STATE OF OHIO v. SCOTT E. PATE
Appellate Case No. 28702
IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF OHIO SECOND APPELLATE DISTRICT MONTGOMERY COUNTY
May 28, 2021
[Cite as State v. Pate, 2021-Ohio-1838.]
Trial Court Case No. 2019-CR-1019 (Criminal Appeal from Common Pleas Court)
OPINION
Rendered on the 28th day of May, 2021.
MATHIAS H. HECK, JR., by ANDREW T. FRENCH, Atty. Reg. No. 0069384, Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, Montgomery County Prosecutor‘s Office, Appellate Division, Montgomery County Courts Building, 301 West Third Street, Dayton, Ohio 45422 Attorney for Plaintiff-Appellee
JOHNNA M. SHIA, Atty. Reg. No. 0067685, P.O. Box 145, Springboro, Ohio 45066 Attorney for
WELBAUM, J.
{¶ 1} Defendant-appellant, Scott E. Pate, appeals from his conviction in the Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas after a jury found him guilty of ten counts of rape of a minor less than ten years of age, nine counts of gross sexual imposition, four counts of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor, and two counts of disseminating matter harmful to juveniles. In support of his appeal, Pate argues that the trial court erred by overruling his motion to sever offenses that were joined pursuant to
Facts and Course of Proceedings
{¶ 2} On May 1, 2019, a Montgomery County grand jury returned a 26-count indictment charging Pate with ten counts of rape of a minor less than ten years of age in violation of
{¶ 3} The charges stemmed from allegations that Pate sexually abused four minors, A.A.1, A.A.2, A.A.3, and E.K. The indictment alleged that the sexual abuse of A.A.1, A.A.2, and A.A.3 occurred between March 1, 2016 and March 16, 2019. At the time the abuse was disclosed, A.A.1 was seven years old, A.A.2 was five years old, and A.A.3 was three years old. The indictment alleged that the sexual abuse of E.K. occurred between January 1, 2004 and April 24, 2004. E.K. was 13 years old at the time of the alleged abuse. The following table sets forth the charges pertaining to each of the four victims.
| | Victim | Offense | Allegation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A.A.1 | Rape < 10 | Digital-vaginal penetration in back room of Pate‘s residence |
| 2 | A.A.1 | GSI | Digital-vaginal contact in back room of Pate‘s residence (same incident as Count 1) |
| 3 | A.A.1 | Rape < 10 | Digital-vaginal penetration in front room of Pate‘s residence |
| 4 | A.A.1 | GSI | Digital-vaginal contact in front room of Pate‘s residence (same incident as Count 3) |
| 5 | A.A.1 | Rape < 10 | Cunnilingus in back room of Pate‘s residence |
| 6 | A.A.1 | Rape < 10 | Cunnilingus in Pate‘s vehicle |
| 7 | A.A.1 | Rape < 10 | Cunnilingus in front room of Pate‘s residence |
| 8 | A.A.1 | Rape < 10 | Fellatio in front room of Pate‘s residence |
| 9 | A.A.1 | GSI | Penile-vaginal contact in front room of Pate‘s residence |
| 10 | A.A.1 | GSI | Vaginal touching in Pate‘s vehicle |
| | A.A.1 | GSI | Penile touching at Pate‘s residence |
| 12 | A.A.1 | GSI | Penile touching at Pate‘s residence |
| 13 | A.A.1 | GSI | Vaginal touching with an object in back room of Pate‘s residence |
| 14 | A.A.1 | Disseminating | Pornographic videos shown at Pate‘s residence |
| 15 | A.A.2 | Rape < 10 | Cunnilingus in front room of Pate‘s residence |
| 16 | A.A.2 | Rape < 10 | Cunnilingus in back room of Pate‘s residence |
| 17 | A.A.2 | Rape < 10 | Fellatio at Pate‘s residence |
| 18 | A.A.2 | Rape < 10 | Fellatio at Pate‘s residence |
| 19 | A.A.2 | GSI | Vaginal touching in front room of Pate‘s residence |
| 20 | A.A.2 | GSI | Vaginal touching in Pate‘s residence |
| 21 | A.A.2 | Disseminating | Pornographic videos shown at Pate‘s residence |
| 22 | A.A.3 | GSI | Digital-vaginal contact at Pate‘s residence |
| 23 | E.K. | Unlawful Sexual Conduct | Digital penetration |
| 24 | E.K. | Unlawful Sexual Conduct | Vaginal intercourse |
| 25 | E.K. | Unlawful Sexual Conduct | Fellatio |
| 26 | E.K. | Unlawful Sexual Conduct | Cunnilingus |
{¶ 4} Pate pled not guilty to the indicted charges and the matter ultimately proceeded to a jury trial on the 26 charges set forth above. Pate, however, elected to have
{¶ 5} Prior to trial, Pate filed a
{¶ 6} The trial court disagreed with Pate and denied his motion to sever. In doing so, the trial court found that the evidence supporting the joined offenses was: (1) relevant; (2) admissible at separate trials as other-acts evidence under
{¶ 7} The State called several witnesses at Pate‘s jury trial. The witnesses included A.A.1; E.K.; the mother of A.A.1, A.A.2, and A.A.3; the law enforcement officers and experts who investigated the allegations of sexual abuse; and the medical and mental health service providers who examined and treated A.A.1 and A.A.2. Pate also called four relatives as defense witnesses. Pate called his wife, April Pate; his 19-year-old daughter, Belinda Pate; his 23-year-old son, Jonathan Pate; and his 25-year-old stepson, Ty Shyers. The following information was elicited at trial through the witnesses’ testimony and other evidence.
Pate‘s Relationship to A.A.1, A.A.2, and A.A.3
{¶ 8} Pate‘s wife, April, was close friends with the maternal grandmother of A.A.1, A.A.2, and A.A.3. When the maternal grandmother passed away in 2012, April became very close to A.A.1, A.A.2 and A.A.3‘s mother (“Mother“). April and Mother became so close that April was present in the delivery room when A.A.2 and A.A.3 were born. Mother and her family spent a lot of time at the Pates’ residence for cookouts, birthday celebrations, and holiday gatherings. Over time, April stepped into the role as grandmother to A.A.1, A.A.2, and A.A.3. The three girls referred to April as “Mammaw” and to Pate as “Pawpaw.”
{¶ 9} Beginning in 2016, April and Pate would babysit A.A.1, A.A.2, and A.A.3 free of charge. At 2:45 p.m. on Monday through Friday, Mother would drop off the three girls at the Pates’ residence in Miamisburg, Montgomery County, Ohio. The girls would stay at the Pates’ residence until their father (“Father“) picked them up
{¶ 10} In addition to babysitting, the Pates allowed A.A.1 and A.A.2 to each spend one night of the week at their residence. A.A.1 and A.A.2 would rarely spend the night at the same time. A.A.3, who was still very young, never spent the night with the Pates. When A.A.1 or A.A.2 would spend the night, the child would either sleep in the bedroom belonging to Pate‘s daughter, Belinda, or on the couch in the living room.
A.A.1‘s and A.A.2‘s Disclosure of Abuse and the Subsequent Investigation
{¶ 11} On Saturday March 16, 2019, Mother was at home with A.A.1, A.A.2, and A.A.3 while Father was out getting maintenance performed on their vehicle. As Mother was finishing cleaning her bedroom, five-year-old A.A.2 came into the room and looked at a license plate hanging on their wall that had a silhouette of a naked woman on it. A.A.2 pointed to silhouette and angrily told her Mother that: “Pawpaw needed to tell the truth.” Trial Trans. Vol. III, p. 542. When Mother asked A.A.2 what she was talking about, A.A.2 became dismissive. Mother, however, kept asking A.A.2 what she was talking about, and A.A.2 eventually told Mother that: “Pawpaw‘s trying to have sex with me and my * * * sisters.” Id. Mother had never heard A.A.2 use the word “sex” before and did not ask A.A.2 what she thought the word meant. Mother instead asked how long Pate had been trying to have sex with her and her sisters. A.A.2 responded “for months,” and then told Mother to ask A.A.1 about the abuse. Id. at 542-543.
