug possession conviction, seven-year prison terms for each of the second-degree drug trafficking convictions, and a ten-year prison term for the first-degree drug trafficking conviction. These prison terms were ordered to be served concurrently. The trial court also imposed a two-year prison term for the major drug offender specification, which it ordered to be served consecutively to the ten-year prison term. The trial court further informed appellant that he was subject to post-release control.

{¶ 3} Appellant challenges his convictions and sentences in seven assignments of error. After a review of the record and arguments of the parties, we affirm in part and vacate in part the decision of the trial court for the reasons set forth below.

{¶ 4} Appellant was arrested as the result of a joint investigation by the Cleveland Police Department and the Mayfield Heights Police Department that was launched after Dale Sutter, who was arrested on charges of drug trafficking, identified Eddie Short as a major drug dealer in the area. Sutter agreed to take part in the investigation as a confidential informant. As part of the investigation, Sutter would page appellant and enter codes to signify how much crack cocaine he wanted to buy. Evidence was introduced at trial that if Sutter wanted $5,000 worth of crack cocaine, he would enter "5000" after his call-back number in the page; if he wanted $500 worth, he would enter "500." On several occasions, appellant called in response to the page; he discussed the drug sales and set up times to meet with Sutter. These telephone conversations were recorded. Appellant's convictions stem from three separate incidents that occurred this way.

{¶ 5} Appellant met with Sutter on January 9, 2003 to sell crack cocaine. This meeting was set up in a conversation two days earlier. Detectives called appellant's pager number and entered Sutter's call-back number with the "5000" code. They immediately called again and entered the "500" code. Appellant responded to the page by calling Sutter. During this recorded conversation, which was entered into evidence, Sutter agreed to meet at appellant's residence. Sutter wore a body wire and was under constant police surveillance at this meeting. Sutter was given $500 to make the buy. Appellant and Sutter drive in Sutter's car to another meeting spot where appellant indicated they would meet with someone else who would bring the drugs. When another car pulled up, appellant went to the car, got in, and returned with crack cocaine, which he gave to Sutter. The police recovered the drugs, and it was stipulated at trial that it was 13.67 grams of crack cocaine.

{¶ 6} During the recorded conversation between Sutter and appellant on January 9, 2004, appellant spoke in terms of units, telling Sutter that "it will cost a dollar apiece." Evidence was introduced that this meant it would cost Sutter $1,000 for an ounce of crack cocaine. Appellant further indicated on the recordings that it would not be a problem to get $5,000 worth of crack cocaine, which would be five ounces.

{¶ 7} On January 13, 2003, the police again used Sutter to contact appellant. The police called appellant's pager, entered Sutter's call-back number and entered the "5000" code to indicate that Sutter wanted to buy $5,000 worth of crack cocaine. Appellant called back, and the two met at appellant's home. Sutter again wore a body wire and was under police surveillance. Although appellant had arranged for someone to deliver drugs to sell, the delivery never came. No drugs were sold or recovered by the police that night.

{¶ 8} On January 30, 2003, the police again paged appellant with the "5000" code and Sutter's call-back number. Sutter picked up appellant and drove him to a residence. Another car pulled up with three people who were bringing the drugs. Appellant had not been able to secure five ounces of crack cocaine, so the price was adjusted to $2,500 for approximately half that amount of crack cocaine. When appellant went to the other car, the police moved in and arrested him. The drugs had not yet been exchanged. The police recovered the crack cocaine, which the parties stipulated weighed 47.62 grams.

{¶ 9} Appellant now appeals citing seven assignments of error; we will address each of appellant's assignments below.

{¶ 10} "I. APPELLANT WAS DENIED DUE PROCESS UNDER THE SIXTH AND FOURTEENTH AMENDMENTS OF THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION, AND SECTION 10, ARTICLE I OF THE OHIO CONSTITUTION DUE TO COUNSEL'S FAILURE TO PURSUE THE DEFENSE OF ENTRAPMENT."

{¶ 11} In order to substantiate a claim of ineffective assistance of counsel, an appellant must demonstrate (1) that the performance of the defense counsel was seriously flawed and deficient, and (2) the result of the appellant's trial or legal proceeding would have been different had defense counsel provided proper representation. Strickland v. Washington (1984),466 U.S. 668, 687, 104 S.Ct. 2052, 80 L.Ed.2d 647; State v. Brooks (1986), 25 Ohio St.3d 144, 147, 495 N.E.2d 407.

{¶ 12} Here, the outcome of the trial would not have been different had defense counsel asserted entrapment as a defense. The Supreme Court of Ohio established the test for entrapment inState v. Doran (1983), 5 Ohio St.3d 187, 192 N.E.2d 1295. TheDoran court stated that "[w]here the criminal design originates with the officials of the government, and they implant in the mind of an innocent person the disposition to commit the alleged offense and induce its commission in order to prosecute, the defense of entrapment is established and the accused is entitled to acquittal." Id. at 192. But, "entrapment is not established when government officials merely afford opportunities or facilities for the commission of the offense and it is shown that the accused was predisposed to commit the offense." Id. (internal quotation marks and citations omitted).

{¶ 13} The record shows that appellant was predisposed to commit the crimes for which he was convicted. Each time he was paged, appellant immediately made a return telephone call and set up the drug deal. The police merely afforded him an opportunity to offer to sell crack cocaine and to make transactions. Thus, failure to raise the affirmative defense of entrapment did not constitute ineffective assistance of counsel. Appellant's first assignment of error is overruled.

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2005 Ohio 4578, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-short-unpublished-decision-9-1-2005-ohioctapp-2005.