Jason Humphrey v. State of Indiana (mem. dec.)

MEMORANDUM DECISION FILED
Jul 10 2018, 8:15 am
Pursuant to Ind. Appellate Rule 65(D), this
Memorandum Decision shall not be regarded as CLERK
Indiana Supreme Court
precedent or cited before any court except for the Court of Appeals
and Tax Court
purpose of establishing the defense of res judicata,
collateral estoppel, or the law of the case.
ATTORNEY FOR APPELLANT ATTORNEYS FOR APPELLEE
Victoria L. Bailey Curtis T. Hill, Jr.
Marion County Public Defender Agency Attorney General of Indiana
Indianapolis, Indiana
J.T. Whitehead
Deputy Attorney General
Indianapolis, Indiana
IN THE
COURT OF APPEALS OF INDIANA
Jason Humphrey, July 10, 2018
Appellant-Defendant, Court of Appeals Case No.
18A-CR-335
v. Appeal from the Marion Superior
Court
State of Indiana, The Honorable Christina R.
Klineman, Judge
Appellee-Plaintiff.
The Honorable Marshelle Broadwell,
Magistrate
Trial Court Cause No.
49G17-1710-F6-41998
Bradford, Judge.
Court of Appeals of Indiana | Memorandum Decision 18A-CR-335 | July 10, 2018 Page 1 of 4
Case Summary
[1] In October of 2017, Jason Humphrey argued with his domestic partner, put his
hands around her neck, and pushed her, causing her head to strike a car door.
The State charged Humphrey with, and he was convicted of, Level 6 felony
domestic battery and Class A misdemeanor domestic battery. Because the
parties agree that Humphrey’s misdemeanor conviction must be vacated, we
affirm in part, reverse in part, and remand with instructions.
Facts and Procedural History
[2] A.J. and Humphrey have been romantically involved for many years and have
one son together. On October 28, 2017, Humphrey was driving with A.J. as a
passenger in the front seat and their son was in back. As it happened, A.J. was
convinced that Humphrey was cheating on her, and, when they arrived at their
Marion County home, A.J. told Humphrey that if he could cheat then she
could cheat as well. Humphrey ran around to the passenger side of the vehicle,
put his hands around A.J.’s neck, and pushed her head back into the car seat,
causing A.J.’s head to bang against the inside of the car door. Humphrey’s and
A.J.’s son was still in the car.
[3] On October 30, 2017, the State charged Humphrey Level 6 felony domestic
battery (committed in the presence of a child below the age of sixteen) and
Class A misdemeanor domestic battery. On January 30, 2018, the trial court
found Humphrey guilty as charged and sentenced him to 180 days of
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incarceration with 166 suspended for felony conviction and fourteen days for
the misdemeanor, to be served concurrently.
Discussion
[1] Humphrey argues that his convictions violate Indiana’s prohibitions against
double jeopardy. Whether multiple convictions violate Indiana’s constitutional
or common-law prohibitions against double jeopardy is a question of law that is
reviewed de novo. Goldsberry v. State, 821 N.E.2d 447, 458 (Ind. Ct. App. 2005)
(citing Spears v. State, 735 N.E.2d 1161, 1166 (Ind. 2000)). Two or more
offenses are the “same offense” in violation of Article 1, Section 14 of the
Indiana Constitution where, with respect to either the statutory elements of the
challenged offense or the actual evidence used to convict, the essential elements
of one offense also establish the essential elements of another offense.
Richardson v. State, 717 N.E.2d 32, 49 (Ind. 1999).
[2] Humphrey contends, and the State concedes, that the same actual evidence
established the facts needed to prove Counts I and II both domestic battery
offenses. While we agree with the parties that one of Humphrey’s convictions
must be vacated, it is on a slightly different basis. As Justice Sullivan
recognized in his Richardson concurrence, Indiana common law prohibits
“‘[c]onviction and punishment for a crime which is a lesser-included offense of
another crime for which the defendant has been convicted and punished.’”
Guyton v. State, 771 N.E.2d 1141, 1143 (Ind. 2002) (quoting Richardson, 717
N.E.2d at 56 (Sullivan, J., concurring)). Humphrey’s conviction for Level 6
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felony domestic battery conviction required proof of all of the elements of Class
A misdemeanor domestic battery plus proof that he was over eighteen years old
and the offense was committed in the presence of a child below the age of
sixteen, knowing that the child was present and might be able to see and hear
the offense. See Ind. Code §§ 35-42-2-1.3(a); -1.3(b)(2). In other words, as
charged and proved in this case, the Class A misdemeanor domestic battery is a
lesser-included offense of the Level 6 felony. We therefore remand with
instructions to vacate Humphrey’s conviction and sentence for Class A
misdemeanor domestic battery. See Richardson, 717 N.E.2d at 55 (“Because
both convictions therefore cannot stand, we vacate the conviction with the less
severe penal consequences and leave standing the robbery conviction.”).
[3] We reverse the judgement of the trial court in part and remand with instructions
to vacate Humphrey’s Class A misdemeanor domestic battery conviction.
Baker, J., and Kirsch, J., concur.
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