{¶ 12} Mother then had A.A.2 leave the room and called seven-year-old A.A.1 into the room to speak with her privately. During this conversation, Mother asked A.A.1 if Pate had been touching her, to which A.A.1 responded “Yeah.” Id. at 544. Mother did not elicit any more information from A.A.1 or A.A.2 until Father returned home, at which time Mother and Father spoke with A.A.1 alone. As part of that conversation, A.A.1 told Mother and Father that Pate was “licking on her.” Id. at 546.
{¶ 13} At trial, Mother could not remember what else A.A.1 had told her during their conversation. However, Mother did recall reporting A.A.1‘s and A.A.2‘s allegations to the Miamisburg Police Department the following day, Sunday March 17, 2019, and providing the police with a written statement. Mother‘s written statement, which was admitted into evidence, described the circumstances surrounding A.A.2‘s disclosure and the information that Mother subsequently learned from speaking with A.A.1. Mother wrote in the statement that A.A.1 told her that Pate “had her go to their back room and touches on her privates when nobody is there” and “has rub[b]ed on her down there.” State‘s Exhibit 1.
{¶ 14} After Mother completed her written statement, the investigating officer instructed Mother to take the girls to the hospital to be examined. Once at the hospital, the sexual assault nurse examiner (“SANE nurse“) examined A.A.1 and A.A.2. The examination did not uncover any visible, physical injuries to either girl. At trial, the SANE nurse testified that it is normal not to see any injuries because vaginal tissue is very pliant and heals quickly.
{¶ 15} The SANE nurse also performed rape-kit swabs on A.A.1‘s and A.A.2‘s mouths, fingernails, genitalia, buttocks,
{¶ 16} The matter was thereafter referred to CARE House, which is an advocacy center for abused and neglected children in Montgomery County. A social worker for CARE House, Jennifer Knisley, conducted forensic interviews with A.A.1 and A.A.2 three days after they disclosed the abuse to Mother and Father.1 During the forensic interviews, A.A.1 and A.A.2 made several additional disclosures. Among the disclosures were that Pate had touched A.A.1‘s and A.A.2‘s “privates” with his fingers going in circles, licked their privates, and put his “thing” in their mouths. State‘s Exhibit 5(A). A.A.1 also claimed that when Pate was changing A.A.3‘s diaper, she saw Pate touch A.A.3 with his fingers the same way that he had touched her. Id. A.A.1 further claimed that Pate touched her private with a blue “thing that you turn on” and “it starts squiggling around.” Id. A.A.1 and A.A.2 both indicated that Pate showed them videos on his cell phone
depicting females performing oral sex on males, and that Pate made them do what was shown in the videos. Id.
{¶ 17} Following the CARE House interviews, a search warrant was executed at Pate‘s residence. During the search, officers collected Pate‘s cell phone and a blue vibrator located in a filing cabinet in Pate‘s bedroom. When questioned by the investigating detective, Pate denied having any kind of vibrators in his home. After the detective informed Pate that a blue vibrator was found in his filing cabinet, Pate indicated that it probably belonged to his wife, April. State‘s Exhibit 16(A). During a subsequent recorded jail call with April, Pate referenced the vibrator with a sense of familiarity, as Pate told April that the officers had found “Mr. Blue.” State‘s Exhibit 17; Trans. Vol. V, p. 1005.
{¶ 18} With regard to pornography, Pate initially told the investigating detective that he never watched pornographic videos on his cell phone. Pate maintained that he only visited a website called “Bootyville,” which he claimed showed no sexual acts, just women wearing G-strings. State‘s Exhibit 16(A). However, when the detective asked to search Pate‘s cell phone, Pate began to change his story and indicated that there was sexual content on his cell phone that his friends had sent him.
{¶ 19} Pate also told the detective that he never showed A.A.1 or A.A.2 pornographic videos. However, as the interview progressed, Pate told the detective that the girls possibly saw pornographic videos on his cell phone by accident while “walking up” on him. State‘s Exhibit 16(A). Pate claimed that when he saw the girls looking at the video he would turn off his phone.
{¶ 20} During the course of the investigation, a mobile device examiner used extraction software to extract the data on Pate‘s cell phone. The data extracted included a website search history showing that Pate had searched and visited several active websites on pornhub.com as recently as March 2019. The names of the websites that Pate visited included, but were not limited to: “Exxxtra Small Teens Porn
A.A.1‘s Allegations of Abuse
{¶ 21} A.A.1 testified at trial that Pate had licked her private on the skin while she was in the front room and back room of Pate‘s house. Trial Trans. Vol. IV, p. 635-648. A.A.1 also testified that Pate would lick her private in his truck and van when he would pick her up from school. Id. at 648-651. A.A.1 additionally testified that she observed Pate lick A.A.2‘s private while they were in the front and back room of Pate‘s house. Id. at 666-668. A.A.1 also testified that Pate would rub on her private with two fingers going in circles while they were in Pate‘s living room, back room, van, and truck. Id. at 653-655. A.A.1 further testified that Pate would make his private touch her bottom on the skin while she was bending over the arm of a chair in the living room with her pants off. Id. at 642-644.
{¶ 22} A.A.1 additionally testified that Pate would put a “blue squiggly thing” that made a buzzing sound on her private. Id. at 656-657. A.A.1 testified that Pate would also make her touch his private with “the blue squiggly thing” while in the front room and back room of his house and in his van. Id. at 662. A.A.1 testified that Pate kept “the blue squiggly thing” in his drawer in the back room. Id. at 655-656. When asked to identify a picture of the blue vibrator that was found at Pate‘s residence, A.A.1 did not recognize it as the one that Pate had used on her. A.A.1 testified that the one used on her was round with no bumps on it. Id. at 674. Pate‘s wife, April, later testified that six or seven years ago she had a silver egg or oval shaped vibrator called “bullet.” Trial Trans. Vol. VI, p. 1145 and 1165-1166.
{¶ 23} A.A.1 further testified that Pate would make her put her mouth on his private while they were in the living room and back room of his house. Trial Trans. Vol. IV, p. 659-661. A.A.1 also testified that Pate instructed her on how to do this by showing her a video on his cell phone. Id. A.A.1 testified that the video showed “girls sucking on the boys’ things.” Id. at 659 and 661. A.A.1 further testified that she saw Pate move his fingers in circles on A.A.3‘s private spot when he was changing her diaper. Id. at 663-664.
Pate‘s Relationship to E.K. and E.K.‘s Disclosure of Abuse
{¶ 24} Pate‘s wife, April, is E.K.‘s aunt, as April‘s brother is E.K.‘s father. E.K., therefore, refers to Pate as her uncle. Between January and April 2004, E.K.‘s mother resided at Orchard Hill Apartments in Miamisburg, Ohio. During this time, E.K., who was then 13 years old, would go between living with her mother and living with the Pates who also resided at the Orchard Hill Apartments. E.K. would stay with the Pates for two weeks at a time.
{¶ 25} On April 23, 2004, E.K. told her stepfather‘s sister, Janet Russell, that Pate sexually abused her. After Russell discussed the matter with E.K.‘s mother, who was skeptical of E.K.‘s allegations, Russell called the police. Officer Russell Green of the Miamisburg Police Department responded to the call and obtained written statements from Russell and E.K. Although E.K.‘s writing was somewhat illegible and difficult to discern, E.K. indicated at trial that her 2004 written statement described an incident in which Pate sexually abused her in his bedroom. A legible portion of E.K.‘s written statement indicated that while she was living with Pate, he asked her if she wanted to do a “69 with him,” and that she said “no.” State‘s Exhibit 6. The statement also said that E.K.
