State v. Pugh

[Cite as State v. Pugh, 2011-Ohio-812.]
COURT OF APPEALS
STARK COUNTY, OHIO
FIFTH APPELLATE DISTRICT
STATE OF OHIO : JUDGES:
: Hon. W. Scott Gwin, P.J.
Plaintiff-Appellee : Hon. Sheila G. Farmer, J.
: Hon. Julie A. Edwards, J.
-vs- :
:
JEFFREY ALLEN PUGH : Case No. 2010CA00173
:
Defendant-Appellant :
OPINION
CHARACTER OF PROCEEDING: Appeal from the Court of Common Pleas,
Case No. 1998CR1366(B)
JUDGMENT: Affirmed
DATE OF JUDGMENT ENTRY: February 22, 2011
APPEARANCES:
For Plaintiff-Appellee For Defendant-Appellant
JOHN D. FERRERO PAUL F. ADAMSON
Stark County Prosecutor 137 South Main Street
Suite 201
By: RONALD MARK CALDWELL Akron, OH 44308
Assistant Prosecuting Attorney
110 Central Plaza South
Suite 510
Canton OH 44702
Stark County, Case No. 2010CA00173 2
Farmer, J.
{¶1} On November 11, 1998, the Stark County Grand Jury indicted appellant,
Jeffrey Pugh, on one count of attempted murder in violation of R.C. 2923.02, one count
of aggravated burglary in violation of R.C. 2911.11, and one count of aggravated
robbery in violation of R.C. 2911.01. All counts carried firearm specifications.
{¶2} On December 18, 1998, appellant pled guilty to all counts and
specifications. By judgment entry filed February 1, 1999, the trial court sentenced
appellant to an aggregate term of twenty years in prison.
{¶3} On April 20, 2010, appellant filed a pro se motion for resentencing,
claiming his original sentence was void because it failed to set forth mandatory
postrelease control time. A hearing was held on June 21, 2010. By judgment entry filed
June 28, 2010, the trial court resentenced appellant to an aggregate term of twenty
years in prison, and imposed five years of postrelease control.
{¶4} Appellant filed an appeal and this matter is now before this court for
consideration. Assignments of error are as follows:
I
{¶5} "THE SENTENCED AS IMPOSED BY THE TRIAL COURT IS CLEARLY
AND CONVINCINGLY CONTRARY TO LAW."
II
{¶6} "THE TRIAL COURT ABUSED ITS DISCRETION IN IMPOSING
MAXIMUM SENTENCES AND CONSECUTIVE SENTENCES."
Stark County, Case No. 2010CA00173 3
I, II
{¶7} Appellant claims the resentence by the trial court was contrary to law as
the trial court engaged in impermissible fact-finding and failed to conduct a meaningful
de novo hearing. Appellant also claims the trial court abused its discretion in imposing
maximum and consecutive sentences. We disagree.
{¶8} In State v. Singleton, 124 Ohio St.3d 173, 2009-Ohio-6434, the Supreme
Court of Ohio held the following at paragraph one of the syllabus:
{¶9} "For criminal sentences imposed prior to July 11, 2006, in which a trial
court failed to properly impose postrelease control, trial courts shall conduct a de novo
sentencing hearing in accordance with decisions of the Supreme Court of Ohio."
{¶10} In this case, appellant was sentenced prior to July 11, 2006 and was not
properly informed of postrelease control; therefore, pursuant to Singleton, he was
entitled to a de novo hearing. However, in State v. Fischer, ___ Ohio St.3d ___, 2010-
Ohio-6238, the Supreme Court of Ohio limited the nature of the de novo hearing:
{¶11} "1. A sentence that does not include the statutorily mandated term of
postrelease control is void, is not precluded from appellate review by principles of res
judicata, and may be reviewed at any time, on direct appeal or by collateral attack.
{¶12} "2. The new sentencing hearing to which an offender is entitled under
State v. Bezak is limited to proper imposition of postrelease control. (State v. Bezak,
114 Ohio St.3d 94, 2007-Ohio-3250, 868 N.E.2d 961, syllabus, modified.)
{¶13} "3. Although the doctrine of res judicata does not preclude review of a void
sentence, res judicata still applies to other aspects of the merits of a conviction,
including the determination of guilt and the lawful elements of the ensuing sentence.
Stark County, Case No. 2010CA00173 4
{¶14} "4. The scope of an appeal from a resentencing hearing in which a
mandatory term of postrelease control is imposed is limited to issues arising at the
resentencing hearing."
{¶15} As stated by the Fischer court in paragraph two of the syllabus, the new
sentencing hearing is limited to the proper imposition of postrelease control. Upon
review, we find the trial court sub judice properly notified appellant of the mandatory five
year postrelease control requirement under R.C. 2967.28(B). T. at 7; Judgment Entry
filed June 28, 2010.
{¶16} Appellant's argument regarding impermissible fact-finding via its judgment
entry filed June 28, 2010 is of no consequence given the fact that "trial courts have full
discretion to impose a prison sentence within the statutory range and are no longer
required to make findings or give their reasons for imposing maximum, consecutive, or
more than the minimum sentences." State v. Foster, 109 Ohio St.3d 1, 2006-Ohio-856,
¶100.1
{¶17} As for appellant's challenge to the maximum/consecutive nature of his
sentence, we note appellant never filed a direct appeal on these issues. Pursuant to
paragraph three of the Fischer syllabus, res judicata applies, and appellant cannot now
"back door" a challenge to the length of his sentence via a postrelease control
resentencing hearing.
{¶18} Assignments of Error I and II are denied.
1
Although in Oregon v. Ice (2009), 555 U.S. 160, the United States Supreme Court
upheld the constitutional validity of an Oregon statute similar to Ohio's pre-Foster
sentencing statutes, the Supreme Court of Ohio in State v. Hodge, ___ Ohio St.3d ___,
2010-Ohio-6320, held the Oregon case did not revive the Foster statutes, and trial
courts are not obligated to engage in judicial fact-finding prior to imposing consecutive
sentences.
Stark County, Case No. 2010CA00173 5
{¶19} The judgment of the Court of Common Pleas of Stark County, Ohio is
hereby affirmed.
By Farmer, J.
Gwin, P.J. and
Edwards, J. concur.
S/ Sheila G. Farmer_______________
S/W. Scott Gwin____________________
S/Julie A. Edwards___________________
JUDGES
SGF/sg 204
Stark County, Case No. 2010CA00173 6
IN THE COURT OF APPEALS FOR STARK COUNTY, OHIO
FIFTH APPELLATE DISTRICT
STATE OF OHIO :
:
Plaintiff-Appellee :
:
-vs- : JUDGMENT ENTRY
:
JEFFREY ALLEN PUGH :
:
Defendant-Appellant : CASE NO. 2010CA00173
For the reasons stated in our accompanying Memorandum-Opinion, the
judgment of the Court of Common Pleas of Stark County, Ohio is affirmed. Costs to
appellant.
S/ Sheila G. Farmer_______________
S/W. Scott Gwin____________________
S/Julie A. Edwards___________________
JUDGES