State v. Sprecker, 2017 Ohio 7291

Donald Sprecker was indicted for second-degree burglary arising from an August 16, 2015 break‑in of a 79‑year‑old tenant’s apartment; jury convicted and court sentenced him to two years' imprisonment.
Victim’s friend discovered disturbed bedroom and bathroom windows, torn exterior plastic/screen, mud and fresh footprints and puncture holes outside the rear windows; cash (~$2) and a bottle of 22 Oxycontin pills were missing.
Neighbor and girlfriend Anngela Brown testified she followed Sprecker that night, watched him use her step ladder to access the rear windows, received tossed window panes from him, saw him search the dresser/closet, and observed him leave carrying coins and prescription pills; she also testified Sprecker assaulted and choked her that night.
Physical evidence: fresh footprints and holes outside windows matching ladder legs; Anngela’s fingerprints were on a bathroom window; no usable fingerprint match to Sprecker; crime‑lab testimony that absence of prints does not exclude contact.
Sprecker denied involvement, gave an alibi (babysitting at his brother’s), which was contradicted by the brother’s fiancée; he had relevant prior convictions and admitted substance abuse.
On appeal Sprecker challenged only whether his conviction was against the manifest weight of the evidence; the trial court and the court of appeals affirmed.

Issue	Plaintiff's Argument	Defendant's Argument	Held
Whether the burglary conviction was against the manifest weight of the evidence	State: the evidence (victim/friend/Anngela testimony, physical signs of forced entry, ladder/footprint linkage, Anngela’s fingerprints consistent with her account, contradicted alibi) supports conviction and jurors properly credited witnesses	Sprecker: he was more credible; alibi/belief that another (or Anngela) committed act; inconsistencies in witnesses undermine verdict	Affirmed — the appellate court found the jury reasonably credited the State’s witnesses, and the conviction was not a manifest miscarriage of justice

State v. Thompkins, 78 Ohio St.3d 380 (weight-of-the-evidence standard and appellate review of manifest weight)
State v. Awan, 22 Ohio St.3d 120 (credibility determinations rest with the finder of fact)