{¶ 26} Shortly after reporting the incident, E.K. moved to Georgia to live with her grandmother. Approximately three or four years later, E.K. returned to Miamisburg, Ohio to live with her mother. After living with her mother, E.K. lived with a couple of girlfriends for two or three years until she met her now ex-wife. E.K. and her ex-wife lived in Kentucky for four years before they got divorced. Following the divorce, E.K. remained in Kentucky for three years until she moved back to Ohio due to financial hardship. Because she had nowhere to go, E.K. called her aunt, April, in 2018, to see if she could stay with her. April, who then lived at the Pates’ current residence in Miamisburg, agreed to let E.K. live with her, Pate, and their daughter Belinda.
{¶ 27} Between 2018 and 2019, E.K. went back and forth between staying at the Pates’ residence and a hotel room. While staying with the Pates, E.K. slept on a cot in the living room. E.K. felt awkward living with the Pates given what had happened between her and Pate in 2004. E.K., however, kept to herself and did not interact much with Pate. E.K. testified that on December 15, 2018, Pate had sent her a text message while they were both at the Pates’ residence that asked her if she wanted “to come back here show me tit[t]ies.” Trial Trans. Vol. V, p. 846-847; State‘s Exhibit 7. E.K. did not respond to Pate‘s text message.
{¶ 28} Shortly thereafter, on January 24, 2019, E.K. was staying in a hotel room and was supposed to be picked up by Pate after she checked out. E.K. testified that before Pate picked her up, he sent her a text message that stated: “When I pick you up * * * can get some of that before you check out[?]” State‘s Exhibit 7. When E.K. texted back “some of what[?]” Pate responded: “W[h]at I always want[.] What do you say been a while[.] If so I‘ll take a shower and bring a jo[i]nt[.]” Id. E.K. testified that “what [Pate] always wants is pussy.” Trial Trans. Vol. V, p. 849-850. E.K. testified that she declined Pate‘s offer by sending him a message saying that she was on her “monthly.” Id. at 850; State‘s Exhibit 7. E.K. testified that by “monthly” she meant her “period” and that she was not really on her period. Id. at 850-851. E.K. testified that she lied about being on her period because it sickened her to think about having intercourse with Pate. Id. at 851.
{¶ 29} After learning about A.A.1‘s and A.A.2‘s disclosures of abuse, E.K. spoke to the investigating detective about certain interactions she observed between Pate and the girls that made her uncomfortable. E.K. also spoke to the detective about the abuse she suffered at the hands of Pate when she was a child. On March 29, 2019, E.K. wrote a statement discussing how Pate abused her. See State‘s Exhibit 8. Two weeks after meeting with the detective, E.K. permanently moved out of the Pates’ residence.
E.K.‘s Allegations of Abuse
{¶ 30} E.K. testified at trial regarding the abuse she suffered in 2004. E.K. testified that Pate took her upstairs to his bedroom to play with his “magic cards” and locked the door behind them while she and Pate were alone at his residence. Trial Trans. Vol. V, p. 821. E.K. testified that Pate started to get undressed and played a
{¶ 31} E.K. testified that whenever Pate had intercourse with her, he would first perform cunnilingus on her. Id. at 827. E.K. also testified that when he abused her in his bedroom, Pate always had the television on showing videos of people having intercourse and oral sex. Id. at 829. E.K. recalled that Pate instructed her on how to perform fellatio by showing her how to put her tongue on the back of his penis in order to apply pressure to it. Id. E.K. also testified that there was another incident in which Pate stuck his fingers inside her vagina while she was sitting in the front-passenger seat of his vehicle while they were coming back from the store. Id. at 825-826. E.K. testified that Pate told her that if she told her mother about the abuse she would get taken away and never see her mother again. Id. at 830.
Verdict and Sentence
{¶ 32} After considering all the testimony and evidence, the jury found Pate guilty of 25 of the 26 counts set forth in the indictment, the lone exception being the single count of gross sexual imposition involving A.A.3. The trial court also found Pate guilty of all the sexually violent predator specifications. At sentencing, the trial court merged several of the counts and ordered all of the counts to be served consecutively for a total, aggregate sentence of ten terms of life in prison without the possibility of parole with an additional definite term of 58 years to life in prison. The trial court also found that Pate was a Tier III sex offender, a child victim offender, and a sexual predator who was subject to registration, reporting, and verification requirements under both Meghan‘s Law and the Adam Walsh Act. Pate now appeals from his convictions, raising five assignments of error for review.
First Assignment of Error
{¶ 33} Under his first assignment of error, Pate contends that the trial court erred by failing to grant his motion to sever the charged offenses that pertained to E.K. from the charged offenses that pertained to A.A.1, A.A.2, and A.A.3., so that the offenses could be tried separately. We disagree.
Joinder of Offenses
{¶ 34}
{¶ 35} ” ‘Notwithstanding the policy in favor of joinder,’
{¶ 36} In order to prevail on a claim that the trial court erred in denying a motion to sever, the defendant ” ‘must affirmatively demonstrate (1) that his rights were prejudiced, (2) that at the time of the motion to sever he provided the trial court with sufficient information so that it could weigh the considerations favoring joinder against the defendant‘s right to a fair trial, and (3) that given the information provided to the court, it abused its discretion in refusing to separate the charges for trial.’ ” Ford at ¶ 106, quoting State v. Schaim, 65 Ohio St.3d 51, 59, 600 N.E.2d 661 (1992). A trial court‘s ruling on a
{¶ 37} As noted above, Pate argues that the trial court abused its discretion when it denied his motion to sever the charged offenses that pertained to E.K. from the charged offenses that pertained to A.A.1, A.A.2, and A.A.3. In support of the motion, Pate argued that joining these offenses would prejudice him because the 12 to 15-year time span between the allegations would create an unfavorable impression of him in the mind of the jurors. Pate also argued that the allegations pertaining to E.K. were so dissimilar from the allegations pertaining to A.A.1, A.A.2, and A.A.3, that joinder served no valid evidentiary purpose. Pate further argued that the State would not be permitted to introduce evidence of the joined offenses in separate trials as other-acts evidence under
Evid.R. 404(B) Other-Acts Evidence
{¶ 38} As previously noted, the State can overcome a defendant‘s claim of prejudicial joinder by showing that evidence of the joined offenses would be admissible at separate trials as other-acts evidence under
Evidence of other crimes, wrongs, or acts is not admissible to prove the character
of a person in order to show action in conformity therewith. It may, however, be admissible for other purposes, such as proof of motive, opportunity, intent, preparation, plan, knowledge, identity, or absence of mistake or accident.
{¶ 39} Therefore, under
{¶ 40}
In any criminal case in which the defendant‘s motive or intent, the absence of mistake or accident on his part, or the defendant‘s scheme, plan, or system in doing an act is material, any acts of the defendant which tend to show his motive or intent, the absence of mistake or accident on his part, or the defendant‘s scheme, plan, or system in doing the act in question may be proved, whether they are contemporaneous with or prior or subsequent thereto, notwithstanding that such proof may show or tend to show the commission of another crime by the defendant.
{¶ 41} Like
{¶ 42} In Williams, the Supreme Court of Ohio “set forth a three-part analysis for determining the admissibility of other-acts evidence: to be admissible, (1) the evidence must be relevant,
evidence under
{¶ 43} In denying Pate‘s motion to sever, the trial court applied the three-part test in Williams and found that Williams was factually similar to the instant case. Like Pate, the defendant in Williams was convicted of several counts of rape, gross sexual imposition, and unlawful sexual conduct with a minor. Williams at ¶ 1. The convicted offenses in Williams stemmed from the defendant sexually abusing J.H., a 14-year old boy who the defendant mentored at church. Id. at ¶ 3. Over objection, the trial court in Williams permitted the State to admit other-acts evidence from a witness who testified that the defendant had similarly abused him 10 years earlier when he was 16 years old. Id. at ¶ 5-8. The State offered the witness‘s testimony to
{¶ 44} On appeal, the Eighth District Court of Appeals held that the witness‘s testimony in Williams was inadmissible other acts evidence under
{¶ 45} In reversing Williams, the Supreme Court explained that evidence of other crimes, wrongs, or acts of an accused may be admissible to prove intent or plan, even if the identity of an accused or the immediate background of a crime is not at issue. Id. at ¶ 2. The Supreme Court held that evidence of Williams‘s sexual relations with another teenage boy on previous occasions was relevant to prove that the defendant had a plan to target vulnerable teenage boys, to mentor them, and to groom them for sexual activity with the intent of sexual gratification. Id. at ¶ 22. Instead of simply showing propensity, the Supreme Court found that “[t]he state offered the testimony of [the witness] to demonstrate the motive, preparation, and plan of the accused to target teenage males who had no father figure and to gain their trust and confidence for the purpose of grooming them for sexual activity with the intent to be sexually gratified.” Id. at ¶ 21.
