Role of defendant’s alleged mental illness in double-murder was not so “exceptional and extraordinary” as to warrant appellate revision of LWOP sentence. Jury’s weighing of LWOP aggravators and mitigators is not subject to appellate review.
Criminal
Slaybaugh v. State, No. 79A02-1411-CR-798, ___ N.E.3d ___ (Ind. Ct. App., Sept. 24, 2015).
Fact that juror was Facebook “friends” with relatives of the victim did not establish juror misconduct, when juror testified that she did not know them personally, and trial court found her testimony truthful.
Burnell v. State, No. 29A02-1412-CR-849, ___ N.E.3d ___ (Ind. Ct. App., Sept. 24, 2015).
OWI suspect’s drivers license was properly suspended under Implied Consent Law; walking away from officer and disregarding request to stop constituted refusal to submit to chemical test, even though her words had expressed reluctant agreement to be tested.
Strunk v. State, No. 47A01-1411-CR-487, ___ N.E.3d ___ (Ind. Ct. App., Sept. 15, 2015).
Minor sex-abuse victim properly authenticated Facebook message from defendant to her; she was familiar with appearance of defendant’s Facebook page and had previously communicated with him through Facebook messages.
Bradley v. State, No. 49A05-1404-CR-181, ___ N.E.3d ___ (Ind. Ct. App., Sept. 16, 2015).
Warrantless entry of home was proper under federal and state constitutions, because occupant who answered the door had apparent authority to consent to the entry. Protective sweep of kitchen after consensual entry was proper under federal and state constitutions (declining to follow Cudworth v. State, 818 N.E.2d 133 (Ind. Ct. App. 2004)). Convictions for both A-felony cocaine dealing and C-felony possessing cocaine and a firearm violated double jeopardy, because charging information did not differentiate between sources of cocaine: small quantity found in home, or large quantity found in defendant’s pocket.