State v. Jamie , 2015 Ohio 3583 ( 2015 )

[Cite as State v. Jamie, 2015-Ohio-3583.]
Court of Appeals of Ohio
EIGHTH APPELLATE DISTRICT
COUNTY OF CUYAHOGA
JOURNAL ENTRY AND OPINION
No. 102103
STATE OF OHIO
PLAINTIFF-APPELLEE
vs.
MAJOR JAMIE
DEFENDANT-APPELLANT
JUDGMENT:
AFFIRMED
Criminal Appeal from the
Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas
Case No. CR-14-581872-A
BEFORE: Keough, P.J., McCormack, J., and Stewart, J.
RELEASED AND JOURNALIZED: September 3, 2015
ATTORNEY FOR APPELLANT
Robert A. Dixon
4403 St. Clair Avenue
Cleveland, Ohio 44103
ATTORNEYS FOR APPELLEE
Timothy J. McGinty
Cuyahoga County Prosecutor
By: Daniel A. Cleary
Assistant Prosecuting Attorney
The Justice Center, 8th Floor
1200 Ontario Street
Cleveland, Ohio 44113
KATHLEEN ANN KEOUGH, P.J.:
{¶1} Defendant-appellant Major Jamie (“Jamie”)1 appeals from the trial court’s
judgment, rendered after a jury verdict, finding him guilty of murder, kidnapping, and
felonious assault, and sentencing him to 15 years to life in prison. Finding no merit to
the appeal, we affirm.
I. Background
{¶2} The Cuyahoga County Grand Jury indicted Jamie in a multicount indictment
as follows: Count 1, aggravated murder in violation of R.C. 2903.01(A); Count 2,
aggravated murder in violation of R.C. 2903.01(B); Count 3, kidnapping in violation of
R.C. 2905.01(A)(3); Count 4, murder in violation of R.C. 2903.02(B); and Count 5,
felonious assault in violation of R.C. 2903.11(A)(1).
{¶3} The evidence at trial demonstrated that on September 15, 2012, a
maintenance worker at the Boulevard Terrace Apartments located near Madison Avenue
and West Boulevard in Cleveland, Ohio, discovered the lifeless body of Robert Cherry
slumped in the front seat of his car in the apartment complex parking lot. Cleveland
police officers responded to the scene. One of the officers noticed that the body had
small nick marks on the neck, although the body did not show other outward signs of
Although the correct spelling of appellant’s last name is Jaime, we use the
1
spelling set forth in the indictment and lower court filings.
violence. Personnel from the coroner’s office removed the body and conducted an
autopsy.
{¶4} Dr. Krista Timm, forensic pathologist for the Cuyahoga County medical
examiner’s office, performed the autopsy. She testified that she noted abrasions on
Cherry’s neck and small hemorrhages in the soft tissue around the eyes caused by
compression of blood vessels in the neck. Dr. Timm reported that her internal
examination of the body revealed injuries to the neck, including fractures of the hyoid
bone and hemorrhages around the fractures. She opined that the cause of death was
homicide, and the manner was asphyxia by cervical compression. Dr. Timm testified
that Cherry’s injuries could have been due to strangulation by hand; she testified further
that Cherry could have caused the nicks to his neck as he was trying to defend himself.
{¶5} Kenneth Bradford testified that he and Cherry had been romantically
involved in the late 1980s, but remained best friends after their romantic relationship
ended. Bradford testified that at the time of his death, Cherry’s “main boyfriend” was
Jamie, although he was also dating Donald “Tank” Simon, and a man named Heidi.
Bradford said that Cherry had told him that Simon was upset because Cherry was ending
their relationship to be with Jamie. Bradford said that Cherry was in love with Jamie and
initially excited when Jamie returned to Cleveland in August 2012, but their relationship
quickly became “rocky” because Jamie also had a girlfriend.
{¶6} Jamie and his girlfriend, Lisha Robinson, lived on West 99th Street in
Cleveland, only a few blocks away from Cherry’s apartment. Bradford testified that
Cherry told him that he planned to tell Robinson about his relationship with Jamie.
Robinson testified that she knew nothing about Cherry when she lived with Jamie, and
only learned of his sexual preference in June 2014, when she watched “The First 48,” a
television program about the police investigation of Cherry’s murder.
