State v. Owens

[Cite as State v. Owens, 2020-Ohio-5573.]
IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF OHIO
THIRD APPELLATE DISTRICT
CRAWFORD COUNTY
STATE OF OHIO,
PLAINTIFF-APPELLEE, CASE NO. 3-19-16
v.
THOMAS OWENS, OPINION
DEFENDANT-APPELLANT.
STATE OF OHIO,
PLAINTIFF-APPELLEE, CASE NO. 3-19-17
v.
THOMAS OWENS, OPINION
DEFENDANT-APPELLANT.
Appeals from Crawford County Common Pleas Court
Trial Court Nos. 17-CR-0077 and 17-CR-0108
Judgments Affirmed
Date of Decision: December 7, 2020
APPEARANCES:
Howard A. Elliott for Appellant
Ryan M. Hoovler for Appellee
Case Nos. 3-19-16, 3-19-17
PRESTON, J.
{¶1} Defendant-appellant, Thomas Owens (“Owens”), appeals the October
29, 2019 judgments of sentence of the Crawford County Court of Common Pleas.
For the reasons that follow, we affirm.
{¶2} On April 4, 2017, the Crawford County Grand Jury indicted Owens on
four counts in case number 17-CR-0077: Count One of having weapons under
disability in violation of R.C. 2923.13(A)(3), a third-degree felony; Count Two of
possession of drugs in violation of R.C. 2925.11(A), (C)(4)(a), a fifth-degree felony;
Count Three of possession of drug paraphernalia in violation of R.C. 2925.14(C), a
fourth-degree misdemeanor; and Count Four of possessing drug abuse instruments
in violation of R.C. 2925.12(A), a second-degree misdemeanor. (Case No. 17-CR-
0077, Doc. No. 1). On April 10, 2017, Owens appeared for arraignment and entered
pleas of not guilty to the counts in the indictment. (Case No. 17-CR-0077, Doc. No.
8).
{¶3} On May 2, 2017, the Crawford County Grand Jury indicted Owens on
two counts in case number 17-CR-0108: Count One of possession of drugs in
violation of R.C. 2925.11(A), (C)(4)(c), a third-degree felony, and Count Two of
possession of drugs in violation of R.C. 2925.11(A), (C)(2)(a), a fifth-degree felony.
(Case No. 17-CR-0108, Doc. No. 1). On May 22, 2017, Owens appeared for
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arraignment and entered pleas of not guilty to the counts in the indictment. (Case
No. 17-CR-0108, Doc. No. 8).
{¶4} On June 1, 2017, Owens appeared for a change of plea hearing in case
numbers 17-CR-0077 and 17-CR-0108. (Case No. 17-CR-0077, Doc. No. 11);
(Case No. 17-CR-0108, Doc. No. 9). Under a negotiated plea agreement, Owens
withdrew his pleas of not guilty and entered guilty pleas to Counts One and Two of
the indictment in case number 17-CR-0077 and to Count One of the indictment in
case number 17-CR-0108. (Case No. 17-CR-0077, Doc. No. 11); (Case No. 17-CR-
0108, Doc. No. 9). In exchange, the State agreed to recommend dismissal of Counts
Three and Four of the indictment in case number 17-CR-0077 and of Count Two of
the indictment in case number 17-CR-0108. (Id.); (Id.). The trial court accepted
Owens’s guilty pleas and found him guilty. (Id.); (Id.). In addition, the trial court
dismissed Counts Three and Four in case number 17-CR-0077 and Count Two in
case number 17-CR-0108. (Id.); (Id.). That same day, the trial court filed its
judgment entries of conviction. (Id.); (Id.).
{¶5} On June 20, 2017, the trial court held a sentencing hearing in case
numbers 17-CR-0077 and 17-CR-0108. With respect to case number 17-CR-0077,
the trial court sentenced Owens to 12 months in prison on Count One and 11 months
in prison on Count Two. (Case No. 17-CR-0077, Doc. No. 13). With respect to
case number 17-CR-0108, the trial court sentenced Owens to 36 months in prison.
