FOR PUBLICATION
ATTORNEY FOR APPELLANT: ATTORNEYS FOR APPELLEE:
JOHN P. WILSON JEFFREY A. MODISETT
Greenwood, Indiana Attorney General of Indiana
RANDI E. FROUG
Deputy Attorney General
Indianapolis, Indiana
IN THE
COURT OF APPEALS OF INDIANA
JOHN BOCHNER, )
)
Appellant-Defendant, )
)
vs. ) No. 41A05-9812-CR-629
)
STATE OF INDIANA, )
)
Appellee-Plaintiff. )
APPEAL FROM THE JOHNSON CIRCUIT COURT
The Honorable K. Mark Loyd, Judge
Cause No. 41C01-9806-CF-96
August 25, 1999
OPINION - FOR PUBLICATION
STATON, Judge
Following a jury trial, John Bochner appeals his convictions for criminal deviate conduct,
See footnote
a Class B felony, and criminal confinement,
See footnote
a Class B felony, and the
finding that he is an habitual offender.
See footnote
Bochner raises four issues for
our review, which we restate as:
I. Whether the trial court erred by failing to hold an initial hearing to
advise Bochner of his rights.
II. Whether the evidence is sufficient to support Bochner's conviction for criminal deviate conduct.
III. Whether the evidence is sufficient to support Bochner's conviction for criminal confinement.
IV. Whether the evidence is sufficient to support the habitual offender enhancement.
We affirm in part, reverse in part, and remand.
The facts most favorable to the State reveal that Bochner went to the
home of his estranged wife, C.M., early on October 17, 1997. Bochner
was placing a rope around C.M.'s neck when she awoke. She tried
to remove the rope, but Bochner held a knife to her throat.
Bochner proceeded to tie C.M.'s hands and feet. Bochner placed his fingers,
and then a foreign object, in her vagina and rectum. Later, Bochner
forced C.M. to perform fellatio.
Later on the same day, while again holding the knife to C.M.'s throat,
Bochner asked her to accompany him on a trip. Bochner then drove
C.M. to Illinois. Once they had crossed the state line, C.M. convinced
Bochner to return home and seek help. On the return trip, Bochner
threw the knife out the car window. A jury convicted Bochner; this
appeal ensued.
I.
Initial Hearing
Bochner contends that the trial court erred by failing to hold an initial
hearing where Bochner was advised of his rights. Specifically, Bochner argues that
he was prejudiced because the court failed to advise him of his right
to a speedy trial. Ind. Code § 35-33-7-5 (Supp. 1997) requires the
trial court, at an initial hearing, to inform the defendant of his right
to counsel, his right to a speedy trial, his conditions of bail, his
privilege against self-incrimination, the nature of the charges against him, and that a
preliminary plea of not guilty is being entered on his behalf. In
order to warrant reversal, a defendant must show that the failure of the
trial court to advise him of his rights at the initial hearing caused
him harm. Fox v. State, 506 N.E.2d 1090, 1096 (Ind. 1987).
Bochner contends that when he appeared before the Johnson County Superior Court judge
on October 27, 1997, he was appointed counsel, but was not informed of
any of his other rights. Bochner argues that this prejudiced him, in
that he would have sought a speedy trial under Ind. Crim. Rule 4(A)
had he known it was available to him. However, the record reveals
that Bochner was advised of his right to a speedy trial when he
was initially brought before a magistrate on October 20, 1997. Although no
charges had been filed against Bochner at that time, Bochner was informed of
his right to, and requested, a speedy trial. The magistrate informed Bochner
that his right to a speedy trial would attach once the prosecutor filed
charges against him. Further, the evidence reveals that Bochner asserted his right
to a speedy trial under Crim. R. 4(A) on several occasions before trial.
As a result of Bochner's first motion, wherein he asked to be
released on his own recognizance because his trial had not been set within
six months of the date he was charged with the offenses, the trial
court moved the trial date within the six-month period. Therefore, it is
clear that Bochner knew of his right to a speedy trial. The
error of the trial court in not informing Bochner of his rights under
IC 35-33-7-5 did not cause harm to Bochner, and does not warrant reversal.
II.
Criminal Deviate Conduct
Bochner argues that the State's evidence is insufficient to support his conviction for
criminal deviate conduct. When reviewing a claim of sufficiency of the evidence,
we do not reweigh the evidence or judge the credibility of witnesses.