{¶7} On the evening of September 14, 2012, Bradford, his friend Ulysses Tyler,
and Cherry went to the home of Gloria and Jeffrey Monday to socialize and drink.
According to Gloria, Cherry spoke with Jamie by telephone once during the evening.
Bradford said that he, Tyler, and Cherry left the gathering at approximately 12:30 to 1:00
a.m. on September 15, 2012. Bradford testified that Cherry had told him several times
that he was going to meet Jamie later to celebrate his birthday.
{¶8} Cleveland police detective Raymond Diaz testified that he began
investigating the murder on September 17, 2012. Upon searching Cherry’s apartment,
the police found a letter from Jamie dated August 8, 2011, signed “your man and
husband, Major Jaime,” and a handwritten note containing the name and telephone
number of Jamie’s parole officer on the night stand in the bedroom. The police also found
a calendar hanging on the bedroom wall that contained handwritten entries for August 25,
2012 through August 31, 2012, and September 1, 2012 through September 4, 2012.
Jamie was shown the calendar when he was interrogated and identified the calendar and
the writing on it as Cherry’s. The entries on the calendar detail Cherry’s feelings about
the days in question and show that his relationship with Jamie deteriorated quickly after
August 25, 2012. The last entry, dated September 4, 2012, states that Cherry called the
police about Jamie to report “what he’s doing and what he did in jail and where he’s
living lot’s of drugs.”
{¶9} Diaz testified that after interviewing Bradford, the police began investigating
Jamie. Tom Ciula, the forensic video and audio specialist for the Cleveland police
department, obtained surveillance videos from 11:45 p.m., September 14, 2012, to 4:00
p.m., September 15, 2012, from six locations near the Boulevard Terrace Apartments,
including the CVS store on the east corner across the street from Cherry’s apartment, a
pawn shop on the southeast corner, and Cleveland Fire Station No. 23, located at 9826
Madison Avenue in Cleveland. Ciula put the videos from the various locations together
to create a timeline of events from 12:13 a.m. to 1:38 a.m.
{¶10} The video showed that at approximately 12:14 a.m., a vehicle similar to
Cherry’s turned from Madison Avenue into the driveway of the Boulevard Terrace
Apartments. About four minutes later, the same vehicle came back out of the driveway
and turned eastbound on Madison Avenue. At approximately 12:29 a.m., the same
vehicle turned south onto West 99th Street. Six minutes later, the same vehicle came up
West 100th Street, turned westbound onto Madison Avenue and then turned into the
apartment complex driveway and went behind the apartment building. At 1:08 a.m., a
male walked from the apartment complex parking lot across West Boulevard, and then
headed east on Madison Avenue. The male subsequently crossed to the south side of
Madison Avenue, walked through a park located at the end of West 99th Street, and then
walked up West 99th Street.
{¶11} Diaz testified that he believed the car in the video sequence was Cherry’s
because the driver in the video was wearing a white hat, which the police later found in
his car. Diaz also testified that upon his review of the video, he saw one person in the
car when it initially headed east on Madison Avenue toward West 99th Street, but two
people in the car when it returned to the apartment complex. Jamie’s girlfriend Lisha
Robinson testified that the quickest way to her house from Madison Avenue was to cut
through the park at the end of the street, and acknowledged that the figure in the video
was walking in the direction of her house. She also testified that the figure in the video
had dreadlocks, and that Jamie had dreadlocks at the time of the murder. Diaz testified
that when the police interviewed Jamie on September 20, 2012, they observed scratch
marks on his right hand and left wrist.
{¶12} Diaz testified that Cherry’s cell phone records indicated that all outgoing
activity from Cherry’s phone stopped on September 15, 2012, at 12:43 a.m. The text
messages also demonstrated that Cherry and Jamie’s relationship quickly deteriorated
after Jamie returned to Cleveland. For example, on August 29, 2012, Cherry texted
Jamie, “Same old shit Major. U played wit my feelings again and used me for ur come
up. Its cool. See u in a minute wit all ur shit. I want my keys and phone. Be wit her.”
When Jamie responded that he would be home soon, Cherry texted, “No, I mean wat I
said dude. U still da asshole from before. I don’t want to argue or fight. Just do u
leave me alone. I want my shit. Nothing else. Please.” On August 31, 2012, Cherry
texted Jamie that “U lie about everything. U see how u do me. After three years why do
I have to be dogged by u for people who was not there for u. I am not doing good man.”
