Title: State v. Slagle

State: ohio

Issuer: Ohio Supreme Court

Document:

[Cite as State v. Slagle, 97 Ohio St.3d 332, 2002-Ohio-6612.] 
 
 
THE STATE OF OHIO, APPELLEE, v. SLAGLE, APPELLANT. 
[Cite as State v. Slagle, 97 Ohio St.3d 332, 2002-Ohio-6612.] 
Appellate procedure — Application for reopening appeal from judgment of 
conviction based on claim of ineffective assistance of appellate counsel 
— Application denied when claim barred by res judicata — Neither 
App.R. 26(B) nor State v. Murnahan provides for second and subsequent 
applications for reopening appeal. 
(No. 2002-0996 — Submitted October 15, 2002 — Decided December 11, 2002.) 
APPEAL from the Court of Appeals for Cuyahoga County, No. 55759, 2002-Ohio-
2722. 
__________________ 
 
Per Curiam. 
{¶1} 
Appellant, Billy Slagle, challenges the denial of his second 
application to reopen his direct appeal under App.R. 26(B). 
{¶2} 
Slagle was convicted of the aggravated murder of Mari Anne Pope 
and sentenced to death.  On appeal, the court of appeals affirmed the conviction 
and death sentence.  State v. Slagle (Sept. 26, 1991), Cuyahoga App. No. 55759, 
1991 WL 191836.  On December 31, 1992, we also affirmed his conviction and 
sentence.  State v. Slagle (1992), 65 Ohio St.3d 597, 605 N.E.2d 916, certiorari 
denied (1993), 510 U.S. 833, 114 S.Ct. 106, 126 L.Ed.2d 72. 
{¶3} 
On August 4, 1994, Slagle filed an application for reopening with 
the court of appeals pursuant to App.R. 26(B), alleging ineffective assistance of 
appellate counsel.  The court of appeals denied the application, finding that 
appellant had failed to file a timely application pursuant to App.R. 26(B)(2)(b).  
In addition, the court of appeals held that appellant’s seven proposed assignments 
of error failed to establish a colorable claim of ineffective assistance of appellate 
SUPREME COURT OF OHIO 
2 
counsel.  State v. Slagle (Sept. 1, 1994), Cuyahoga App. No. 55759.  On July 19, 
1995, we affirmed the judgment of the court of appeals for the reasons stated in its 
opinion.  State v. Slagle (1995), 72 Ohio St.3d 509, 510, 651 N.E.2d 937. 
{¶4} 
In addition, the trial court denied Slagle’s amended petition for 
postconviction relief, and the court of appeals affirmed.  State v. Slagle (Aug. 10, 
2000), Cuyahoga App. No. 76834, 2000 WL 1144947.  We declined to accept 
Slagle’s appeal.  State v. Slagle (2000), 90 Ohio St.3d 1490, 739 N.E.2d 815. 
{¶5} 
On November 20, 2001, Slagle filed the instant application for 
reopening with the court of appeals pursuant to App.R. 26(B) and State v. 
Murnahan (1992), 63 Ohio St.3d 60, 584 N.E.2d 1204, alleging ineffective 
assistance of appellate counsel in his direct appeal. 
{¶6} 
In denying appellant’s second application for reopening, the court 
of appeals held that there is no right to file successive applications for reopening 
pursuant to App.R. 26(B).  See State v. Richardson (1996), 74 Ohio St.3d 235, 
658 N.E.2d 273.  The court of appeals further held that the doctrine of res judicata 
applied, since his new claims of ineffective assistance of appellate counsel could 
have been raised in his initial application to reopen.  State v. Slagle (May 29, 
2002), Cuyahoga App. No. 55759, 2002 WL 1335630.  The cause is now before 
this court upon an appeal as of right. 
{¶7} 
We affirm the judgment of the court of appeals.  As we held in 
State v. Richardson, 74 Ohio St.3d at 236, 658 N.E.2d 273, neither App.R. 26(B) 
nor State v. Murnahan, 63 Ohio St.3d 60, 584 N.E.2d 1204, provides for second 
and subsequent applications for reopening.  Moreover, we find no injustice in 
applying the doctrine of res judicata on these facts. 
{¶8} 
Accordingly, we affirm the judgment of the court of appeals. 
Judgment affirmed. 
 
MOYER, C.J., DOUGLAS, RESNICK, F.E. SWEENEY, PFEIFER, COOK and 
LUNDBERG STRATTON, JJ., concur. 
January Term, 2002 
3 
__________________ 
 
William D. Mason, Cuyahoga County Prosecuting Attorney, and Diane 
Smilanick, Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, for appellee. 
 
David H. Bodiker, Ohio Public Defender, Joseph E. Wilhelm, Appellate 
Supervisor, Kelly L. Culshaw and Robert K. Lowe, Assistant State Public 
Defenders, for appellant. 
__________________