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(Case No. 17-CR-0108, Doc. No. 11). Further, the trial court ordered that the
sentences in case number 17-CR-0077 be served consecutively to each other and
consecutively to the sentence in case number 17-CR-0108 for an aggregate term of
59 months in prison. (Case No. 17-CR-0077, Doc. No. 13); (Case No. 17-CR-0108,
Doc. No. 11). That same day, the trial court filed its judgment entries of sentence.
(Id.); (Id.). Owens did not file a direct appeal alleging a defect with his original
convictions and sentences.
{¶6} On January 14, 2019, Owens filed a motion for judicial release in case
numbers 17-CR-0077 and 17-CR-0108.1 (Case No. 17-CR-0077, Doc. No. 23);
(Case No. 17-CR-0108, Doc. No. 21). On January 29, 2019, the State filed its
objection to Owens’s motion for judicial release. (Case No. 17-CR-0077, Doc. No.
24); (Case No. 17-CR-0108, Doc. No. 22). On May 9, 2019, the trial court held a
hearing on Owens’s motion for judicial release. (Case No. 17-CR-0077, Doc. No.
27); (Case No. 17-CR-0108, Doc. No. 25). At the conclusion of the hearing, the
trial court granted Owens’s motion for judicial release. (Case No. 17-CR-0077,
Doc. No. 27); (Case No. 17-CR-0108, Doc. No. 25). However, during the hearing,
the trial court cautioned Owens that if he violated the terms of his release, he could
1
On September 7, 2018 and November 19, 2018, Owens filed previous motions for judicial release, which
the State objected to on September 13, 2018 and December 6, 2018, respectively. (Case No. 17-CR-0077,
Doc. Nos. 17, 18, 20, 21); (Case No. 17-CR-0108, Doc. Nos. 15, 16, 18, 19). On September 19, 2018 and
December 13, 2018, respectively, the trial court denied Owens’s petitions for judicial release. (Case No. 17-
CR-0077, Doc. Nos. 19, 22); (Case No. 17-CR-0108, Doc. Nos. 17, 20).
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Case Nos. 3-19-16, 3-19-17
be returned to prison for the remainder of his term. (May 9, 2019 Tr. at 3). (See
Case No. 17-CR-0077, Doc. No. 27); (Case No. 17-CR-0108, Doc. No. 25).
{¶7} On October 2, 2019, a motion was filed alleging that Owens had
violated the terms of his judicial release by failing a drug test and associating with
individuals involved in illegal drug activity. (Case No. 17-CR-0077, Doc. No. 30);
(Case No. 17-CR-0108, Doc. No. 28). The motion requested that Owens show
cause as to why his judicial release should not be revoked. (Case No. 17-CR-0077,
Doc. No. 30); (Case No. 17-CR-0108, Doc. No. 28). At a hearing on October 28,
2019, Owens admitted to violating the conditions imposed upon him. (Case No. 17-
CR-0077, Doc. No. 30); (Case No. 17-CR-0108, Doc. No. 28). Thereafter, the trial
court revoked Owens’s judicial release and reimposed the remaining balance of his
59-month prison term. (Case No. 17-CR-0077, Doc. No. 34); (Case No. 17-CR-
0108, Doc. No. 31). The following day, the trial court filed its judgment entries of
sentence reflecting the sentence pronounced at the hearing. (Case No. 17-CR-0077,
Doc. No. 34); (Case No. 17-CR-0108, Doc. No. 31).
{¶8} Owens filed his notices of appeal on November 15, 2019. (Case No.
17-CR-0077, Doc. No. 40); (Case No. 17-CR-0108, Doc. No. 37). He raises two
assignments of error for our review.