Jamie responded, “U trippin about nothing. I will be home!” Within five minutes,
Cherry texted Jamie, “No, I am not tripping. U will see tonight how I can trip u when u
get here. I will call da police. I ask u not to fuck wit me, didn’t I.” The following day,
September 1, 2012, Jamie texted Cherry that he would see him when he got off work.
Cherry responded, “I am prepared to die this morning on everything I love. U coming
out or I am coming in. I am telling it all in front of them all.” The texts reflect that on
September 2, 2012, Cherry put Jamie’s belongings on Jamie’s girlfriend’s porch and then
told him, “U have wat u want. Be happy. Give my keys and phone. If no phone goes
off at 3 today. I talked to police already. Told them all. U are not suppose to be here.
No way.” When Jamie responded, “Whatever! Kick Rocks Hoe!”, Cherry texted him,
“Da police told me to call ur PO and tell him what I told them cause I am afraid for my
life. They will pick you up now. Whos da hoe.” Diaz pointed out in his testimony that
this text corresponded with Cherry’s September 2, 2012 notation on his calendar of
“Night. Called me. Told me to kick rocks. Why. My turn. Police.”
{¶13} Tony Luketic, Jamie’s parole officer, testified that he began supervising
Jamie in August 2012 when he returned to Cleveland. He said that on September 6 or 7,
2012, he received a voicemail from Cherry in which Cherry advised him of something
that would have been a violation of Jamie’s parole. Luketic returned Cherry’s call but
was unable to reach him. Luketic said that he recognized the voice as Cherry’s because
he had spoken with Cherry in mid-August 2012 to advise him why Jamie’s placement
with Cherry had been denied.
{¶14} Carey Baucher, a DNA analyst in the Cuyahoga County’s medical
examiner’s office, testified regarding various DNA samples obtained from Cherry’s car.
The DNA swab from under the fingernails of Cherry’s left hand was a mixture of Cherry
and Jamie’s DNA. Jamie’s DNA was also found in a swab from the rear of the driver’s
seat headrest. Baucher also identified a DNA sample retrieved from the right rear door
interior handle as belonging to Simon. She testified that during her investigation in
2013, she had submitted the sample to the Ohio DNA database (CODIS) and received a
match to Simon. She emailed the Cleveland police department several times in May and
June 2013 requesting either a DNA standard from Simon or an acknowledgment that he
was not a suspect, but received no response to her request.
{¶15} Simon testified that he met Cherry in 2011 and was not surprised that his
DNA was found in Cherry’s car because he had been in the car “a lot.” He said that he
and Cherry were not in love with each other, although they would sometimes drink too
much and then sleep together. At the time of the murder, he lived with his girlfriend,
who knew nothing about Cherry. He denied killing Cherry and testified that he last saw
him two weeks before he was murdered.
{¶16} On cross-examination, Simon admitted that he was never interviewed in
2012 about Cherry’s murder. He also admitted that on September 8, 2012, about a week
before his death, Cherry called him 38 times from 9:41 p.m. Friday evening to 5:00 a.m.
Saturday morning. Simon testified that most of these calls were probably voicemails,
however, and that he only called Cherry back twice during that period. Simon testified
further that he knew Cherry was in love with Jamie and insisted he was not upset when he
learned that Jamie was returning to Cleveland in August 2012. He denied that Cherry
ever threatened to divulge their sexual relationship to his girlfriend or to his mother,
Gloria Monday, or stepfather, Jeffrey Monday.
{¶17} The defense rested without presenting any witnesses. After the trial court
granted Jamie’s Crim.R. 29 motion in part and dismissed Count 2 (aggravated murder),
the jury found him not guilty of aggravated murder (Count 1) but guilty of kidnapping,
murder, and felonious assault (Counts 3, 4, and 5). The trial court sentenced him to 15
years to life in prison, and this appeal followed.
II. Analysis
A. Due Process of Law and A Fair Trial
{¶18} In the middle of trial, the prosecutor revealed to the defense that it had just
learned from Baucher that a DNA sample found in the backseat of the car where Cherry
was found had been identified as belonging to Simon, one of Cherry’s boyfriends. In a
lengthy discussion with the court following this disclosure, the defense acknowledged
that the discovery of Simon’s DNA in Cherry’s car bolstered its defense, but argued that
the defense would have investigated Simon more fully if they had known that his DNA
had been found in the car. In response, the trial court asked defense counsel, “So what’s
your remedy? Do you want it excluded or a mistrial and you want to start over?”