Jordan v. State, 656 N.E.2d 816, 817 (Ind. 1995), reh. denied. We
look to the evidence and the reasonable inferences therefrom that support the verdict.
Id. The conviction will be affirmed if evidence of probative value exists
from which a jury could find the defendant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Id.
In order to prove that Bochner was guilty of criminal deviate conduct, the
State was required to prove that Bochner knowingly or intentionally caused another person
to perform or submit to deviate sexual conduct when the other person was
compelled by force or imminent threat of force. IC 35-42-4-2. Bochner
raises two challenges to the sufficiency of the State's evidence. First, he
argues that the State did not prove he was the perpetrator. However,
C.M. testified that it was Bochner who forced her to perform and submit
to the sexual acts. The two had been married for eighteen months
prior to this incident. Therefore, C.M.'s identification of Bochner as the assailant
is sufficient.
See Thompson v. State, 674 N.E.2d 1307, 1311 (Ind. 1996)
(holding that victim's identification of assailant is sufficient).
Bochner next contends that the State failed to prove that any sexual activity
took place. However, C.M.'s testimony revealed that Bochner inserted his fingers and
another object into C.M.'s vagina and rectum, and that Bochner forced C.M. to
perform fellatio. Too, the State presented medical evidence showing that there was
bruising just above C.M.'s vaginal area, which was likely caused by trauma.
The State's evidence is sufficient to support Bochner's conviction for criminal deviate
conduct.
III.
Criminal Confinement
Bochner contends that the State's evidence is insufficient to support his conviction for
criminal confinement. As stated above, when reviewing a claim of sufficiency of
the evidence, we do not reweigh the evidence or judge the credibility of
witnesses. Jordan, 656 N.E.2d at 817. We look to the evidence
and the reasonable inferences therefrom that support the verdict. Id. The conviction
will be affirmed if evidence of probative value exists from which a jury
could find the defendant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Id.
In order to convict Bochner of criminal confinement, the State must prove that
Bochner knowingly or intentionally confined another person without that person's consent, or removed
another person by force or threat of force from one place to another.
IC 35-42-3-3. C.M.'s testimony revealed that Bochner held a knife to
her throat and tied her wrists and ankles with rope. The State
corroborated C.M.'s testimony with pictures showing redness around C.M.'s neck, wrists and ankles.
Further, C.M. testified that Bochner held a knife to her throat when
he asked her to accompany him on a trip. This evidence is
sufficient to support Bochner's conviction for criminal confinement.
IV.
Habitual Offender Enhancement
Bochner contends that his adjudication as an habitual offender was not
supported by sufficient evidence.
See footnote
IC 35-50-2-8 provides that a person is an
habitual offender if that person "has accumulated two (2) prior unrelated felony convictions."
A felony conviction is "a conviction, in any jurisdiction at any time,
with respect to which the convicted person might have been imprisoned for more
than one (1) year." Ind. Code § 35-50-2-1(b).
One of the convictions used to support Bochner's habitual offender charge was related
to an offense that occurred in Missouri. Bochner was charged with exhibiting
a deadly weapon, and he pleaded guilty to that charge. The sentence
for the crime of exhibiting a deadly weapon, a class D felony, is
"a term of years not to exceed five years[.]"
Mo. Ann. Stat.
§ 571.030 (West 1988); Mo. Ann. Stat. § 558.011.1(4) (West 1988). However,
Bochner entered into a plea agreement whereby the court suspended imposition of his
sentence and he received five years of probation. Missouri law provides that,
"If the person is arrested but . . . imposition of sentence is
suspended in the court in which the action is prosecuted, official records pertaining
to the case shall thereafter be closed records when such case is finally
terminated except as provided in section 610.120." Mo. Ann. Stat. § 610.105
(West 1988). Further, the Missouri Supreme Court has held that the suspended
imposition of a sentence and the placement of a person on probation does
not constitute a "conviction." Yale v. City of Independence, 846 S.W.2d 193,
196 (Mo. 1993). The Yale court held that the suspended imposition of
a sentence is not a final judgment, and thus, cannot be considered a
conviction. Id. at 194-95.
See footnote
Thus, Bochner argues, his plea of guilty
and the suspended imposition of his sentence did not result in a conviction,
and cannot be used as a prior felony conviction for purposes of proving
that he is an habitual offender.