Assignment of Error No. I
When a trial court takes a guilty plea to offenses by the
Defendant-Appellant, and fails to advise the Defendant-Appellant
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of all of the matters as set forth in Criminal Rule 11(C)(2), a
proper plea of guilty has not taken place, and the Defendant-
Appellant may challenge the plea and conviction in an appeal
taken after a probation violation, despite the fact no appeal was
taken from the original imposition of sentence.
{¶9} In his first assignment of error, Owens argues that his original
convictions are void because the trial court failed to comply with Crim.R. 11.
Specifically, Owens argues that the trial court failed to advise him in its plea
colloquy that his guilt must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. Accordingly,
Owens contends that his pleas were not made knowingly, intelligently, and
voluntarily.
{¶10} First, we note that Owens did not seek to withdraw his pleas in the trial
court and failed to file a direct appeal alleging a defect with his original convictions
and sentences. Rather, Owens’s present appeal is based on the judgments revoking
his judicial release and reimposing the remainder of his original sentences.
Generally, the failure to raise a defect in a guilty plea is barred by res judicata if it
was or could have been raised on direct appeal. State v. Straley, 159 Ohio St.3d 82,
2019-Ohio-5206, ¶ 15. Nevertheless, Owens contends that his argument is not
barred by res judicata because his original sentences are void.
{¶11} “All guilty pleas must be made knowingly, voluntarily, and
intelligently.” State v. Moll, 3d Dist. Defiance Nos. 4-14-17 and 4-14-18, 2015-
Ohio-926, ¶ 9, citing State v. Engle, 74 Ohio St.3d 525, 527 (1996). “‘Failure to
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ensure that a plea is entered knowingly, intelligently, and voluntarily renders its
enforcement unconstitutional.’” State v. Howard, 3d Dist. Logan Nos. 8-17-01 and
8-17-09, 2017-Ohio-8020, ¶ 19, quoting State v. Phillips, 3d Dist. Van Wert No. 15-
12-02, 2012-Ohio-5950, ¶ 24, citing Engle at 527. “Crim.R. 11(C) is intended to
ensure that guilty pleas are entered knowingly, intelligently, and voluntarily.” State
v. Cortez, 3d Dist. Hancock Nos. 5-07-06 and 5-07-07, 2007-Ohio-6150, ¶ 16, citing
State v. Windle, 4th Dist. Hocking No. 03CA16, 2004-Ohio-6827, ¶ 7. Crim.R.
11(C) provides:
(2) In felony cases the court may refuse to accept a plea of guilty or
a plea of no contest, and shall not accept a plea of guilty or no contest
without first addressing the defendant personally and doing all of the
following:
(a) Determining that the defendant is making the plea voluntarily,
with understanding of the nature of the charges and of the maximum
penalty involved, and if applicable, that the defendant is not eligible
for probation or for the imposition of community control sanctions at
the sentencing hearing.
(b) Informing the defendant of and determining that the defendant
understands the effect of the plea of guilty or no contest, and that the
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court, upon acceptance of the plea, may proceed with judgment and
sentence.
(c) Informing the defendant and determining that the defendant
understands that by the plea the defendant is waiving the rights to jury
trial, to confront witnesses against him or her, to have compulsory
process for obtaining witnesses in the defendant’s favor, and to
require the state to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable
doubt at a trial at which the defendant cannot be compelled to testify
against himself or herself.
Crim.R. 11(C)(2)(a)-(c).
{¶12} The advisements under Crim.R. 11(C)(2) can be divided into the
constitutional requirements found in Crim.R. 11(C)(2)(c) and the nonconstitutional
requirements found in Crim.R. 11(C)(2)(a) and (b). Howard at ¶ 20, citing State v.
Scarnati, 11th Dist. Portage No. 2001-P-0063, 2002 WL 255502, *2 (Feb. 22,
2002). Here, Owens contends that the trial court failed to advise him of his right to
require the state to prove his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, which is a
constitutional requirement found in Crim.R. 11(C)(2)(c). “‘[P]rejudice is presumed
if the court fails to inform the defendant of the constitutional rights listed in Crim.R.
