In re D.C., 2015 Ohio 4367

Appellant D.C., then 16, and co-defendant D.B., 17, were charged in juvenile court with multiple counts arising from sexual assaults on two teenage females (A.B., 15; M.A., 17) after a March 3, 2013 encounter at a house.
The state alleged kidnappings and multiple rape counts (oral, vaginal, digital); the case proceeded to adjudicatory hearing in juvenile court.
Victims A.B. and M.A. testified they were forced to have sex in a bedroom; both described injuries and post-incident trauma; sexual assault nurses documented bruising, vaginal scratches/tear, and collected DNA swabs.
Appellant testified the sexual encounters were consensual and described different details; DNA testing excluded appellant from victim samples but did not exclude D.B. from several samples.
Juvenile court adjudicated appellant delinquent of one count of rape (oral) of M.A. based on accomplice/complicity liability (R.C. 2923.03); appellant appealed, arguing the adjudication was against the manifest weight of the evidence.

Issue	Plaintiff's Argument	Defendant's Argument	Held
Whether adjudication for rape (oral) against D.C. is against the manifest weight of the evidence	State: victims’ consistent testimony, physical injuries, nurse examinations, and accomplice liability support the adjudication	D.C.: testimony and physical evidence are inconsistent; encounters were consensual; DNA excludes him	Affirmed — not against manifest weight; juvenile court reasonably credited victims and relied on complicity principles

State v. Thompkins, 78 Ohio St.3d 380 (weight-of-the-evidence standard and "thirteenth juror" review)
State v. Wilson, 113 Ohio St.3d 382 (effect of evidence in inducing belief in weight review)
State v. Martin, 20 Ohio App.3d 172 (appellate review standard re: manifest weight and "lost its way")
State v. DeHass, 10 Ohio St.2d 230 (credibility determinations are for the trier of fact)