See footnote
We agree. Indiana's habitual offender
statute requires the State to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant
has two prior felony convictions. IC 35-50-2-8. Here, the State relied
on Bochner's plea of guilty to the Missouri offense as one of the
requisite prior convictions. However, under Missouri law, Bochner was never convicted of
the offense that he committed in that state.
In support of its argument that Bochner's plea of guilty to the Missouri
offense can be used to support the habitual offender enhancement, the State relies
on
Lockhart v. State, 609 N.E.2d 1093 (Ind. 1993), and Mott v. State,
547 N.E.2d 261 (Ind. 1989). In Lockhart, the defendant challenged the use
of a Texas conviction as an aggravating circumstance in an Indiana sentencing proceeding,
because Texas law prohibits the use of prior convictions in sentencing determinations unless
the convictions have been affirmed on appeal. 609 N.E.2d at 1102.
Our supreme court held that the Texas conviction was properly considered as an
aggravating factor, because "the interpretation of a prior conviction from another jurisdiction is
determined by Indiana law." Id. at 1102-03. Lockhart is distinguishable from
the case at bar. In Lockhart, a conviction had been entered against
the defendant in Texas and our supreme court was deciding whether that prior
conviction was a proper aggravating factor. In contrast, Bochner was never convicted
of a crime in Missouri. Thus, the issue before us is not
the interpretation of a prior conviction, because there is no prior conviction.
The State's reliance on Lockhart is misplaced.
In
Mott, the defendant challenged the State's use of a conviction from Ohio
in an Indiana habitual offender proceeding. 547 N.E.2d at 265. The
Ohio court had accepted Mott's guilty plea and imposed a sentence, but had
not used any formal language of judgment or conviction. Our supreme court
held that the use of the Ohio conviction was proper, because "the acceptance
of pleas and imposition of sentences by the Ohio court constituted convictions."
Id. However, the plea and sentencing in Ohio was a conviction under
Ohio law, unlike Bochner's plea and the suspended imposition of sentence in Missouri,
which did not constitute a "conviction" under Missouri law. See Yale, 846
S.W.2d at 196.
Indiana's habitual offender statute requires the State to prove that a person has
two prior unrelated felony convictions in order to enhance that person's sentence for
the underlying offense. IC 35-50-2-8. Bochner was not convicted of the
Missouri offense relied on by the State. Thus, there is not sufficient
evidence to support Bochner's adjudication as an habitual offender. Therefore, we reverse
Bochner's habitual offender enhancement, and remand with instructions for the trial court to
vacate the portion of Bochner's sentence attributable to his adjudication as an habitual
offender.
Affirmed in part, reversed in part, and remanded.
NAJAM, J., and RUCKER, J., concur.
Footnote:
Ind. Code § 35-42-4-2 (Supp. 1997).
Footnote:
Ind. Code § 35-42-3-3 (Supp. 1997).
Footnote:
Ind. Code § 35-50-2-8 (Supp. 1997).
Footnote:
Bochner also argues that the habitual offender charge should have been dismissed
prior to his trial. Because Bochner uses the same argument for both
of his contentions, we will address his argument in the context of sufficiency.
Footnote:
The Yale court supported its holding by pointing out that the Missouri
legislature has given sentencing courts the option, inter alia, to: (1) suspend
imposition of the sentence, with or without placing the person on probation; or
(2) pronounce sentence and suspend its execution, placing the person on probation.
Mo. Ann. Stat. § 557.011.2(3)-(4) (West 1988). The court reasoned that "the
legislature would not have provided for suspended imposition of sentence unless it was
to have an effect different from the other approved dispositions," and that the
effect of a suspended imposition of sentence is that it does not result
in a conviction. Yale, 846 S.W.2d at 195.
Footnote:
We note that under Missouri's persistent offender statute, Bochner's plea of guilty
could be used to support a persistent offender charge, even though the court
suspended imposition of his sentence. Mo. Ann. Stat. § 558.016.3 (West
1988). However, Missouri's persistent offender statute does not require the State to
prove two prior felony convictions, as Indiana's habitual offender statute does. Instead,
Missouri law defines persistent offender as "one who has pleaded guilty to
or has been found guilty of two or more felonies committed at different
times." Id.