Counsel did not ask for a mistrial and stated that the defense did not want evidence of
Simon’s DNA excluded, but requested latitude in questioning witnesses about Simon.
{¶19} In his first assignment of error, Jamie contends that he was denied due
process of law and a fair trial because the state withheld exculpatory evidence,
specifically the fact that Simon’s DNA had been found in the back seat of the car. He
contends there is no question that the state withheld the evidence, and that the evidence of
Simon’s DNA in Cherry’s car was material because it gave the defense a solid basis to
argue an alternate suspect. Accordingly, he argues that the prosecution’s failure to
disclose the evidence regarding Simon’s DNA was a “clear violation” of Brady v.
Maryland, 373 U.S. 83, 83 S. Ct. 1194, 10 L. Ed. 2d 215 (1963).
{¶20} In Brady, the United States Supreme Court held that the prosecution’s
suppression of evidence favorable to the accused upon request violates due process where
the evidence is material to guilt or punishment, irrespective of the government’s
intentions. Id. at 87. Subsequently, in United States v. Agurs, 427 U.S. 97, 103, 96
S. Ct. 2392, 49 L. Ed. 2d 342 (1976), the United States Supreme Court stated that the Brady
rule applies only in situations involving the discovery after trial of information that was
known to the prosecution but unknown to the defense. Accordingly, the Ohio Supreme
Court has found there is no Brady violation where the alleged exculpatory records were
presented during trial. State v. Wickline, 50 Ohio St. 3d 114, 552 N.E.2d 913 (1990).
Because the prosecutor presented the evidence of Simon’s DNA to the defense during
trial, there was no Brady due process violation.
{¶21} Moreover, we find no violation of Jamie’s right to a fair trial. Crim.R. 16
regulates discovery in criminal trials. Under Crim.R. 16(E)(3), the trial court is vested
with discretion in determining the sanction to be imposed for a party’s nondisclosure of
discoverable material. Specifically, the rule provides that where it is brought to the
court’s attention that a party has failed to properly disclose evidence, the court may order
the party to permit the discovery or inspection, grant a continuance, prohibit the party
from introducing in evidence the material not disclosed, or make any other order it deems
just under the circumstances. Thus, our review is limited to whether the trial court’s
action in this case constituted an abuse of discretion. State v. Parson, 6 Ohio St. 3d 442,
445, 453 N.E.2d 689 (1983). We find that it did not.
{¶22} First, as defense counsel admitted at trial, the state’s failure to disclose was
not a willful violation of Crim.R. 16. Second, other than his vague assertion that the
defense would have investigated Simon more thoroughly prior to trial, Jamie has not
demonstrated how knowledge that Simon’s DNA was found in Cherry’s car would have
benefitted him in the preparation of his defense. Notably, when the prosecutor told the
defense about Simon’s DNA, counsel did not request a continuance for further
investigation. Third, Jamie has failed to demonstrate that he was prejudiced by the
state’s failure to disclose that Simon’s DNA was found in Cherry’s car. In fact, it is
apparent the defense was well aware of Simon prior to trial. He was listed on the state’s
witness list, and his telephone number appeared on the phone records that were provided
to defense counsel prior to trial and used by defense counsel to extensively cross-examine
witnesses, including questioning Simon about Cherry’s 38 calls to him. Jamie’s defense
from the outset was that the botched investigation by the police resulted in his improper
arrest and indictment because any of Cherry’s other boyfriends was the murderer. The
discovery of Simon’s DNA in the car did nothing but enhance his theory. Accordingly,
Jamie’s first assignment of error is overruled.
B. Ineffective Assistance of Counsel
{¶23} In his second and sixth assignments of error, Jamie contends that he was
denied his right to effective assistance of counsel. We consider these assignments of
error together because they are related.
{¶24} To establish ineffective assistance of counsel, a defendant must demonstrate
that counsel’s performance fell below an objective standard of reasonable performance
and that he was prejudiced by that deficient performance, such that, but for counsel’s
error, the result of the proceedings would have been different. State v. Drummond, 111
Ohio St. 3d 14, 2006-Ohio-5084, 854 N.E.2d 1038, ¶ 205, citing Strickland v.
