State v. Szarell

[Cite as State v. Szarell, 2019-Ohio-5175.]
COURT OF APPEALS
LICKING COUNTY, OHIO
FIFTH APPELLATE DISTRICT
STATE OF OHIO : JUDGES:
: Hon. W. Scott Gwin, P.J.
Plaintiff-Appellee : Hon. Craig R. Baldwin, J.
: Hon. Earle E. Wise, Jr., J.
-vs- :
:
DUSTIN D. SZARELL : Case No. 2019 CA 00028
:
Defendant-Appellant : OPINION
CHARACTER OF PROCEEDING: Appeal from the Court of Common
Pleas, Case No. 2018 CR 00924
JUDGMENT: Affirmed
DATE OF JUDGMENT: December 9, 2019
APPEARANCES:
For Plaintiff-Appellee For Defendant-Appellant
JENNY GONZALEZ-WELLS JAMES ANZELMO
20 South Second Street 446 Howland Drive
Fourth Floor Gahanna, OH 43230
Newark, OH 43055
Licking County, Case No. 2019 CA 00028 2
Wise, Earle, J.
{¶ 1} Defendant-Appellant Dustin D. Szarell appeals the April 4, 2019 judgement
of conviction and sentence of the Court of Common Pleas of Licking County, Ohio.
Plaintiff-Appellee is the state of Ohio.
FACTS AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY
{¶ 2} On December 11, 2018, appellant and his wife Danielle went to
Reynoldsburg to visit Danielle's mother Luan Smith. Danielle was 8 months pregnant at
the time. While at Smith's home, Danielle was using appellant's phone because hers had
a dead battery. While using the phone, Danielle saw something on appellant's phone that
upset her and she confronted appellant.
{¶ 3} The two began arguing. When the argument got loud Luan asked them to
stop, but they continued. Appellant then walked over to Danielle, who was seated on a
loveseat, and rammed his knee into Danielle's thigh. Luan noted that Appellant rammed
Danielle so hard that Danielle's belly shifted. Danielle immediately began crying.
{¶ 4} Luan told appellant she was calling police. While she was on the phone,
appellant was on his knees begging Danielle to refrain from "sending him to jail." He then
got up and became loud and confrontational again. Luan told him to leave and he
complied.
{¶ 5} Reynoldsburg Police Officer Hanna Evans responded to Smith's home at
approximately 5:45 p.m. She found Danielle upset, her face flushed, and her eyes red.
Medics who were on standby came in to take a look at Danielle. She had no observable
injury.
Licking County, Case No. 2019 CA 00028 3
{¶ 6} While that was going on, Reynoldsburg Police Officer Nathan Grodhaus
attempted unsuccessfully to locate appellant. He then joined Officer Evans who was
speaking with Danielle. Danielle refused transport to the emergency room, and did not
submit a written statement.
{¶ 7} Appellant was subsequently charged with domestic violence, a felony of the
fifth degree. He pled not guilty and opted to proceed to a jury trial which took place on
April 4, 2019. The state presented evidence from Smith, Evans, and Grodhaus who
provided the above outlined facts. Appellant presented evidence from Danielle who
testified appellant simply "nudged" her leg.
{¶ 8} After hearing all the evidence and deliberating, the jury found appellant
guilty as charged. He was sentenced to a mandatory 6 months incarceration.
{¶ 9} Appellant filed an appeal and the matter is now before this court for
consideration. He raises three assignments of error as follow:
I
{¶ 10} "DUSTIN SZARELL'S CONVICTION IS BASED ON INSUFFICIENT
EVIDENCE, IN VIOLATION OF THE DUE PROCESS CLAUSE OF THE FIFTH AND
FOURTEENTH AMENDMENTS TO THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION AND
SECTIONS 10 & 16, ARTICLE I OF THE OHIO CONSTITUTION."
II
{¶ 11} "DUSTIN SZARELL'S CONVICTION IS AGAINST THE MANIFEST
WEIGHT OF THE EVIDENCE IN VIOLATION OF THE DUE PROCESS CLAUSE OF
THE FIFTH AND FOURTEENTH AMENDMENTS OF THE UNITED STATES
CONSTITUTION AND SECTIONS 10 & 16, ARTICLE I OF THE OHIO CONSTITUTION."
Licking County, Case No. 2019 CA 00028 4
III
{¶ 12} "DUSTIN SZARELL RECEIVED INEFFECTIVE ASSISTANCE OF
COUNSEL, IN VIOLATION OF THE SIXTH AMENDMENT OT THE UNITED STATES
CONSTITUTION AND SECTION 10, ARTICLE I OF THE OHIO CONSTITUTION."
I, II
{¶ 13} We address appellant's first and second assignments of error together. In
his first assignment of error, appellant argues his conviction is not supported by sufficient
evidence. In his second assignment of error, he argues his conviction is against the
manifest weight of the evidence. We disagree.
{¶ 14} On review for sufficiency, a reviewing court is to examine the evidence at
trial to determine whether such evidence, if believed, would support a conviction. State
v. Jenks, 61 Ohio St.3d 259, 574 N.E.2d 492 (1991). "The relevant inquiry is whether,
after viewing the evidence in a light most favorable to the prosecution, any rational trier
of fact could have found the essential elements of the crime proven beyond a reasonable
doubt." Jenks at paragraph two of the syllabus, following Jackson v. Virginia, 443 U.S.
