State v. Stahl

111 Ohio St. 3d 186
CourtOhio Supreme Court
DecidedNovember 8, 2006
DocketNo. 2005-0773
StatusPublished
Cited by189 cases

This text of 111 Ohio St. 3d 186 (State v. Stahl) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Stahl, 111 Ohio St. 3d 186 (Ohio 2006).

Opinions

O’Donnell, J.

{¶ 1} James G. Stahl appeals from a decision of the Ninth District Court of Appeals that held that statements to a nurse practitioner during a medical examination at a hospital DOVE unit by a rape victim identifying the accused were nontestimonial pursuant to Crawford v. Washington (2004), 541 U.S. 36, 52, 124 S.Ct. 1354, 158 L.Ed.2d 177, and therefore admissible at trial. Upon review, we agree and affirm that judgment.

I

{¶ 2} On December 22, 2003, in an effort to help her boyfriend regain his lost employment, Ann Mazurek allegedly went to the office of his former boss, James Stahl. The next day, she made a statement to Officer Amy Ellis of the Richfield Police Department, alleging that during her visit, Stahl had orally raped her. After taking a detailed statement from Mazurek, Ellis transported her to the Developing Options for Violent Emergencies (“DOVE”) unit at St. Thomas Hospital in Akron, Ohio. This hospital unit specializes in health-care services for victims of sexual assault and domestic disturbances and provides essentially the same services as a traditional emergency room but in a more efficient and timely fashion. The unit’s specialization allows it to better handle these victims because it is not consumed with other injuries that are presented in typical emergency rooms on a daily basis.

{¶ 3} Prior to her examination, Mazurek signed a consent form authorizing the examination and agreeing to release any evidence, information, clothing, and photographs for prosecution of the case. The form, in its entirety, states:

“DOVE Program CONSENT FOR FORENSIC EXAM AND RELEASE OF EVIDENCE

{¶ 4} “I voluntarily consent to this forensic examination and collection of evidence. I have received a detailed description of the steps of the process and understand that I may withdraw my consent to any or all parts of this examination at any time. I authorize the release of evidence, information (including protected health information), clothing, colposcope photos, and photography documentation of injuries to a law enforcement agency for use only in the investigation and prosecution of this crime. I understand that if release of the Sexual Assault Evidence Collection Kit is not authorized, the kit will be kept at the SANE [Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner] Unit for sixty days and then destroyed.”

{¶ 5} Jenifer Markowitz, a nurse practitioner and coordinator for victim services at the DOVE program, began the examination by taking a detailed [188]*188medical and incident history from Mazurek and documented the incident in her report as follows:

{¶ 6} “Ann states she went to talk with her boyfriend’s boss about giving him his job back. She states she was in his office talking with him and he came around the desk and put his arms around her and patted her back; told her ‘Let’s go take a walk, you’ll feel better.’ She states she protested, but he grabbed his coat and Ann states she thought they were going outside. She states he whispered to her, T would do anything for you. I’ll always help you.’ She states he walked her out of his office and downstairs. She states she told him she didn’t need a walk. She states he took her into an office and started to hug her, telling her, ‘I’ll always help you guys out. You do something to me. I don’t know what it is about you.’ She states he kept hugging her, trying to kiss her mouth. She states she told him no, but he got the door closed and turned the lights down. She states he pushed her into a corner and kept kissing her mouth. She states he told her, T helped you guys out, you’re going to do something for me.’ She states he moved his hands around her head, then moved one hand to her neck and pushed her down onto her knees. Ann states she hit her head on a piece of furniture when he pushed her down. She states he held her down, unzipped his pants and took his penis out. She states he tried to penetrate her mouth and was able to get it in after rubbing himself in her face and manually masturbating himself. She states he straddled her shoulders and neck and continued to orally penetrate her until he ejaculated in her mouth, on her face and in her hair. She states he handed her a tissue to clean off with then let her leave without incident.”

{¶ 7} Officer Ellis, who had transported Mazurek to the DOVE unit following her statement to police, remained in the examination room while Markowitz took the incident history but did not participate in taking the history or administering the physical examination.

{¶ 8} After obtaining Mazurek’s medical and incident history, Markowitz performed a physical examination that included the use of a colposcope to photograph Mazurek’s mouth, and also collected materials using an approved forensic evidence-collection kit (see Ohio Adm.Code 109:7-1-01), including nail scrapings, oral swabbings, and material retrieved with dental floss. Additionally, Markowitz used ultraviolet lighting to identify any bodily fluids still present. Markowitz also collected a napkin from Mazurek’s coat pocket that Mazurek had used to wipe her face after the incident. Markowitz then tried to ascertain whether Mazurek would be in any danger upon discharge and informed her about the importance of follow-up care.

{¶ 9} According to defense counsel, Mazurek died about five weeks later on February 1, 2004, from an unrelated seizure disorder, without having given formal testimony. Nonetheless, a Summit County grand jury indicted Stahl on [189]*189one count of rape and one count of kidnapping. In preparing for trial, the prosecutor filed a notice of intent to use medical records, which prompted Stahl to move for an order in limine to exclude Mazurek’s statements to Markowitz during the DOVE unit examination. The trial court conducted a hearing on the motion in limine, at which Stahl argued that introduction of Mazurek’s statement would violate his Sixth Amendment confrontation rights as set forth in Crawford v. Washington, 541 U.S. 36, 124 S.Ct. 1354, 158 L.Ed.2d 177. Nurse Markowitz testified that Mazurek alleged that she had been raped by Stahl. Additionally, Markowitz testified about the DOVE unit and its relationship to law enforcement. Following that hearing, the trial court found Mazurek’s statement to be testimonial and therefore inadmissible in accordance with Crawford. Although the court stated that it had granted a motion in limine, it is clear from the hearing and the order that the court treated the motion as a motion to suppress. The state appealed pursuant to R.C. 2945.67 and Crim.R. 12(K). The Ninth District Court of Appeals reversed that determination with respect to the DOVE unit statement and held that Mazurek had made the statement for purposes of diagnosis and treatment and that it was therefore nontestimonial. State v. Stahl, 2005-Ohio-1137, ¶ 21. Stahl appealed to this court, and we granted discretionary review.

{¶ 10} The issue in this case concerns whether Mazurek’s statement to Markowitz at the DOVE unit identifying Stahl as her assailant is testimonial in nature in accordance with Crawford v. Washington and therefore inadmissible pursuant to the Sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution or whether it is nontestimonial and therefore admissible against Stahl.

{¶ 11} Stahl advances several arguments contending that Mazurek’s statement is testimonial and therefore inadmissible at trial.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
111 Ohio St. 3d 186, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-stahl-ohio-2006.