{¶ 46} The Supreme Court also noted that the witness‘s testimony “rebutted the suggestion offered by the defense during opening statements that J.H. had falsely accused Williams of abuse with the hope of getting out of trouble at school and the suggestion that Williams was sexually attracted to women.” Id. at ¶ 22. The Supreme Court additionally found that the witness‘s testimony indicating “that Williams received ‘some type of sexual gratification’ also [was] relevant to show that Williams‘s intent was sexual gratification.” (Citation omitted.) Id. Therefore, having found that the witness‘s testimony was relevant, probative of something other than propensity, and not unfairly prejudicial, the Supreme Court in Williams reinstated the judgment of the trial court. Id. at ¶ 21-25.
{¶ 47} Relying on Williams, the trial court in this case concluded that if the allegations concerning E.K. were tried separately from the allegations concerning A.A.1, A.A.2, and A.A.3, the evidence supporting their respective allegations would be admissible as other-acts evidence under
{¶ 48} Pate challenges the trial court‘s decision on this matter based on the Supreme
{¶ 49} In reaching its decision in Hartman, the Supreme Court discussed the exceptions listed in
{¶ 50} When discussing the “common scheme or plan” exception in
Here, the evidence plainly does not fit into the common understanding of plan evidence. Hartman‘s alleged assault of his stepdaughter was not part of a larger scheme involving the rape of E.W. Nonetheless, the state contends that the evidence was admissible as a result of our decision in Williams, 134 Ohio St.3d 521, 2012-Ohio-5695, 983 N.E.2d 1278.
In Williams, we considered whether other-acts evidence tending to show a plan may be admitted when the identity of the assailant is not at issue. Although we had previously indicated that such evidence will most often be relevant to illustrate the immediate background of the offense or identify the perpetrator, see Curry, 43 Ohio St.2d at 73, 330 N.E.2d 720, we confirmed in Williams that plan evidence is not necessarily limited to those scenarios and may be admitted for other purposes, Williams at ¶ 19.
While the other-acts evidence in Williams tended to show that the defendant, who had been charged with the rape of a 14-year-old boy, had a pattern of grooming teenage boys to take advantage of them sexually, that fact alone is not what overcame the propensity bar. Rather, the result in Williams turned on the state‘s use of the other-acts evidence for the purpose of refuting the defendant‘s claims that he was not sexually attracted to teenage boys and establishing that the defendant had acted with the specific intent of achieving sexual gratification. Id. at ¶ 22, 25.
There may be instances in which seemingly unrelated but highly similar crimes could be evidence of a common scheme to commit the charged crime—perhaps, for instance, a string of robberies
occurring close in time and location. We stress, however, that plan evidence should show that the crime being charged and the other acts are part of the same grand design by the defendant. Otherwise, proof that the accused has committed similar crimes is no different than proof that the accused has a propensity for committing that type of crime. The takeaway for the jury becomes, “The accused did it once recently; therefore, the accused did it again.” Imwinkelried, Using a Contextual Construction to Resolve the Dispute over the Meaning of the Term “Plan” in Federal Rule of Evidence 404(b), 43 U.Kan.L.Rev. 1005, 1012 (1995). Here, Hartman‘s molestation of his stepdaughter four years prior was not linked to any overarching plan to commit rape against E.W. The incidents are wholly distinct, and unlike the common-scheme evidence demonstrated in Williams, 134 Ohio St.3d 521, 2012-Ohio-5695, 983 N.E.2d 1278, the other-acts evidence in this case contains few similarities to the crimes charged. Thus, the evidence was not relevant to show a common scheme or plan.
(Emphasis added.) Hartman, 161 Ohio St.3d 214, 2020-Ohio-4440, 161 N.E.3d 651, at ¶ 43-47.
{¶ 51} The Supreme Court in Hartman also discussed the absence of mistake and intent exceptions in
Other-acts evidence is admissible to negate a defendant‘s claim of mistake or accident with respect to the commission of the alleged crime; such evidence tends “[t]o show, by similar acts or incidents, that the act in question was not performed inadvertently, accidentally, involuntarily, or without guilty knowledge.” McCormick, Evidence, Section 190, at 804 (4th Ed.1994). In the criminal context, there are generally two ways in which the accused may raise a claim of accident. Imwinkelried, 51 Ohio St.L.J. at 593. The first involves whether a criminal act occurred at all. * * *
The second scenario implicates the intent of the accused. The question here is not whether the act occurred but whether the defendant acted with a criminal intent. * * *
* * *
There is a thin line between the permissible use of other-acts evidence to show intent and the impermissible use to show propensity. Allowing other-acts evidence to prove the defendant‘s state of mind “flirt[s] dangerously with eviscerating the character evidence prohibition” altogether. Leonard at Section 7.4. * * *
For this reason, courts should use caution when evaluating whether to admit other-acts evidence for the purpose of showing intent or absence of mistake. To determine whether other-acts evidence is genuinely probative of the intent of the accused to commit the charged crime, rather than merely the accused‘s propensity to commit similar crimes, the question is whether, “under the circumstances, the detailed facts of the charged and uncharged offenses strongly suggest that an innocent explanation is implausible.” (Emphasis sic.) Id. at Section 7.5.2. Or to put it another way, the other-acts evidence “must be so related to the crime charged in time or circumstances that evidence of the other acts is significantly useful in showing the defendant‘s intent in connection with the crime charged.” 1 Wharton‘s Criminal Evidence at Section 4:31.
(Emphasis added.) Hartman at ¶ 52-58.
{¶ 52} With the foregoing principles in mind, we find that the evidence supporting the joined offenses in this case
{¶ 53} We further find that the probative value of the other-acts evidence was not outweighed by the danger of unfair prejudice. The other-acts evidence was greatly probative in that it corroborated the victims’ allegations of abuse. This is especially important in this case given that A.A.1 and A.A.2 were very young and thus more susceptible to attacks on their credibility and reliability.
{¶ 54} We also note that the Supreme Court of Ohio has recognized that when a witness is a material witness in two separate cases there is no prejudice in trying the cases together. State v. Gordon, 152 Ohio St.3d 528, 2018-Ohio-259, 98 N.E.3d 251, ¶ 28. A material witness is “[a] witness who can testify about matters having some logical connection with the consequential facts, esp. if few others, if any, know about those matters.” Id., quoting Black‘s Law Dictionary 1839 (10th Ed.2014).
{¶ 55} In this case, E.K. was a material witness in that her testimony not only concerned her allegations of abuse, but A.A.1‘s and A.A.2‘s allegations as well. Specifically, E.K. testified that when A.A.1 and A.A.2 were around Pate‘s computer, she would occasionally “hear the girls tell [Pate] to stop, but when [she‘d] look over at them * * * [Pate] would make it look like he was patting their butt or tapping their hips or something.” Trial Trans. Vol. V, p. 842. E.K. also testified that Pate “would be kissing them on the neck,” and that the girls “never kissed him back.” Id. at 875. E.K. further testified that when Pate tried to kiss the girls, they “pushed their head down to their shoulders and would tell him ‘No, stop.‘” Id. 875-876. Therefore, because E.K. was a material witness in both matters, there was no prejudice in joining the offenses in question.