Washington, 466 U.S. 668, 687-688, 104 S. Ct. 2052, 80 L. Ed. 2d 674 (1984). In short,
counsel’s errors must be so serious as to render the result of the trial unreliable. In
evaluating a claim of ineffective assistance of counsel, a court must be mindful that there
are countless ways for an attorney to provide effective assistance in a given case, and it
must give great deference to counsel’s performance. Id. at 689.
{¶25} In his second assignment of error, Jamie contends that the state’s failure to
disclose Simon’s DNA prior to trial rendered defense counsel ineffective because counsel
was unable to adequately investigate and prepare for trial. He argues further that the
court “induced counsel’s ineffectiveness by giving counsel the untenable choice of either
exclusion of the DNA evidence or a retrial.” In his sixth assignment of error, Jamie
asserts that he was denied effective assistance of counsel because counsel did not request
a mistrial in response to the state’s alleged Brady violation regarding Simon’s DNA.
These arguments are without merit.
{¶26} First, as discussed above, it is apparent from the record that defense counsel
was well aware of Simon before trial and prepared to present him as a suspect. Second,
the trial court did not induce any ineffective assistance of counsel. Indeed, in response to
the state’s disclosure that Simon’s DNA had been found in Cherry’s car, the court asked
counsel “what’s your remedy?” It is not apparent that the only possible alternatives were
excluding the DNA or mistrial; counsel could have requested a short continuance to allow
for further investigation of Simon. Defense counsel acknowledged, however, that
Simon’s DNA in Cherry’s car undoubtedly helped its case because, consistent with
counsel’s theory, it put someone other than Jamie in the backseat of the car.
Recognizing this, counsel opted for continuing with the trial.
{¶27} Counsel’s strategy from the outset of trial, even without the discovery of
Simon’s DNA, was to attack the police investigation that led to Jamie’s arrest. In
opening statement, counsel argued that the police had decided early on that Jamie was the
murderer, and then neglected to investigate other viable suspects, such as Simon, and
another male with whom Cherry had a continuing relationship and who had been known
to be violent with Cherry in the past. Thus, the discovery mid-trial that Simon’s DNA
had been found in Cherry’s car as early as 2013, and that Simon had never been
investigated by the police, only enhanced Jamie’s theory of the case. Defense counsel
made a strategic decision not to exclude Simon’s DNA and to continue with the trial.
Trial tactics and strategies do not constitute a denial of effective assistance of counsel.
State v. Gooden, 8th Dist. Cuyahoga No. 88174, 2007-Ohio-2371, ¶ 38, citing State v.
Clayton, 62 Ohio St. 2d 45, 402 N.E.2d 1189 (1980).
{¶28} Finding no ineffective assistance of counsel, Jamie’s second and sixth
assignments of error are overruled.
C. Other Acts Evidence
{¶29} In his third assignment of error, Jamie contends that he was denied due
process of law and a fair trial because the court improperly admitted other acts evidence
under Evid.R. 404(B). Specifically, he objects to Tony Luketic’s testimony that he
began supervising Jamie in August 2012 when he returned to Cleveland. Jamie contends
that although no mention was made during trial that he had been in prison, Luketic’s
testimony indicated to the jury that he was on parole for a prior conviction, thereby
allowing the jury to use this evidence to conclude that he was of bad character.
{¶30} “‘Evidence that an accused committed a crime other than the one for which
he is on trial is not admissible when its sole purpose is to show the accused’s propensity
or inclination to commit crime or that he acted in conformity with bad character.”’ State
v. Ceron, 8th Dist. Cuyahoga No. 99388, 2013-Ohio-5241, ¶ 67, quoting State v.
Williams, 134 Ohio St. 3d 521, 2012-Ohio-5695, 983 N.E.2d 1278, ¶ 15. There are
exceptions, however, to this rule.
{¶31} Under Evid.R. 404(B, “[e]vidence of other crimes, wrongs, or acts is not
admissible to prove the character of a person in order to show action in conformity
therewith. It may, however, be admissible for other purposes, such as proof of motive,
opportunity, intent, preparation, plan, knowledge, identity, or absence of mistake or
accident.” Hence, the rule affords the trial court broad discretion regarding the
admission of other acts evidence. Williams at ¶ 17.
