State v. Sims

2012 Ohio 238
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedJanuary 9, 2012
Docket10CA17
StatusPublished
Cited by15 cases

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Bluebook
State v. Sims, 2012 Ohio 238 (Ohio Ct. App. 2012).

Opinion

[Cite as State v. Sims, 2012-Ohio-238.]

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF OHIO FOURTH APPELLATE DISTRICT GALLIA COUNTY

State of Ohio, : : Plaintiff-Appellee, : : Case No. 10CA17 v. : : DECISION AND Travis Wade Sims, : JUDGMENT ENTRY : Defendant-Appellant. : Filed: January 9, 2012 ________________________________________________________________

APPEARANCES:

Timothy Young, State Public Defender, and E. Kelly Mihocik, Assistant State Public Defender, Columbus, Ohio, for Appellant.

C. Jeffrey Adkins, Gallia County Prosecutor, and Pat Story, Gallia County Assistant Prosecutor, Gallipolis, Ohio, for Appellee. ________________________________________________________________

Kline, J.:

{¶1} Travis Sims appeals the judgment of the Gallia County Court of Common

Pleas. After a jury trial, Sims was convicted of aggravated robbery. Sims contends

that, for various reasons, the trial court abused its discretion when it imposed a ten-year

prison sentence on Sims. Because the trial court used an element of Sims’ offense to

find Sims’ conduct more serious for sentencing purposes, we agree. Accordingly, we

vacate Sims’ sentence and remand this cause for resentencing. Next, Sims contends

that he was denied the opportunity for meaningful appellate review because the trial

court did not state its justification for imposing the maximum possible sentence.

Because we vacated Sims’ sentence, we find this issue moot. Next, Sims contends that

he received ineffective assistance of counsel because his trial counsel did not challenge Gallia App. No. 10CA17 2

the trial court’s imposition of a grossly disparate and disproportionate sentence. Again,

because we vacated Sims’ sentence, we find this issue moot. Next, Sims contends that

the trial court erred because it imposed a six-month repayment period for Sims to repay

court costs in its judgment entry but failed to inform Sims of the repayment period at his

sentencing hearing. Because the trial court is not required to impose the repayment

period at the sentencing hearing, we disagree. Finally, Sims contends that his

conviction for aggravated robbery is against the manifest weight of the evidence.

Because there was substantial evidence upon which the jury could have reasonably

concluded that all the elements of Sims’ aggravated robbery offense were proven

beyond a reasonable doubt, we disagree.

{¶2} Accordingly, we affirm, in part, and reverse, in part, the judgment of the

trial court.

I.

{¶3} On April 3, 2010, Sims visited Wal-Mart with his friend, Lee Bryan, and

some other individuals. Shortly after entering the store, Sims separated from the

others. Sims used a pocket knife to remove a wristwatch from its plastic packaging.

Sims put the watch on his wrist, and Sims attempted to exit Wal-Mart without paying for

the watch.

{¶4} Barney Mulnar was working as a loss prevention officer for Wal-Mart on

the day in question. Mulnar was dressed in plainclothes, and he and his partner

observed Sims’ theft of the watch. Shortly after Sims passed the last point of sale,

Mulnar confronted Sims. Mulnar testified that he identified himself to Sims as a Wal-

Mart loss prevention officer. According to Mulnar, Sims seemed to cooperate for a Gallia App. No. 10CA17 3

moment, but then Sims instigated an altercation with Mulnar. Sims punched Mulnar in

the ear. Mulnar grabbed Sims during the struggle, and Sims’ shirt ripped as a result. At

some point, Sims swung his knife at Mulnar. Sims broke free of Mulnar, and Sims fled

on foot across Wal-Mart’s parking lot.

{¶5} Bryan was exiting Wal-Mart with Sims, and Bryan witnessed Sims’

altercation with Mulnar. Bryan claimed that Mulnar did not identify himself as a loss

prevention officer. Bryan testified that he was unaware that Sims had stolen the watch,

and Bryan thought that Mulnar was a stranger attacking Sims.

{¶6} Bryan and Sims left Wal-Mart’s parking lot in Bryan’s car. A police officer

initiated a traffic stop on Bryan’s car shortly after the incident between Sims and Mulnar.

Sims was in Bryan’s car, and the police arrested Sims without incident. Sims

cooperated with police, and he admitted that he stole the watch and some socks from

Wal-Mart.

{¶7} A grand jury indicted Sims for aggravated robbery, in violation of R.C.

2911.01(A)(1). At trial, the jury found Sims guilty, and the trial court sentenced Sims to

ten years in prison, which was the maximum possible prison sentence for Sims’

conviction.

{¶8} Sims appeals and asserts the following assignments of error: I. “The trial

court abused its discretion when it sentenced Mr. Sims to the maximum sentence for

aggravated robbery based upon its finding that Mr. Sims brandished a knife while trying

to flee.” II. “The trial court foreclosed Mr. Sims’s constitutional right to meaningful

appellate review of his sentence by failing to state on the record its justification for

imposing a ten-year maximum sentence.” III. “Mr. Sims received the ineffective Gallia App. No. 10CA17 4

assistance of trial counsel because his attorney did not challenge the court’s imposition

of the grossly disparate and disproportionate sentence that the trial court imposed on

Mr. Sims.” IV. “The sentencing entry ordered Mr. Sims to pay the costs of prosecution

within six months of his release from prison. But the trial court did not notify Mr. Sims of

that time limitation at his sentencing hearing. The trial court may not impose a sentence

in a judgment entry that is different from the sentence which is imposed at the

defendant’s sentencing hearing.” And, V. “The jury lost its way when it convicted Mr.

Sims of aggravated robbery. There was no credible evidence that Mr. Sims was fleeing

from a theft offense or that he brandished a deadly weapon while fleeing from a theft

offense.”

II.

{¶9} In his first assignment of error, Sims argues that the trial court abused its

discretion when it sentenced him to the maximum sentence allowed for an aggravated

robbery conviction. Sims advances two arguments under this assignment of error: (1)

he contends that the trial court used an element of Sims’ aggravated robbery offense to

justify finding the offense was more serious for sentencing purposes, and (2) he

contends that his sentence imposes an unnecessary burden on the State of Ohio’s

resources.

{¶10} “Appellate courts ‘apply a two-step approach [to review a sentence]. First,

[we] must examine the sentencing court’s compliance with all applicable rules and

statutes in imposing the sentence to determine whether the sentence is clearly and

convincingly contrary to law. If this first prong is satisfied, the trial court’s decision shall

be reviewed under an abuse-of-discretion standard.’” State v. Smith, 4th Dist. No. Gallia App. No. 10CA17 5

08CA6, 2009-Ohio-716, ¶ 8, quoting State v. Kalish, 120 Ohio St.3d 23, 2008-Ohio-

4912, 896 N.E.2d 124, ¶ 4 (alterations in original). “The term ‘abuse of discretion’

connotes more than an error of law or of judgment; it implies that the court’s attitude is

unreasonable, arbitrary or unconscionable.” State v. Adams, 62 Ohio St.2d 151, 157,

404 N.E.2d 144 (1980).

{¶11} In analyzing whether a sentence is contrary to law, “[t]he only specific

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