{¶ 56} For the foregoing reasons, we find that all three parts of the other-acts admissibility test set forth in Williams were satisfied. That is, the other-acts evidence was relevant, probative of a non-propensity issue, and its probative value was not outweighed by the danger of unfair prejudice. See Graham, Ohio Slip Opinion No. 2020-Ohio-6700, __ N.E.3d __, at ¶ 72. Therefore, the evidence of the joined offenses was admissible as other-acts evidence under
Simple and Direct Evidence
{¶ 57} Even if we had found that the evidence at issue was not admissible as other-acts evidence, the State can also defeat a claim of prejudicial joinder by showing that the evidence pertaining to each offense joined at trial is simple and direct. Ford, 158 Ohio St.3d 139, 2019-Ohio-4539, 140 N.E.3d 616, at ¶ 104; Lott, 51 Ohio St.3d at 163, 555 N.E.2d 293. “[W]hen simple and direct evidence exists, an accused is not prejudiced by joinder regardless of whether the evidence is admissible as other-acts evidence.” (Citations omitted.) State v. Coley, 93 Ohio St.3d 253, 260, 754 N.E.2d 1129 (2001), citing Lott at 163. Evidence is simple and direct if the jury can readily separate the proof required for each offense, the evidence is straightforward and unlikely to confuse jurors, and if there is little danger that the jury would improperly consider testimony on one offense as corroborative of the other. State v. Morgan, 2d Dist. Clark No. 2018-CA-103, 2019-Ohio-3691, ¶ 79, citing State v. Skatzes, 104 Ohio St.3d 195, 2004-Ohio-6391, 819 N.E.2d 215, ¶ 34, citing LaMar, 95 Ohio St.3d 181, 2002-Ohio-2128, 767 N.E.2d 166, at ¶ 50-51. (Other citations omitted.)
{¶ 58} In denying Pate‘s motion to sever, the trial court found that the evidence supporting the joined offenses was separate and distinct and that there was a minimal likelihood of jury confusion. After a thorough review of the record, we find that the trial court‘s decision was reasonable. There is nothing in the record suggesting that the jurors were ever confused by the evidence or were unable to segregate the offenses and evidence related to each charge. The jury, in fact, found Pate not guilty of one of the charges levied against him, thereby demonstrating that the jury was able to sift through the evidence and segregate the offenses successfully. Therefore, while there were several charges brought in this case, the record nevertheless indicates that the evidence supporting each charge was simple and direct. Because the evidence was simple and direct, for that reason as well, the trial court did not abuse its discretion in denying Pate‘s motion to sever.
{¶ 59} Pate‘s first assignment of error is overruled.
Second Assignment of Error
{¶ 60} Under his second assignment of error, Pate challenges the trial court‘s decision to permit portions of A.A.1‘s and A.A.2‘s forensic interviews to be admitted into evidence at trial. In support of this claim, Pate contends that the forensic interviews were inadmissible hearsay evidence under
Standard of Review
{¶ 61} “The admission or exclusion of evidence rests within the sound discretion of the trial court.” State v. Sage, 31 Ohio St.3d 173, 510 N.E.2d 343 (1987), paragraph two of the syllabus. Disagreements about the admission of evidence are therefore reviewed for an abuse of discretion. State v. Freeman, 2d Dist. Greene No. 2020-CA-33, 2021-Ohio-734, ¶ 54, citing Sage. As a result, “[h]earsay challenges to a trial court‘s admission of statements from children in sex-abuse cases are reviewed under an abuse-of-discretion standard.” State v. Moore, 2019-Ohio-1671, 135 N.E.3d 1114, ¶ 21 (2d Dist.), citing State v. Muttart, 116 Ohio St.3d 5, 2007-Ohio-5267, 875 N.E.2d 944, ¶ 48. As previously noted, “[a] trial court abuses its discretion when it makes a decision that is unreasonable, unconscionable, or arbitrary.” Darmond, 135 Ohio St.3d 343, 2013-Ohio-966, 986 N.E.2d 971, at ¶ 34.
A.A.1‘s and A.A.2‘s Forensic Interviews were Admissible Hearsay Evidence
{¶ 62} Hearsay is “a statement, other than one made by the declarant while testifying at the trial or hearing, offered in evidence to prove the truth of the matter asserted.”
1. Evid.R. 803(4)
{¶ 63}
{¶ 64} In the present case, the trial court found that A.A.1‘s and A.A.2‘s forensic interviews were admissible hearsay under
{¶ 65} “In determining whether statements made to a forensic interviewer at a child advocacy center are made for the purpose of medical diagnosis and treatment, as opposed to forensic investigative purposes, the court must ‘identify the primary purpose of the statements.‘” State v. Remy, 2d Dist. Clark No. 2017-CA-6, 2018-Ohio-2856, ¶ 82, quoting State v. Arnold, 126 Ohio St.3d 290, 2010-Ohio-2742, 933 N.E.2d 775, ¶ 28. “Whether the purpose of a child‘s statements is for medical diagnosis or treatment will depend on the facts of the particular case.” State v. Jones, 2015-Ohio-4116, 43 N.E.3d 833, ¶ 73 (2d Dist.), citing Muttart, 116 Ohio St.3d 5, 2007-Ohio-5267, 875 N.E.2d 944 at ¶ 49.
{¶ 66} In Arnold, the Supreme Court of Ohio recognized that child-advocacy centers are unique insofar as a single interview with a child serves “dual purposes,” which are: “(1) to gather forensic information
{¶ 67} The Supreme Court, however, also found that “other statements provided information that was necessary to diagnose and medically treat” the child victim. Id. at ¶ 37. The Supreme Court noted that “[t]he history obtained during the interview is important for the doctor or nurse practitioner to make an accurate diagnosis and to determine what evaluation and treatment are necessary.” Id. Specifically, the Supreme Court held that the victim‘s “statements that described the acts that Arnold performed, including that Arnold touched her ‘pee-pee,’ that Arnold‘s ‘pee-pee’ went inside her ‘pee-pee,’ that Arnold‘s ‘pee-pee’ touched her ‘butt,’ that Arnold‘s hand touched her ‘pee-pee,’ and that Arnold‘s mouth touched her ‘pee-pee’ ” were necessary for medical diagnosis or treatment. Id. at ¶ 38. The fact that the victim already had undergone a “rape-kit examination” did not dissuade the Supreme Court from finding that the foregoing statements were necessary for subsequent medical diagnosis or treatment. Id. at ¶ 39.
The Supreme Court also found nothing objectionable about the fact that police watched the interview or the fact that information obtained for medical purposes ultimately was used to prosecute the defendant. These considerations did “not change the fact” that some of the child‘s statements “were made for medical diagnosis and treatment.” Id. at ¶ 43.
{¶ 68} In State v. Warman, 12th Dist. Butler No. CA2016-02-029, 2017-Ohio-244, the Twelfth District Court of Appeals applied Arnold in a case involving a recording of an interview at a child-advocacy center. After reviewing the child‘s statements during the interview, the Twelfth District concluded that some of the statements were admissible under
Under Arnold, KG6‘s statements concerning the specifics of the sexual act she performed, i.e., how many times she did it, her physical interaction with his penis, and “ducking,” were primarily for the purpose of medical treatment. However, the remaining information in the interview, including where the car was located, where she and her siblings were situated in the car, and that she had a shirt around her eyes were statements drawn from her primarily for a forensic or investigative purpose. Because these statements were not primarily for medical diagnosis or treatment they should
not have been admitted under the Evid.R. 803(4) hearsay exception.
Accordingly, some of the statements KG6 made in the interview did not fall under the hearsay exception for medical diagnosis or treatment, and therefore the admission of those statements was error to the extent that they were offered to prove the truth of the matter they asserted. However, such error was harmless as the state presented ample evidence other than the video-recorded interview to sustain Warman‘s conviction for the rape of KG6.