{¶32} In determining whether other-acts evidence is to be admitted, trial courts
should conduct a three-step analysis. The first step is to determine if the other-acts
evidence “is relevant to making any fact that is of consequence to the determination of the
action more or less probable than it would be without the evidence” under Evid.R. 401.
The next step is to consider whether evidence of the other crimes, wrongs, or acts is
presented to prove the character of the accused in order to show activity in conformity
therewith, or whether the other-acts evidence is presented for a legitimate purpose, such
as those stated in Evid.R. 404(B). Finally, the court should consider whether the
probative value of the other-acts evidence is substantially outweighed by the danger of
unfair prejudice. Williams at ¶ 20, citing Evid.R. 403.
{¶33} With respect to the first and second steps of the Williams analysis, we find
that the challenged testimony was relevant and offered for a legitimate purpose, i.e., to
show Jamie’s motive for killing Cherry. Luketic testified that Jamie was put on his
caseload when Jamie returned to Cleveland in August 2012. He testified further that in
early September 2012, Cherry, whose voice he recognized, left him a voicemail
containing information that could have led to sanctions against Jamie. Cherry was killed,
however, before Luketic was able to speak to him about the voicemail. Jamie was
aware that Cherry had called Luketic because Cherry had advised Jamie via text that he
had called his parole officer. Thus, Luketic’s testimony, if believed by the jury, provided
a possible motive for Jamie to kill Cherry: he was upset that Cherry had called his parole
officer.
{¶34} Regarding the third step of the Williams analysis, we find that the danger of
unfair prejudice did not substantially outweigh the probative value of the challenged
testimony. Unfairly prejudicial evidence is that which might result in an improper basis
for a jury decision. Oberlin v. Akron Gen. Med. Ctr., 91 Ohio St. 3d 169, 172,
2001-Ohio-248, 743 N.E.2d 890. Generally, “‘unfairly prejudicial evidence appeals to
the jury’s emotions rather than intellect.’ Weissenberger, Ohio Evidence (2000) 85-87,
Section 403.3.” Id. The challenged evidence does not meet this standard. Luketic’s
testimony proved Jamie’s possible motive for killing Cherry.
{¶35} Furthermore, even if the other-acts evidence were improperly admitted, we
would find its admission to be harmless because the outcome of the trial would have been
the same even if the challenged testimony had not been admitted. The state presented
substantial evidence of Jamie’s guilt, even without Luketic’s testimony. Bradford
testified that Cherry had told him that he planned to tell Jamie’s girlfriend about his
relationship with Jamie, and Cherry told Jamie that he was going to tell people about
them, providing another possible motive for Jamie to kill Cherry. In addition, the state
presented evidence that Jamie’s DNA was found in Cherry’s car on the rear of the
driver’s head rest, supporting the state’s theory that Jamie strangled Cherry from behind
as he sat in the driver’s seat. Jamie’s DNA was also found under Cherry’s fingernails,
and Jamie had scratch marks on his right hand and left wrist, indicating that Cherry
struggled with Jamie as he strangled him. And finally, the state presented video evidence
that Cherry picked Jamie up at his home on West 99th Street and drove back to the
parking lot of his apartment complex, where Jamie strangled him before walking home.
{¶36} Because the other-acts testimony was admissible under Evid.R. 404(B), the
third assignment of error is overruled.
D. Manifest Weight of the Evidence
{¶37} “A manifest weight challenge * * * questions whether the prosecution met
its burden of persuasion.” State v. Ponce, 8th Dist. Cuyahoga No. 91329,
2010-Ohio-1741, ¶ 17, quoting State v. Thomas, 70 Ohio St. 2d 79, 80, 434 N.E.2d 1356
(1982). The manifest weight standard of review requires us to review the entire record,
weigh the evidence and all reasonable inferences, consider the credibility of the
witnesses, and determine whether, in resolving conflicts in the evidence, the trier of fact
clearly lost its way and created such a manifest miscarriage of justice that the conviction
must be reversed and a new trial ordered. State v. Otten, 33 Ohio App. 3d 339, 515
N.E.2d 1009 (9th Dist. 1986), paragraph one of the syllabus.
{¶38} In his fourth assignment of error, Jamie contends that his convictions are
against the manifest weight of the evidence because the evidence against him was based
entirely on equivocal circumstantial evidence that fell short of proof beyond a reasonable
doubt. Jamie’s argument is without merit.