307, 99 S.Ct. 2781, 61 L.Ed.2d 560 (1979). On review for manifest weight, a reviewing
court is to examine the entire record, weigh the evidence and all reasonable inferences,
consider the credibility of witnesses and determine "whether in resolving conflicts in the
evidence, the jury 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. Martin, 20 Ohio
Licking County, Case No. 2019 CA 00028 5
App.3d 172, 175, 485 N.E.2d 717 (1st Dist.1983). See also, State v. Thompkins, 78 Ohio
St.3d 380, 678 N.E.2d 541 (1997). The granting of a new trial "should be exercised only
in the exceptional case in which the evidence weighs heavily against the conviction."
Martin at 175.
{¶ 15} Appellant was charged with domestic violence pursuant to R.C. 2919.25(A)
and (D)(1)(5) which provides:
(A) No person shall knowingly cause or attempt to cause physical harm to a family
or household member.
***
(D)(1) Whoever violates this section is guilty of domestic violence, and the court
shall sentence the offender as provided in divisions (D)(2) to (6) of this section.
***
(5) Except as otherwise provided in division (D)(3) or (4) of this section, if the
offender knew that the victim of the violation was pregnant at the time of the
violation, a violation of division (A) or (B) of this section is a felony of the fifth
degree, and the court shall impose a mandatory prison term on the offender
pursuant to division (D)(6) of this section * * * .
{¶ 16} Appellant argues that the evidence failed to show he caused or attempted
to cause harm to Danielle, focusing on the lack of any visible injury. But the victim of a
domestic violence need not suffer actual physical harm in order to support a conviction
under R.C. 2919.25(A). Rather, an attempt to cause harm is sufficient. State v. Ford, 5th
Licking County, Case No. 2019 CA 00028 6
Dist. Stark No. 2012CA142, 2013-Ohio-1883 ¶ 16. Smith described and demonstrated for
the jury appellant's attempt to cause physical harm by ramming his knee into Danielle's
thigh "it looked like as hard as he could." T. 81. This action by appellant is sufficient to
support the element of causing or attempting to cause harm. We therefore reject
appellant's sufficiency argument.
{¶ 17} Appellant next argues his conviction is against the manifest weight of the
evidence because Smith was not believable vis-a-vis Danielle. It is well settled, however,
that the weight to be given to the evidence and the credibility of the witnesses are issues
for the trier of fact. State v. Jamison, 49 Ohio St.3d 182, 552 N.E.2d 180 (1990). The jury
was free to accept or reject any or all of the evidence offered by the parties and assess
the witness's credibility. Indeed, the jurors need not believe all of a witness's testimony,
but may accept only portions of it as true. State v. Raver, Franklin App. No. 02AP-604,
2003-Ohio-958, ¶ 21, citing State v. Antill, 176 Ohio St. 61, 67, 197 N.E.2d 548 (1964).
Upon review, we find nothing to indicate the jury in this matter lost it way in making its
credibility determinations and believing Smith over Danielle.
{¶ 18} Appellant's first and second assignments of error are overruled.
III
{¶ 19} In his final assignment of error, appellant argues his counsel rendered
ineffective assistance by failing to request the trial court waive court costs. We disagree.
{¶ 20} To prevail on a claim of ineffective assistance of counsel, a defendant must
demonstrate: (1) deficient performance by counsel, i.e., that counsel's performance fell
below an objective standard of reasonable representation, and (2) that counsel's errors
prejudiced the defendant, i.e., a reasonable probability that but for counsel's errors, the
Licking County, Case No. 2019 CA 00028 7
result of the trial would have been different. Strickland v. Washington, 466 U.S. 668, 687–
688, 694, 104 S.Ct. 2052, 80 L.Ed.2d 674 (1984); State v. Bradley, 42 Ohio St.3d 136,
538 N.E.2d 373 (1989), paragraphs two and three of the syllabus. “Reasonable
probability” is “probability sufficient to undermine confidence in the outcome.” Strickland
at 694, 104 S.Ct. 2052.
{¶ 21} We have previously addressed this issue in State v. Davis, 5th Dist. Licking
No. 17-CA-55 2017-Ohio-9445, wherein we determined the following at ¶ 27:
We find no merit in Appellant's allegation that he received ineffective
assistance of counsel as a result of his attorney failing to request that
the trial court waive court costs. Because R.C. 2947.23(C) grants
appellant the ability to seek waiver of costs at any time, including
after sentencing, Appellant has not been prejudiced by the failure of
his counsel to request a waiver at sentencing.
{¶ 22} In support of his argument that failure of counsel to request a waiver of court
costs at sentencing constitutes ineffective assistance, appellant cites State v. Springer,
8th Dist. Cuyahoga No. 104649, 2017-Ohio-8861. Springer conflicts with our decision in
Davis, and that matter has been accepted for review by the Supreme Court of Ohio upon
our certification of a conflict. We held in State v. Ramsey, 5th Dist. Licking No. 17-CA-76,
2018-Ohio-2365, as we hold here; “[u]nless a decision is rendered on the issue to the
contrary in the future, this Court will continue to abide by its decision in Davis.” Id. See
Licking County, Case No. 2019 CA 00028 8
also State v. Somers, 5th Dist. Muskingum No. CT2018-0013, 2018-Ohio-4625; State v.
Bowen, 5th Dist. Muskingum No. CT2017-0103, 2018-Ohio-4220.
{¶ 23} Appellant's final assignment of error is overruled.
{¶ 24} The judgment of the Licking County Court of Common Pleas is affirmed.
By Wise, Earle, J.
Gwin, P.J. and
Baldwin, J. concur.
EEW/rw