{¶ 69} In Remy, 2d Dist. Clark No. 2017-CA-6, 2018-Ohio-2856, this court also considered whether statements made by child sex-abuse victims were admissible under
Based on the evidence before us, the primary purpose of [social worker] Lowe‘s forensic interviews with D.C., J.C., and K.C. was for forensic information-gathering, not for the purpose of medical diagnosis and treatment. The interviews were coordinated with law enforcement personnel, Detective Fent observed the interviews from an observation room, and Lowe consulted with Detective Fent prior to completing the interviews that the detective attended. The interviews were not conducted in a medical facility or through referrals from a medical facility, and there is no indication that the children gave the statements for purposes of obtaining a medical diagnosis or treatment. Although referrals to physicians and counselors were made following certain interviews, the primary goals stated by Lowe were information-gathering for child safety, not to provide immediate medical (physical or mental health) care and diagnosis.
Although the recorded videos of Lowe‘s interviews were objectionable, we nevertheless conclude, upon review of the entire record, that their admission was harmless. As with the statements in [another trial witness‘s] recordings, the allegations by the children in the challenged interviews with Lowe were repeated to other medical professionals and/or therapists. Accordingly, the content of the children‘s statements would have been before the jury even absent the video-taped interviews. In addition, even without the video-recordings, Lowe would have been permitted to testify about the demeanor of the children during the interviews and to the referrals that were made as a result of the girls’ statements during the interviews. Arguably, Lowe might have been permitted to testify about some of the girls’ allegations to explain why the referrals were made, but not for the truth of the allegations themselves.
{¶ 70} After Remy, this court addressed the same
[I]n the Remy opinion * * *, this court did not attempt to parse the children‘s statements to determine whether the primary purpose for some of them might have been medical diagnosis or
treatment. Instead, we simply conducted a harmless-error analysis. As illustrated by Arnold and Warman, however, it is also appropriate to consider a child‘s statements one-by-one to see whether any of them fit within the Evid.R. 803(4) hearsay exception. In fact, in a second Remy case * * * this court addressed the same interviews in the context of the children‘s mother‘s appeal from her own convictions related to her husband‘s abuse. In State v. Remy, 2018-Ohio-2857, 117 N.E.3d 916 (2d Dist.), we explicitly recognized that “some statements” made during the children‘s interviews at the child-advocacy center “may have been made for purpose of treatment” and, thus, may not have been objectionable on hearsay grounds. Id. at ¶ 64-65 (acknowledging that not all of the children‘s statements at the child-advocacy center were necessarily subject to exclusion as hearsay and recognizing that some of the statements may have been related to medical treatment). That is precisely what we have found in Moore‘s case.
{¶ 71} Like Arnold and Warman, in Moore we held that the critical aspects of the child victim‘s statements to the interviewer were properly admitted under
Based on our review of the record, the trial court did not act unreasonably to the extent that it allowed the jury to hear [the victim‘s] statements to [the interviewer] about specific sex acts Moore performed on her. Those statements referenced multiple instances of vaginal intercourse, oral sex, contact between Moore‘s penis and [the victim‘s] “butt,” and touching of her breasts and vagina. The trial court acted within its discretion in concluding that the primary purpose of these statements was medical diagnosis or treatment.
We believe the trial court erred, however, insofar as it allowed the jury to hear all of [the victim‘s] statements to [the interviewer]. For example, [the victim‘s] statements about the physical location of the abuse and the layout of the house, the presence of anyone else, what Moore said or sounds he made while performing sex acts, and whether [the victim] was asleep all appear to have been elicited and made primarily for investigatory purposes. These sorts of contextual statements were not reasonably necessary for medical diagnosis or treatment and, therefore, were not admissible under the
Evid.R. 803(4) hearsay exception. As the Twelfth District did in Warman, however, we find that the trial court‘s admission of these non-medical statements constituted harmless error.
(Footnote omitted.) Id. at ¶ 29-30.
{¶ 72} Based on the holdings in Arnold, Moore, and Warman, we find that the statements A.A.1 and A.A.2 made during their interviews describing the nature of the sexual abuse they endured were for purposes of medical diagnosis and treatment and were therefore admissible under
{¶ 73} Although A.A.1‘s and A.A.2‘s forensic interviews contained other statements that did not pertain to medical diagnosis or treatment, upon review, we find that the admission of those statements was harmless error. This is because A.A.1 reiterated the non-medical statements during her live testimony at trial, and, for reasons discussed more fully below, all of A.A.2‘s non-medical statements were separately admissible under
2. Evid.R. 807(A)
{¶ 74}
An out-of-court statement made by a child who is under twelve years of age at the time of trial or hearing describing any sexual activity performed, or attempted to be performed, by, with, or on the child or describing any act or attempted act of physical harm directed against the child‘s person is not excluded as hearsay under
Evid.R. 802 if all the following apply:(1) The court finds that the totality of the circumstances surrounding the making of the statement provides particularized guarantees of trustworthiness that make the statement at least as reliable as statements admitted pursuant to
Evid.R. 803 and804 . The circumstances must establish that the child was particularly likely to be telling the truth when the statement was made and that the test of cross-examination would add little to the reliability of the statement. In making its determination of the reliability of the statement, the court shall consider all of the circumstances surrounding the making of the statement, including but not limited to spontaneity, the internal consistency of the statement, the mental state of the child, the child‘s motive or lack of motive to fabricate, the child‘s use of terminology unexpected of a child of similar age, the means by which the statement was elicited, and the lapse of time between the act and the statement. In making this determination, the court shall not consider whether there is independent proof of the sexual activity or attempted sexual activity, or of the act or attempted act of physical harm directed against the child‘s person;(2) The child‘s testimony is not reasonably obtainable by the proponent of the statement;
(3) There is independent proof of the sexual activity or attempted sexual activity, or of the act or attempted act of physical harm directed against the child‘s person;
(4) At least ten days before the trial or hearing, a proponent of the statement has notified all other parties
in writing of the content of the statement, the time and place at which the statement was made, the identity of the witness who is to testify about the statement, and the circumstances surrounding the statement that are claimed to indicate its trustworthiness.
{¶ 75} “For the statement to be admitted [under
{¶ 76} Following an evidentiary hearing, the trial court found that all four requirements of
[A.A.2 is] five and just developmentally [she] was a little bit more scatterbrained and kind of chaotic, just—she‘s a very active five-year-old and so she wanted to talk about what she wanted to talk about and not necessarily follow, you know, this protocol or this structure that I wanted to go through, so. She demonstrates some of that, was just kind of being all over and she answers what she wants when she wants.
Trial Trans. Vol. IV, p. 730-731.
{¶ 77} Upon review, we find that Knisley‘s testimony does not indicate that A.A.2‘s statements were unreliable. When determining the reliability of A.A.2‘s statements, the trial court thoroughly considered all of the circumstances surrounding the forensic interview, including the factors listed in
{¶ 78} The trial court also reasonably found that, due A.A.2‘s young age, A.A.2 did not have the cognitive wherewithal to connive a plan to fabricate allegations of sexual abuse against Pate. In addition, the trial court reasonably found that A.A.2‘s use of the term “sex” during the interview and her ability to physically imitate sex acts was not something a five-year old would be expected to know or reference.
{¶ 79} Because the trial court‘s findings as to the reliability of A.A.2‘s statements are reasonable, and because the other requirements under
The Cumulative Forensic Interview Evidence Was Not Prejudicial
{¶ 80} Pate also contends that since A.A.1 testified about the allegations of sexual abuse at trial, the trial court erred in admitting her forensic interview because it was cumulative to her testimony and thus prejudicial. We again disagree.