11(C)(2)(c).’” Howard at ¶ 20, quoting State v. Thomas, 3d Dist. Mercer No. 10-
10-17, 2011-Ohio-4337, ¶ 20. “A trial court must strictly comply with Crim.R.
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11(C)(2)(c) and orally advise a defendant before accepting a felony plea that the
plea waives the defendant’s constitutional rights.” State v. Montgomery, 3d Dist.
Putnam No. 12-13-11, 2014-Ohio-1789, ¶ 11, citing State v. Veney, 120 Ohio St.3d
176, 2008-Ohio-5200, ¶ 31. “The failure to recite the language of the rule word-
for-word will not invalidate a plea agreement, however, so long as ‘the record
demonstrates that the trial court explained the constitutional right[s] in a manner
reasonably intelligible to that defendant.’” State v. Hayward, 6th Dist. Wood No.
WD-17-010, 2017-Ohio-8611, ¶ 6, citing Veney at ¶ 27, quoting State v. Ballard, 66
Ohio St.2d 473, 480 (1981) and State v. Barker, 129 Ohio St.3d 472, 2011-Ohio-
4130, ¶ 14.
{¶13} The record reveals that Owens’s written guilty plea petitions, which
were signed by Owens and his trial counsel at the June 1, 2017 change of plea
hearing, contain the statement, “I understand I waive my right to have the prosecutor
prove my guilt beyond a reasonable doubt on every element of each charge.” (Case
No. 17-CR-0077, Doc. No. 11); (Case No. 17-CR-0108, Doc. No. 9). However, a
review of the Crim.R. 11 plea colloquy reveals that the trial court did not orally
advise Owens of his right to have the state prove his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
(June 1, 2017 Tr. at 9-11).
{¶14} The Supreme Court of Ohio has held that “the right to have the state
prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt is a constitutionally protected right of an
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accused” and, accordingly, there needs to be strict compliance with that portion of
Crim.R. 11. Veney at ¶ 21. Further, the failure to inform a defendant of the right to
require the state to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt renders the plea “invalid.”
Id. at syllabus. Owens argues that because his original 2017 pleas were invalid, they
were “void” and, therefore, his arguments regarding the validity of his pleas are not
subject to res judicata. Accordingly, Owens argues that we must vacate his guilty
pleas.
{¶15} Indeed, “[c]ourts have held in the past that the failure of a trial court
to strictly comply with Crim.R. 11(C)(2)(c) renders a plea ‘void’ and subject to
collateral attack at any time because the plea was not entered knowingly,
intelligently and voluntarily.” State v. Greene, 3d Dist. Crawford No. 3-20-06,
2020-Ohio-5133, ¶ 8. “However, the Supreme Court of Ohio has recently ‘realigned
[its] jurisprudence with the traditional understanding of void and voidable
sentences,’ which altered the quagmire of what made certain convictions ‘void’ and
other convictions ‘voidable.’” Id., quoting State v. Harper, ___ Ohio St.3d ___,
2020-Ohio-2913, ¶ 43.
{¶16} In Harper, the Supreme Court of Ohio stated that “when a specific
action is within a court’s subject-matter jurisdiction, any error in the exercise of that
jurisdiction renders the court’s judgment voidable, not void.” Harper at ¶ 26.
Furthermore, “[g]enerally, a voidable judgment may only be set aside if successfully
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challenged on direct appeal.” Id., citing State v. Payne, 114 Ohio St.3d 502, 2007-
Ohio-4642, ¶ 28.
{¶17} Here, Owens was properly indicted for crimes committed in Crawford
County. Accordingly, the trial court had jurisdiction to accept his pleas and enter a
sentence. Because the Crawford County Court of Common Pleas had personal and
subject-matter jurisdiction over Owens’s original change of plea and sentencing
proceedings, the Supreme Court of Ohio’s holding in Harper dictates that Owens’s
convictions were voidable, not void, which would subject his claim to res judicata.
