State v. Brown , 2022 Ohio 2645 ( 2022 )


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  • [Cite as State v. Brown, 
    2022-Ohio-2645
    .]
    IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF OHIO
    SEVENTH APPELLATE DISTRICT
    BELMONT COUNTY
    STATE OF OHIO,
    Plaintiff-Appellant,
    v.
    ROY WILTON BROWN,
    Defendant-Appellee.
    OPINION AND JUDGMENT ENTRY
    Case No. 21 BE 0012
    Motion for Reopening
    BEFORE:
    David A. D’Apolito, Gene Donofrio, Carol Ann Robb, Judges.
    JUDGMENT:
    Denied.
    Atty. J. Kevin Flanagan, Belmont County Prosecutor, and Atty. Daniel P. Fry, Assistant
    Prosecuting Attorney, 52160 National Road, St. Clairsville, Ohio 43950, for Plaintiff-
    Appellee (No Response Filed) and
    Roy Wilton Brown, Pro Se, Lebanon Correctional Institution, P.O. Box 56, Lebanon,
    Ohio 45036, Defendant-Appellant.
    Dated: June 30, 2022
    –2–
    PER CURIAM.
    {¶1}   By way of background, on April 18, 2022, Appellant, Roy Wilton Brown, filed
    his first pro se App.R. 26(B) application to reopen his direct appeal in State v. Brown, 7th
    Dist. Belmont No. 21 BE 0012, 
    2022-Ohio-893
    .
    {¶2}   Appellant was consecutively sentenced to seven years in prison for
    tampering with evidence, possession of heroin, and possession of cocaine following a
    guilty plea. In Appellant’s direct appeal, appellate counsel raised two assignments of
    error: (1) that the trial court erred in denying Appellant’s pre-sentence motion to withdraw
    his guilty plea following a hearing on the basis that his initial retained trial counsel’s
    assistance was ineffective; and (2) that Appellant’s second retained trial counsel (counsel
    that filed and argued his motion to withdraw guilty plea) also rendered ineffective
    assistance. Id. at ¶ 1. This court found no merit in either argument and affirmed the trial
    court’s judgment on March 21, 2022. Id. at ¶ 28.
    {¶3}   Although Appellant’s April 18, 2022 first application for reopening was timely
    filed, this court found, on May 31, 2022, that he failed to meet the standard for reopening
    the appeal. State v. Brown, 7th Dist. Belmont No. 21 BE 0012, 
    2022-Ohio-1917
    , ¶ 3;
    Brown, 
    2022-Ohio-893
    ; App.R. 26(B)(1) and (2)(b); State v. Romeo, 7th Dist. Mahoning
    No. 14 MA 0060, 
    2018-Ohio-2482
    , ¶ 6.
    {¶4}   In his first application for reopening, Appellant took issue with his
    consecutive sentence, namely arguing that his appellate counsel was ineffective because
    his sentence should have ran concurrently. (4/18/2022 Appellant’s First Application for
    Reopening, p. 2-3). Regarding Appellant’s first application, this court held:
    Because the trial court had full discretion to impose any sentence within the
    authorized statutory ranges, and Appellant’s maximum terms are within the
    authorized statutory ranges for third and fifth-degree felonies, his
    consecutive sentence is not contrary to law. See R.C. 2929.14; [State v.]
    Burkhart, [7th Dist. Belmont No. 18 BE 0020, 
    2019-Ohio-2711
    ,] ¶ 16. Also,
    because the offenses were committed separately and with a separate
    animus or motivation, the trial court did not err in failing to merge the
    convictions. See, e.g., State v. Coffman, 12th Dist. Butler No. CA2015-01-
    Case No. 21 BE 0012
    –3–
    014, 
    2015-Ohio-2990
    , ¶ 24.       Therefore, we fail to see any ineffective
    assistance of appellate counsel warranting a reopening.
    Brown, 
    2022-Ohio-1917
    , ¶ 16.
    {¶5}   Thus, because Appellant failed to comply with the requirements set forth in
    App.R. 26(B) and failed to present issues that establish a colorable claim of ineffective
    assistance of appellate counsel, this court denied his first App.R. 26(B) application for
    reopening. Id. at ¶ 17-18.
    {¶6}   Presently before us is Appellant’s pro se “Objection and Reconsideration”
    filed on June 10, 2022. In his current application, which this court construes as his second
    pro se App.R. 26(B) application to reopen his direct appeal in Brown, 
    2022-Ohio-893
    ,
    Appellant again takes issue with his consecutive sentence, namely arguing that his
    appellate counsel was ineffective because his sentence should have ran concurrently.
    (6/10/2022 Appellant’s Second Application for Reopening, p. 1-2). Appellant concludes
    by “humbly request[ing] a reopening on the merits contained in [his] motion.” (Id. at p. 3).
    {¶7}   Appellant is attempting for the second time to reopen the judgment rendered
    by this court in Brown, 
    2022-Ohio-893
    .        Appellant again fails to comply with the
    requirements set forth in App.R. 26(B) and fails to present issues that establish a
    colorable claim of ineffective assistance of appellate counsel. Furthermore, Appellant’s
    arguments were either raised or could have been raised in his prior reopening and, thus,
    are barred by the doctrine of res judicata. Brick Processors, Inc. v. Culbertson, 
    2 Ohio App.3d 478
    , paragraph one of the syllabus, 
    442 N.E.2d 1313
     (8th Dist.1981). Also, we
    find no case authority authorizing a party to file successive applications for reopening
    and/or reconsiderations of applications for reopening.
    {¶8}   Accordingly, Appellant’s pro se “Objection and Reconsideration,” construed
    by this court as Appellant’s second pro se App.R. 26(B) application for reopening, is
    hereby denied.
    Case No. 21 BE 0012
    –4–
    JUDGE DAVID A. D’APOLITO
    JUDGE GENE DONOFRIO
    JUDGE CAROL ANN ROBB
    NOTICE TO COUNSEL
    This document constitutes a final judgment entry.
    Case No. 21 BE 0012
    

Document Info

Docket Number: 21 BE 0012

Citation Numbers: 2022 Ohio 2645

Judges: Per Curiam

Filed Date: 6/30/2022

Precedential Status: Precedential

Modified Date: 8/3/2022