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Antwain Starks v. State of Indiana (mem. dec.)
69A01-1608-CR-1926
| Ind. Ct. App. | Jan 26, 2017
|
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Case Information

*1 MEMORANDUM DECISION

Pursuant to Ind. Appellate Rule 65(D),

this Memorandum Decision shall not be

regarded as precedent or cited before any

court except for the purpose of establishing

the defense of res judicata, collateral

estoppel, or the law of the case.

A TTORNEY FOR A PPELLANT A TTORNEYS FOR A PPELLEE Leanna Weissman Curtis T. Hill, Jr.

Lawrenceburg, Indiana Attorney General of Indiana

Matthew B. Mackenzie Deputy Attorney General Indianapolis, Indiana I N T H E

COURT OF APPEALS OF INDIANA Antwain Starks, January 26, 2017 Court of Appeals Case No. Appellant-Defendant,

69A01-1608-CR-1926 v. Appeal from the Ripley Superior Court State of Indiana, The Honorable Jeffrey Sharp, Judge Appellee-Plaintiff .

Trial Court Cause No. 69D01-1507-F6-89 May, Judge.

[1] Antwain Starks appeals the trial court’s order he serve the remainder of his

suspended sentence following the revocation of his probation. We affirm.

Facts and Procedural History On August 25, 2015, in Ripley County, Starks pled guilty to Level 6 felony

operating a vehicle while a habitual traffic violator [1] and Class A misdemeanor making a false identity statement. [2] The trial court sentenced Starks to 910 days, with 810 days suspended to probation. Starks received 100 days credit for time served prior to sentencing. As a condition of his probation, Starks was prohibited from committing any crimes. On May 23, 2016, the State filed a notice of probation violation alleging Starks

committed Level 5 felony escape, [3] Level 6 felony strangulation, [4] Level 6 felony criminal confinement, [5] Level 6 felony domestic battery, [6] Level 6 felony battery resulting in bodily injury, [7] and Level 6 felony resisting law enforcement [8] in Marion County (“Marion County Offenses”). Prior to the probation revocation *3 hearing, Starks was convicted of Level 5 felony escape and Level 6 felony strangulation in the Marion County Offenses. At the time he committed the Marion County Offenses, Starks was also on home detention for Level 5 burglary in Hendricks County. At his probation revocation hearing on July 27, 2016, Starks admitted violating

his probation by committing the Marion County Offenses. Starks asked the trial court for leniency based on the fact his mother was ill and he has four children. He presented a letter from his employer indicating he was a “family man.” (Tr. at 20.) Regarding those mitigators, the trial court stated, “The Court has been presented with a letter indicating that [Starks] is a family man and has four children, however that mitigator is diminished based on the fact that the victim of the Strangulation was the mother of his four children.” ( Id . at 29.) The court also noted Starks admitted he violated his probation, “however the Court does believe that mitigator is diminished based on the fact that he has already pled guilty in the Marion County Superior Court Criminal Division 5, to the Escape and Strangulation, so a probation violation was a foregone conclusion.” ( Id .) The trial court found Starks’ criminal history to be “a significant aggravating factor.” ( Id . at 28.) The trial court revoked Starks’ *4 probation, ordered him to serve 730 days incarcerated, and gave him good time credit for 57 days.

Discussion and Decision

[5] Starks alleges the court abused its discretion by ordering him to serve the

remainder of his suspended sentence. When reviewing a revocation decision, we consider only the evidence most favorable to the judgment without assessing credibility of the witnesses. McHenry v. State , 820 N.E.2d 124, 126 (Ind. 2005). We affirm unless the trial court abused its discretion. Prewitt v. State , 878 N.E.2d 184, 188 (Ind. 2007). “An abuse of discretion occurs where the decision is clearly against the logic and effect of the facts and circumstances.” Id . Starks admitted his violation, and “proof of a single violation of the conditions of probation is sufficient to support the decision to revoke probation.” Bussberg v. State , 827 N.E.2d 37, 44 (Ind. Ct. App. 2005), reh’g denied , trans. denied . On finding a defendant violated his probation, the trial court may “[o]rder execution of all or part of the sentence that was suspended at the time of initial sentencing.” Ind. Code § 35-38-2-3(h) (2016). Starks has an extensive criminal history, with offenses ranging from public

intoxication to strangulation and burglary. At the time of the Marion County Offenses, Starks was also on home detention for a burglary in Hendricks *5 County. While Starks professed to be a family man, the trial court noted the victim in his strangulation case was the mother of his children. In light of the fact that Starks was serving separate terms of probation and home detention when he committed these new crimes, which included strangulation of the mother of his four children, we find no abuse of discretion in the court’s imposition of 730 days of Starks’ suspended sentence. See , e.g ., Pierce v. State , 44 N.E.3d 752, 755 (Ind. Ct. App. 2015) (revocation of probation appropriate after probationer committed crimes while on probation).

Conclusion The trial court did not abuse its discretion when it ordered Starks to serve 730

days of his suspended sentence following the revocation of his probation. Accordingly, we affirm. Affirmed.

Najam, J., and Bailey, J., concur.

[1] Ind. Code § 9-30-10-16 (2015).

[2] Ind. Code § 35-44.1-2-4 (2012).

[3] Ind. Code § 35-44.1-3-4(a) (2014).

[4] Ind. Code § 35-42-2-9(b) (2014).

[5] Ind. Code § 35-42-3-3(a) (2014).

[6] Ind. Code § 35-42-2-1.3(b) (2014).

[7] Ind. Code § 35-42-2-1(d)(1) (2014).

[8] Ind. Code § 35-44.1-3-1(b)(1) (2014).

[9] Ind. Code § 35-43-2-1 (2014).

[10] The parties appear to agree this was the remainder of his suspended sentence.

Case Details

Case Name: Antwain Starks v. State of Indiana (mem. dec.)
Court Name: Indiana Court of Appeals
Date Published: Jan 26, 2017
Docket Number: 69A01-1608-CR-1926
Court Abbreviation: Ind. Ct. App.
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