Greene at ¶ 11.
{¶18} “‘“Under the doctrine of res judicata, a final judgment of conviction
bars a convicted defendant who was represented by counsel from raising and
litigating in any proceeding except an appeal from that judgment, any defense or
any claimed lack of due process that was raised or could have been raised by the
defendant * * * on an appeal from that judgment.”’” State v. Schwieterman, 3d Dist.
Mercer No. 10-09-12, 2010-Ohio-102, ¶ 23, quoting State v. Troglin, 3d Dist. Union
No. 14-09-04, 2009-Ohio-5276, ¶ 13, quoting State v. Perry, 10 Ohio St.2d 175(1967), paragraph nine of the syllabus. “‘[R]es judicata promotes the principles of
finality and judicial economy by preventing endless relitigation of an issue on which
a defendant has already received a full and fair opportunity to be heard.’” Id.,-11-
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quoting State v. Saxon, 109 Ohio St.3d 176, 2006-Ohio-1245, ¶ 18, citing State ex
rel. Willys-Overland Co. v. Clark, 112 Ohio St. 263, 268 (1925).
{¶19} “Further, ‘[r]es judicata bars the relitigation of constitutional issues, *
* * including claims that the accused’s guilty pleas were not knowingly,
intelligently, and voluntarily made[.]’” (Internal citation omitted.) Greene, 2020-
Ohio-5133, at ¶ 13, quoting Straley, 159 Ohio St.3d at ¶ 36 (Kennedy, J., concurring
separately), citing State v. Ketterer, 126 Ohio St.3d 448, 2010-Ohio-3831, ¶ 59-60.
Here, Owens could have challenged any defect in the plea colloquy on direct appeal,
but he failed to do so. Thus, Owens’s present challenge of his original plea colloquy
is barred by res judicata. Id. at ¶ 13.
{¶20} Accordingly, Owens’s first assignment of error is overruled.
Assignment of Error No. II
The trial court abused its discretion in that after having placed
the Defendant-Appellant on community control sentence
essentially for drug offenses, where during community control,
the Defendant-Appellant had additional violations in the nature
of drug offenses, by not re-imposing a community control
sanction of drug treatment instead of a term of imprisonment.
{¶21} In his second assignment of error, Owens argues that the trial court
abused its discretion by reimposing the remainder of his 59-month prison sentence
upon his violation of the terms of his judicial release. Owens contends that, due to
his history of substance abuse, the trial court should have sentenced him to
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substance abuse treatment at a community-based treatment facility, rather than
reimpose his prison term. For the reasons that follow, we disagree.
{¶22} First, we note that throughout his brief, Owens conflates the distinct
concepts of community control under R.C. 2929.15 and judicial release under R.C.
2929.20. Notably, Owens states that “[i]n this matter, the [trial] court was looking
at a probation violation allegation of [a defendant] who was previously placed on
community control.” (Appellant’s Brief at 10). However, the record reflects that
Owens was released from prison on judicial release, rather than community control.
(See Case No. 17-CR-0077, Doc. No. 27); (Case No. 17-CR-0108, Doc. No. 25).
{¶23} “Under R.C. 2929.15, a defendant’s original sentence is community
control and he will not receive a term of incarceration unless he violates the terms
of his community control, * * * whereas, when a defendant is granted judicial
release under R.C. 2929.20, he ‘“has already served a period of incarceration, and
the remainder of that prison sentence is suspended pending either the successful
completion of a period of community control or the defendant’s violation of a
community control sanction.”’”2 (Internal citations omitted.) State v. Jones, 3d
Dist. Mercer Nos. 10-07-26 and 10-07-27, 2008-Ohio-2117, ¶ 12, quoting State v.
Alexander, 3d Dist. Union No. 14-07-45, 2008-Ohio-1485, ¶ 7, quoting State v.
