Title: Stutzman v. State

State: indiana

Issuer: Indiana Supreme Court

Document:

250 Ind. 467 (1968)
235 N.E.2d 186
STUTZMAN
v.
STATE OF INDIANA.
No. 30,950.

Supreme Court of Indiana.
Filed April 2, 1968.
Rehearing denied May 29, 1968.
J. Chester Allen, Allen & Allen, of South Bend, for appellant.
John J. Dillon, Attorney General, Ronald S. Timmons and Dennis J. Dewey, Deputies Attorney General, for appellee.
JACKSON, J.
Appellant was charged on August 31, 1964, by a two-count affidavit with the crimes of (1) rape and (2) assault and battery with intent to commit a felony, to-wit: *468 rape. Motion to quash both counts of the affidavit was filed. Motion as to count one was overruled, and sustained as to count two. Appellant entered plea of not guilty, was tried to the court without a jury, and found guilty as charged in Count One. From such conviction appellant appeals.
The affidavit, omitting formal parts, reads as follows, to-wit:
On September 14, 1964, appellant, by counsel, filed Motion to Quash Affidavit, which motion omitting formal parts reads as follows:
Thereafter, on October 28, 1964, argument on the motion to quash was heard. The motion to quash was overruled as to count (1) of the affidavit charging Rape. Motion to quash was sustained as to count (2) of the affidavit charging Assault and Battery with Intent to Commit a Felony, to-wit: Rape.
Thereafter, on November 20, 1964, appellant, by counsel, waived arraignment, and pleaded not guilty to the affidavit.
On the 17th day of June, 1965, the parties appeared in person and by counsel, and the cause was submitted to the court for trial without the intervention of the jury on the charge contained in the affidavit of Rape. The State of Indiana presented its evidence and rested. The matter was continued to June 19, 1965.
On the 19th day of June, 1965, the parties in person and by counsel were present and the cause was resumed. The appellant presented evidence and rested. The State of Indiana presented rebuttal evidence and rested. The cause was continued to June 25, 1965.
On July 7, 1965, the parties in person and by counsel appeared in open court, and final argument of counsel was heard. Thereupon the court having heard the evidence and final argument of counsel found the appellant guilty as charged in the affidavit of Rape, and that he was 29 years of age. Pre-sentence investigation was ordered. Bond pending sentencing was set at $10,000.00.
Thereafter, on August 6, 1965, appellant filed his Motion for a New Trial. Such motion, in pertinent parts, reads as follows:
(Question read by reporter)
*473 On December 17, 1965, appellant's Motion for New Trial was submitted to the court without argument. Argument as to probation was heard. Both matters were taken under advisement and set for determination January 3, 1966.
On the 6th day of January, 1966, the Motion for New Trial was overruled. The pre-sentence investigation was shown to have been filed theretofore, on or about August 6, 1965. The court sentenced the appellant to the Indiana State Reformatory for a period of not less than two (2) years, nor more than twenty-one (21) years. On January 11, 1966, the court corrected the sentence by sentencing the appellant to the Indiana State Prison for a period of not less than two (2) years nor more than twenty-one (21) years.
Appellant's Assignment of Errors is:
Appellant first asserts that the trial court erred in overruling his motion to quash the affidavit. He argues that count one of the affidavit is duplicitous and bad because it contains allegations of assault and rape which are two distinct crimes carrying two different penalties. Appellant contends that the affidavit charged him with assault by the words "did then and there unlawfully, feloniously and forcibly make an assault in and upon one Dorothy Diana Kinnard, ..." In support of this contention he cites § 10-402 Burns' which provides in part:
There is no averment in the affidavit that the appellant had the present ability to commit the assault, which is an essential element of the charge of assault.
In a recent case this Court stated:
Appellant next asserts that the trial court erred in permitting Larry Walsh and Jack Slaybaugh to answer certain questions put to them by the prosecutor over the objections of the appellant. Appellant's argument is defective. The trial court made it very clear that the testimony was admitted only for the impeachment of Larry Walsh. It is well established that the credibility of a witness may be impeached by showing prior inconsistent statements. Pollard v. State (1950), 229 Ind. 62, 94 N.E.2d 912; Clevenger v. State (1924), 195 Ind. 45, 144 N.E. 524.
Appellant finally urges that the finding of the trial court is contrary to law because it is not sustained by sufficient evidence. This Court has many times held that on appeal from a criminal conviction the State is entitled to the most favorable version of the evidence together with all reasonable inferences which may be drawn therefrom. Also, a finding or verdict below will not be disturbed for insufficiency of evidence unless there is a total absence of some evidence on an essential element of the crime charged. Greenwalt v. State (1965), 246 Ind. 608, 209 N.E.2d 254, 210 N.E.2d 373; Wojcik v. State (1965), 246 Ind. 257, 204 N.E.2d 866.
*475 The evidence most favorable to the State shows that on the evening of August 7, 1964, Dorothy Diana Kinnard went to the County Fair at Warsaw, Indiana, with two girl friends, Candy James and Beverly Gunn. The girls left the fair about 10:00 or 10:30. They followed Larry Walsh to his home in rural Wabash County. The appellant and Jim Lotz arrived at the Walsh home shortly after the girls got there. The girls were served drinks mixed with vodka. After the drinks were finished the boys started "pairing off" with the girls. Diana and appellant went into a bedroom and closed the door. They sat on the edge of the bed and kissed. Diana did not resist appellant's kisses until he pushed her down on the bed and tried to get his hands under her blouse. She then got up and went into the kitchen for a glass of water. The appellant followed her into the kitchen. He walked to a door and jumped several feet to the ground outside. There were no steps from the door to the ground. He asked Diana to go outside with him, but she refused. He then grabbed her ankle and pulled her out the door. She fell and scraped her leg. Appellant then took her to the front yard where he sat down on the ground next to a tree. Diana started back toward the house, and appellant grabbed her and pulled her down on the ground. He kissed her and tried to pull off her clothes. Diana threatened to scream and did scream when appellant persisted. Appellant told her to shut up or he would hit her. When she continued to scream, he hit her in the left jaw with his fist. When appellant hit Diana, she was lying on the ground and his knees were across her stomach. Appellant ripped the zipper on her pedal pushers and tore the catch off her bra. Diana was dazed for a few seconds by appellant's blow. When she woke up appellant was on top of her. He had her pants off and was performing intercourse. Diana kept screaming. Finally appellant stopped and rolled over on the grass. Diana got her clothes and put them on while she was walking back to the house. She tried to get into the house but the door latch was too high. She pounded on the door, and Beverly Gunn and Jim Lotz let her in. She fell in and *476 passed out. On August 10, 1964, Diana was examined by Dr. Bray Shanks who testified he observed bruises and discoloration on her left jaw and under her chin. Her left wrist and right breast were bruised and swollen. He also observed red and irritated areas in the vicinity of the vagina.
From a review of the evidence we find that it was sufficient to sustain the finding and judgment of the trial court. The finding and judgment of the trial court was not contrary to law.
The judgment is affirmed.
Lewis, C.J., and Arterburn, Hunter and Mote, JJ., concur.
NOTE.  Reported in 235 N.E.2d 186.