{¶ 81} ” ‘Cumulative evidence’ is additional evidence of the same kind to the same point.” State v. Jali, 2d Dist. Montgomery No. 28294, 2020-Ohio-208, ¶ 41, quoting Kroger v. Ryan, 83 Ohio St. 299, 94 N.E. 428 (1911), syllabus. “Pursuant to
{¶ 82} Upon review, we find that A.A.1‘s interview was cumulative in that there was nothing in the admitted portion of A.A.1‘s forensic interview that was not covered by A.A.1‘s trial testimony. The record, however, indicates that the interview was admitted to assist Knisley in explaining how she analyzed the context of A.A.1‘s allegations, i.e., whether the allegations had characteristics of innocent touching or sexual abuse. See Trial Trans. Vol. IV, p. 723 and 728-729. Therefore, while the admission of A.A.1‘s interview may have been cumulative, it was not needlessly cumulative. Regardless, Pate failed to demonstrate how he was materially prejudiced by the cumulative nature of the evidence. Pate simply argued that A.A.1‘s interview merely corroborated her trial testimony. While the corroboration may have been unfavorable to Pate, it was not unfairly prejudicial because even if A.A.1‘s interview had not been admitted, there was an abundance of other evidence presented at trial that corroborated A.A.1‘s testimony.
{¶ 83} Because A.A.1‘s and A.A.2‘s forensic interviews were admissible under the hearsay exceptions in
Third Assignment of Error
{¶ 84} Under his third assignment of error, Pate contends that his convictions for six counts of raping A.A.1 and four counts of raping A.A.2 were not supported by sufficient evidence and were against the manifest weight of the evidence. We disagree.
{¶ 86} In contrast, “[a] weight of the evidence argument challenges the believability of the evidence and asks which of the competing inferences suggested by the evidence is more believable or persuasive.” (Citation omitted.) Wilson at ¶ 12. When evaluating whether a conviction was against the manifest weight of the evidence, the appellate court must review the entire record, weigh the evidence and all reasonable inferences, consider witness credibility, and determine whether, in resolving conflicts in the evidence, the trier of fact “‘clearly lost its way and created such a manifest miscarriage of justice that the conviction must be reversed and a new trial ordered.‘” Thompkins at 387, quoting State v. Martin, 20 Ohio App.3d 172, 175, 485 N.E.2d 717 (1st Dist.1983). “The fact that the evidence is subject to different interpretations does not render the conviction against the manifest weight of the evidence.” State v. Adams, 2d Dist. Greene Nos. 2013-CA-61, 2013-CA-62, 2014-Ohio-3432, ¶ 24, citing Wilson at ¶ 14.
{¶ 87} Because the trier of fact sees and hears the witnesses at trial, we must defer to the factfinder‘s decisions whether, and to what extent, to credit the testimony of particular witnesses. State v. Lawson, 2d Dist. Montgomery No. 16288, 1997 WL 476684, *4 (Aug. 22, 1997). However, we may determine which of several competing inferences suggested by the evidence should be preferred. A judgment of conviction should be reversed as being against the manifest weight of the evidence only in exceptional circumstances. Martin at 175.
{¶ 88} As previously noted, Pate is challenging his convictions for six counts of raping A.A.1 and four counts of raping A.A.2. Each of the rape counts was in violation of
{¶ 89} The term “sexual conduct” is defined as “vaginal intercourse between a male and female; anal intercourse, fellatio, and cunnilingus between persons regardless of sex; and, without privilege to do so, the insertion, however slight, of any part of the body or any instrument, apparatus, or other object into the vaginal or anal opening of another.”
{¶ 90} Pate contends that there was insufficient evidence to support a finding that he engaged in sexual conduct with A.A.1 and A.A.2. The following evidence, however, established otherwise.
Rape of A.A.1
{¶ 91} During trial, A.A.1 referred to her vagina as her “private.” A.A.1 testified that she used her private for “pottying” and indicated that it was located in her lap area. Trial Trans. Vol. IV, p. 639-640. A.A.1 also referred to Pate‘s penis as his “private,” as she testified that boys use their private for “pottying” and indicated that a boy‘s private is located between his legs. Id. Using this terminology, A.A.1 testified to several incidents of cunnilingus, digital penetration, and fellatio. Each of those incidents are discussed in detail below.
1. Cunnilingus
{¶ 92} Three of the six counts of rape related to A.A.1 involved allegations of Pate performing cunnilingus. In support of these counts, A.A.1 testified that Pate licked on her private in the “back room” and identified the “back room” as Pate‘s bedroom. Id. at 635 and 646. A.A.1 testified that when it happened, she would be lying on her belly on Pate‘s side of the bed with her clothes off. Id. at 646-647. A.A.1 also testified that when Pate licked her private it would be on her skin. Id. at 646. A.A.1 additionally testified that Pate licked on her private in the same manner while she was on the flower chair in Pate‘s front room/living room. Id. at 643, 646-648.
{¶ 93} A.A.1 further testified that Pate licked on her private while she was in his van and truck. Id. at 648-651. A.A.1 testified that after Pate picked her up from school, he would drive her to the river where no one else was around. Id. at 648-649. A.A.1 testified that when they got to the river, Pate would get out of his vehicle, come around to the front-passenger seat where she was sitting, and “lick on [her] private.” Id. at 649-650. A.A.1 testified that Pate instructed her how to put her legs up and once again indicated that when Pate licked on her private it would be on her skin. Id. at 651-653.
{¶ 94} When viewed in a light most favorable to the State, the foregoing testimony was sufficient to establish at least three counts of rape by cunnilingus in violation of
2. Digital Penetration
{¶ 95} Two of the six counts of rape related to A.A.1 involved allegations of Pate‘s digitally penetrating A.A.1‘s vagina. In support of these counts, A.A.1 testified that Pate rubbed on her private using two of his fingers. Trial Trans. Vol. IV, p. 653. A.A.1 testified that Pate‘s fingers “would go in circles” on her skin. Id. At one point, A.A.1 testified that Pate only touched “outside” her body. Id. at 652. However, when A.A.1 was asked to demonstrate on a tissue box how Pate touched her with his fingers, the record indicates that A.A.1‘s fingers went slightly inside the tissue box during the demonstration. Id. at 654. A.A.1 testified that Pate did this type of touching “[i]n the living room, back room, van, and truck.” Id. at 654. A.A.1
{¶ 96} The insertion, however slight, of any part of the body into the vaginal opening of another constitutes “sexual conduct” for purposes of establishing rape under
3. Fellatio
{¶ 97} The remaining count of rape related to A.A.1 involved an allegation that Pate made A.A.1 perform fellatio on him. In support of this count, A.A.1 testified that Pate “would make [her] put [her] mouth on his private spot.” Trial Trans. Vol. IV, p. 659. A.A.1 testified that Pate instructed her how to do it by showing her a video on his cell phone of “girls sucking on the boys’ things.” Id. at 659, 661. A.A.1 testified that Pate would put his private spot in her mouth while in the living room and in the back room. Id. at 660. A.A.1 specifically recalled an incident in the front room when “something white” came out of Pate‘s private spot after he put his private in her mouth. Id. A.A.1 testified that the white substance “squirted out” on the floor and that Pate said “it was juice.” Id. at 660-661.
{¶ 98} When viewed in a light most favorable to the State, the foregoing testimony was sufficient to establish one count of rape by fellatio in violation of
Rape of A.A.2
{¶ 99} As previously discussed, because five-year-old A.A.2 was found to be incompetent to testify at trial, a portion of A.A.2‘s forensic interview was played for the jury and admitted into evidence pursuant to
1. Fellatio
{¶ 100} Two of the four counts of rape related to A.A.2 involved allegations of fellatio. After telling the interviewer about how Pate touched A.A.1 with his genital area, A.A.2 made the following unsolicited comment: “Him does it sometimes and we have to put it in [her] mouth.” State‘s Exhibit 5(A), 4:55:08 p.m. to 4:55:56 p.m. When the interviewer clarified and asked A.A.2 if Pate did that to her, A.A.2 first shook her head no and then responded: “Yeah, but we say no all the time.” Id. at 4:55:57 p.m. to 4:56:06 p.m. When the interviewer asked A.A.2 to tell her about Pate putting “his spot,” i.e., his genitalia, in her mouth, A.A.2 indicated that Pate did it even though she did not want him to. Id. at 4:58:12 p.m. to 4:58:21 p.m. A.A.2 then said “We tell him to stop” and indicated that Pate stopped. Id. at 4:57:42 p.m. to 4:58:43 p.m. When the interviewer asked A.A.2 to clarify what the “thing” or “spot”
{¶ 101} The interviewer then asked A.A.2 where she was located when Pate puts his “thing” in her mouth and A.A.2 responded: “At Pawpaw and Mammaw‘s.” Id. at 4:58:48 p.m. to 4:58:53 p.m. When asked where in Pawpaw and Mammaw‘s house, A.A.2 responded: “In their bedroom.” Id. at 4:58:54 p.m. to 4:58:59 p.m. A.A.2 thereafter indicated that Pate only did it to her and A.A.1, not to A.A.3. Id. at 4:59:00 p.m. to 4:59:16 p.m.