2
We note that R.C. 2929.20(K) confusingly uses the term “community control” in reference to the status of
an offender granted judicial release. See R.C. 2929.20(K); State v. Jones, 3d Dist. Mercer Nos. 10-07-26 and
10-07-27, 2008-Ohio-2117, ¶ 12.
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Mann, 3d Dist. Crawford No. 3-03-42, 2004-Ohio-4703, ¶ 8, citing R.C. 2929.20(I)
(Nov. 23, 2005) (current version at 2929.20(K) (Mar. 22, 2019)). “[I]f a defendant
violates the conditions of judicial release, the trial court is limited to reimposing the
original term of incarceration with credit for time already served.” Id. at ¶ 15, citing
State v. Hoy, 3d Dist. Union Nos. 14-04-13 and 14-04-14, 2005-Ohio-1093, ¶ 21
and R.C. 2929.20(I) (Nov. 23, 2005) (current version at R.C. 2929.20(K) (Mar. 22,
2019)). Further, this court has held that “[i]t is error for a trial court, after revoking
judicial release, to impose a greater or lesser sentence than the original sentence.”
State v. Thompson, 3d Dist. Crawford No. 3-16-01 and 3-16-12, 2016-Ohio-8401, ¶
13, citing State v. Salter, 10th Dist. Franklin No. 14AP-211, 2014-Ohio-5524, ¶ 8
and Jones at ¶ 15. Accordingly, when the trial court revoked Owens’s judicial
release it had to reimpose the remainder of the previously imposed sentence unless
it elected to allow Owens to remain on judicial release pending further violation.
See Greene, 2020-Ohio-5133, at ¶ 16. Thus, the trial court did not err by reimposing
the remainder of Owens’s original sentence upon its revocation of Owens’s judicial
release. See id.{¶24} To the extent that Owens argues that the trial court abused its
discretion by electing to reimpose the remainder of his previously imposed sentence
rather than allow him to remain on judicial release pending further violation, we are
unpersuaded. Owens contends that, due to his history of substance abuse, the trial
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court abused its discretion by not continuing his judicial release and ordering him
to complete substance abuse treatment in a community-based treatment facility.
Specifically, Owens contends that the trial court denied him the opportunity to seek
treatment to address his ongoing substance abuse. However, at the October 28, 2019
hearing, the trial court stated that Owens has “had a lot of bites at the apple.” (Oct.
28, 2019 Tr. at 11). The trial court referenced the fact that Owens failed a drug test
at his change of plea hearing, yet the trial court chose to honor the parties’ agreement
and “give [Owens] a chance” rather than imposing a “much larger prison sentence.”
(Id. at 11-12). The trial court also stated that Owens tested positive for marijuana
after receiving judicial release. (Id. at 12). However, Owens subsequently tested
positive for morphine and admitted to spending time with drug users. (Id.).
Furthermore, the trial court noted that Owens violated two separate conditions of
his release by (1) using drugs and (2) consorting with drug users. (Id.).
Accordingly, the trial court stated that Owens’s failure to take advantage of the
multiple opportunities he was afforded, combined with the multiple violations of
the terms of his judicial release, “demand prison.” (Id. at 12-13). Thus, the record
indicates that Owens was afforded repeated opportunities to demonstrate that he was
capable of making positive changes, yet he failed to take advantages of those
opportunities. Furthermore, the trial court stated that, upon request from the prison,
it would not oppose a request to transfer Owens to a halfway house. (Id. at 15).
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Accordingly, we reject Owens’s argument that the trial court abused its discretion
by electing to reimpose his remaining prison term.
{¶25} Accordingly, Owens’s second assignment of error is overruled.
{¶26} Having found no error prejudicial to the appellant herein in the
particulars assigned and argued, we affirm the judgments of the trial court.
Judgments Affirmed
WILLAMOWSKI and ZIMMERMAN, J.J., concur.
/jlr
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