{¶39} First, circumstantial evidence alone is sufficient to support a conviction;
physical evidence is not required. State v. Nicely, 39 Ohio St. 3d 147, 529 N.E.2d 1236
(1988), paragraph two of the syllabus; State v. Lopez, 8th Dist. Cuyahoga No. 94312,
2011-Ohio-182, ¶ 62, citing State v. Jenks, 61 Ohio St. 3d 529, 574 N.E.2d 492 (1991),
paragraph one of the syllabus. In this case, however, in addition to the significant
circumstantial evidence linking Jamie to the murder, there was physical evidence that
corroborated the circumstantial evidence. DNA analyst Baucher testified that “on-body”
evidence is the most probative evidence in strangulation cases, so fingernail scrapings are
often tested in such cases. Here, Jamie’s DNA was recovered from under Cherry’s
fingernails and from the rear of the driver’s seat headrest. Additionally, small scratch
marks were found on his hand and wrist several days after Cherry was strangled.
{¶40} Although Jamie contends that the police should have investigated other
possible suspects, the state’s evidence established that Jamie had a motive to kill Cherry.
In addition, the video evidence, which Jamie fails to acknowledge or attempt to refute,
demonstrated that Cherry picked Jamie up at his home on West 99th Street at
approximately 12:30 a.m., September 15, 2012, and drove him back to the parking lot of
his apartment complex. A half-hour later, a male with dreadlocks, which Jamie had at
the time of the murder, is seen walking down Madison Avenue and returning to West
99th Street, where Jamie lived. The video coincided with Cherry’s telephone records,
which demonstrated that Cherry’s last telephone call was made at 12:43 a.m. on
September 15.
{¶41} Reversing a conviction as being against the manifest weight of the
evidence and ordering a new trial is reserved for only those “exceptional cases in which
the evidence weighs heavily against the conviction.” State v. Thompkins, 78 Ohio St. 3d
380, 387, 1997-Ohio-52, 678 N.E.2d 541. This is not that exceptional case. Our review
of the record demonstrates that the jury did not lose its way or create a manifest
miscarriage of justice in convicting Jamie of kidnapping, murder, and felonious assault.
The fourth assignment of error is therefore overruled.
E. The Police Investigation
{¶42} In his fifth assignment of error, Jamie contends that the negligent police
investigation in this case deprived him of due process of law and equal protection.
{¶43} Upon cross-examination, Detective Diaz admitted that the police should
have investigated Simon, although he testified that nothing from the police interviews or
evidence from the coroner’s office pointed to Simon as a suspect. He also admitted that
the police never interviewed Gerald Felder, the last person to call Cherry, and with whom
Cherry had a sexual relationship — because they could not find him. He testified
further that although the police looked for another man with whom Cherry previously had
a relationship and who was known to have tried to choke Cherry in 2002, they could not
find him and never spoke with him. Jamie contends that this “negligent investigation
compromised the entire process and deprived him of any real ability to have a fair trial.”
We disagree.
{¶44} Although Diaz admitted that the police should have interviewed Simon, the
evidence demonstrated, contrary to Jamie’s assertions, that the police tried to talk to
Felder and the other male but could not find them. They did not pursue them because all
of the evidence pointed to Jamie as the murderer. We do not find this to be negligence,
or somehow a denial of due process or equal protection. The police investigation
produced significant evidence of Jamie’s involvement in the murder, and his assertion of
police incompetence does not change the evidence against him. That evidence was
presented to the jury, who found him guilty. As discussed above, his convictions were
supported by the weight of the evidence. Accordingly, the fifth assignment of error is
overruled.
{¶45} Judgment affirmed.
It is ordered that appellee recover from appellant costs herein taxed.
The court finds there were reasonable grounds for this appeal.
It is ordered that a special mandate issue out of this court directing the common
pleas court to carry this judgment into execution. The defendant’s conviction having
been affirmed, any bail pending appeal is terminated. Case remanded to the trial court
for execution of sentence.
A certified copy of this entry shall constitute the mandate pursuant to Rule 27 of
the Rules of Appellate Procedure.
KATHLEEN ANN KEOUGH, PRESIDING JUDGE
TIM McCORMACK, J., and
MELODY J. STEWART, J., CONCUR