{¶ 102} Later in the interview, A.A.2 indicated that Pate showed her pornographic videos. Id. at 5:06:37 p.m. to 5:07:11 p.m. When the interviewer asked what the people were doing in the videos, A.A.2 said “all these girls do this” and then A.A.2 physically imitated oral sex by opening her mouth and moving her head. Id. at 5:06:48 p.m. to 5:07:00 p.m. A.A.2 thereafter clarified that “they are doing it to the boy.” Id. at 5:07:03 p.m. to 5:07:13 p.m. A.A.2 said that the people in the videos were “not kids they‘re grownups.” Id. at 5:07:14 p.m. to 5:07:23 p.m. When asked how Pate showed her the videos, A.A.2 said that “they were doing it on his phone.” Id. at 5:07:45 p.m. to 5:08:06 p.m. A.A.2 also shook her head yes when the interviewer asked her whether Pate had ever made her do the things shown in the videos. Id. at 5:08:15 p.m. to 5:08:20 p.m.
{¶ 103} When viewed in a light most favorable to the State, the foregoing evidence was sufficient to establish two counts of rape by fellatio in violation of
2. Cunnilingus
{¶ 104} The remaining two counts of rape related to A.A.2 involve allegations of cunnilingus. At trial, A.A.1 testified that she observed Pate lick A.A.2‘s private in the living room and his bedroom. Trial Trans. Vol. IV, p. 666-667. A.A.1 testified that this would happen after school and during sleepovers. Id. at 667. A.A.1 recalled a specific incident when this happened in the living room, as A.A.1 testified that A.A.2 was on her belly leaning over the arm of the flower chair and Pate was sitting on the “rolling chair.” Id. A.A.1 also testified that she recalled seeing Pate lick A.A.2‘s private in the back room while on his side of the bed. Id. at 667-668.
{¶ 105} Again, when viewed in a light most favorable to the State, the foregoing testimony was sufficient to establish two counts of rape by cunnilingus in violation of
{¶ 106} Based on all the foregoing evidence, the jury could have reasonably determined that Pate engaged in six incidents
{¶ 107} Pate‘s third assignment of error is overruled.
Fourth Assignment of Error
{¶ 108} Under his fourth assignment of error, Pate contends that the State committed prosecutorial misconduct by pursuing joinder of the offenses related to E.K. and A.A.1, A.A.2 and A.A.3. Pate also contends that the State committed prosecutorial misconduct by presenting A.A.1‘s and A.A.2‘s forensic interviews, the blue vibrator found in Pate‘s residence, and E.K.‘s corroborating accusations as evidence at trial. We disagree.
{¶ 109} “When reviewing a claim of prosecutorial misconduct, our inquiry is twofold: we must first decide whether the prosecutor‘s actions were improper, and if so, we consider whether the conduct prejudicially affected the defendant‘s substantial rights.” State v. Kirkland, 160 Ohio St.3d 389, 2020-Ohio-4079, 157 N.E.3d 716, ¶ 115, citing State v. Clinton, 153 Ohio St.3d 422, 2017-Ohio-9423, 108 N.E.3d 1, ¶ 228. ” ‘The touchstone of due process analysis * * * is the fairness of the trial, not the culpability of the prosecutor.’ ” Id., quoting Smith v. Phillips, 455 U.S. 209, 219, 102 S.Ct. 940, 71 L.Ed.2d 78 (1982). “Thus, ‘[t]he relevant question is whether the prosecutors’ [conduct] ’ “so infected the trial with unfairness as to make the resulting conviction a denial of due process.” ’ ” ” Id., quoting Darden v. Wainwright, 477 U.S. 168, 181, 106 S.Ct. 2464, 91 L.Ed.2d 144 (1986), quoting Donnelly v. DeChristoforo, 416 U.S. 637, 643, 94 S.Ct. 1868, 40 L.Ed.2d 431 (1974). “Where it is clear beyond a reasonable doubt that the trier of fact would have found the defendant guilty, even absent the alleged misconduct, the defendant has not been prejudiced, and his conviction will not be reversed.” State v. St. John, 2d Dist. Montgomery No. 27988, 2019-Ohio-650, ¶ 110, citing State v. Underwood, 2d Dist. Montgomery No. 24186, 2011-Ohio-5418, ¶ 21.
{¶ 110} With regard to joinder, pursuant to
{¶ 111} As discussed under Pate‘s second assignment of error, it was also not improper for the State to present A.A.1‘s and A.A.2‘s forensic interviews as evidence at trial, as the interviews were admissible under
{¶ 112} Concerning the blue vibrator, Pate asserts that the State knew A.A.1 would not recognize it as the one Pate used on her, yet asked her to identify a picture of it at trial anyway as a means to inflame the jury‘s emotions. There is, however, no indication on the record that the State knew A.A.1 would not recognize the blue vibrator. In any event, Pate was not prejudiced by the State‘s conduct because the fact that A.A.1 did not recognize the blue vibrator was beneficial to his defense. We cannot say that the State‘s reference to the blue vibrator, which A.A.1 did not recognize, affected the jury‘s verdict.
{¶ 113} Finally, we also fail to see how it was improper for the State to admit evidence of E.K.‘s corroborating allegations of sexual abuse at trial. E.K.‘s allegations were admissible not only with respect to the offenses for which she was the victim, but also with respect to the offenses involving A.A.1, A.A.2, and A.A.3, as we have already determined that E.K.‘s testimony regarding her abuse would be admissible as other-acts evidence under
{¶ 114} Because the conduct challenged by Pate was not improper or prejudicial, Pate has not established a claim of prosecutorial misconduct. Therefore, his fourth assignment of error is overruled.
Fifth Assignment of Error
{¶ 115} Under his fifth assignment of error, Pate contends that the cumulative effect of all the errors in this case deprived him of a fair trial and warrants a reversal of his conviction. We again disagree.
{¶ 116} Under the doctrine of cumulative error, “[s]eparately harmless errors may violate a defendant‘s right to a fair trial when the errors are considered together.” State v. Harris, 2d Dist. Montgomery No. 19796, 2004-Ohio-3570, ¶ 40, citing State v. Madrigal, 87 Ohio St.3d 378, 397, 721 N.E.2d 52 (2000). “In order to find cumulative error, we first must find that multiple errors were committed at trial.” Id. “A conviction will be reversed when the cumulative effect of errors in a trial deprives a defendant of a fair trial even though each of the numerous instances of trial-court error does not individually constitute cause for reversal.” State v. Powell, 132 Ohio St.3d 233, 2012-Ohio-2577, 971 N.E.2d 865, ¶ 223, citing State v. DeMarco, 31 Ohio St.3d 191, 509 N.E.2d 1256 (1987), paragraph two of the syllabus.
{¶ 117} In this case, the only harmless errors committed at trial were that portions of A.A.1‘s forensic interview were admitted into evidence despite being cumulative and despite the interview‘s containing hearsay statements that did not fall under the medical diagnosis or treatment hearsay exception in
{¶ 118} Pate‘s fifth assignment of error is overruled.
Conclusion
{¶ 119} Having overruled all five assignments of error raised by Pate, the judgment of the trial court is affirmed.
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HALL, J. and EPLEY, J., concur.
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Mathias H. Heck, Jr.
Andrew T. French
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Hon. Mary Lynn Wiseman