[Cite as State v. Bornhoeft, 2014-Ohio-5494.]

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS 

TWELFTH APPELLATE DISTRICT OF OHIO 

WARREN COUNTY 

STATE OF OHIO, : 

 Plaintiff-Appellee, : CASE NO. CA2014-04-055 

 

 : O P I N I O N

 - vs - 12/15/2014 

 : 

JEFFREY D. BORNHOEFT, : 

 Defendant-Appellant. : 

CRIMINAL APPEAL FROM WARREN COUNTY COURT OF COMMON PLEAS 

Case No. 00CR18743 

David P. Fornshell, Warren County Prosecuting Attorney, Michael Greer, 500 Justice Drive, 

Lebanon, Ohio 45036, for plaintiff-appellee 

Kaufman & Florence, William Robert Kaufman, 144 East Mulberry, P.O. Box 280, Lebanon, 

Ohio 45036, for defendant-appellant 

 RINGLAND, P.J.

{¶ 1} Defendant-appellant, Jeffrey Bornhoeft, appeals from a Warren County Court of 

Common Pleas decision retaining jurisdiction after the court found that he was no longer 

mentally ill subject to hospitalization. 

{¶ 2} On May 1, 2000, Bornhoeft was indicted and charged with (1) aggravated 

murder in violation of R.C. 2903.01(A) with specifications pursuant to R.C. 2945.145(A) and 
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2929.04(A)(7), (2) aggravated murder in violation of R.C. 2903.01(B) with specifications 

pursuant to R.C. 2945.145(A) and 2929.04(A)(7), and (3) aggravated burglary in violation of 

R.C. 2911.11(A)(2) with a specification pursuant to R.C. 2941.145(A). Following a jury trial, 

Bornhoeft was found not guilty by reason of insanity (NGRI). 

{¶ 3} Bornhoeft was subsequently committed and placed at the Dayton Mental Health 

Center, followed by the Twin Valley Psychiatric System. On September 19, 2001, the court 

ordered that Bornhoeft be admitted to the Summit Behavioral Health Care Center. 

{¶ 4} Bornhoeft was gradually afforded greater privileges. In 2004 he was permitted 

unsupervised, on-grounds movements at Summit. By 2007, he was granted unsupervised 

off-grounds travel for counseling. On October 22, 2009, Bornhoeft was granted conditional 

release, allowing him to live outside the hospital setting but under certain conditions. The 

court has subsequently allowed Bornhoeft greater freedom to travel to additional states. 

{¶ 5} On March 26, 2014, a statutory hearing was held pursuant to R.C. 2945.401(C). 

 At the hearing, a March 24, 2014 psychological evaluation report of Dr. King was admitted 

without objection. That report found that Bornhoeft was not a mentally ill person subject to 

hospitalization. Based upon the report, counsel for Bornhoeft asked if the court was finding 

Bornhoeft not mentally ill subject to hospitalization, to which the court responded 

affirmatively. 

{¶ 6} Following the hearing, the trial court journalized an entry which read as follows: 

After considering the evidence and statements of the parties, the 

Court finds that Jeffrey Bornhoeft is not a mentally ill person 

subject to hospitalization, but he remains subject to the Court's 

jurisdiction as he represents a significant risk to the public. 

{¶ 7} Bornhoeft now appeals that decision, raising a single assignment of error for 

review. 

{¶ 8} Assignment of Error No. 1: 
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{¶ 9} THE TRIAL COURT ERRED BY RETAINING JURISDICTION AFTER FINDING 

THE DEFENDANT WAS NOT A MENTALLY ILL PERSON SUBJECT TO 

HOSPITALIZATION. 

{¶ 10} Bornhoeft argues that "a court's jurisdiction over a NGRI defendant terminates 

when that person is no longer mentally ill subject to hospitalization." Therefore, Bornhoeft 

asserts that the trial court could not retain jurisdiction after it made a finding that he was no 

longer mentally ill subject to hospitalization. 

{¶ 11} R.C. 2945.401(J)(1) sets forth the circumstances under which a court loses 

jurisdiction over an NGRI defendant. Pursuant to R.C. 2945.401(J)(1), 

A defendant or person who has been committed pursuant to 

section 2945.39 or 2945.40 of the Revised Code continues to be 

under the jurisdiction of the trial court until the final termination of 

the commitment. For purposes of division (J) of this section, the 

final termination of a commitment occurs upon the earlier of one 

of the following: 

(a) The defendant or person no longer is a mentally ill person 

subject to hospitalization by court order * * * as determined by 

the trial court[.] 

{¶ 12} Accordingly, if a trial court finds a person is no longer mentally ill subject to 

hospitalization, then it cannot retain jurisdiction even if the court expressly states a desire to 

retain jurisdiction. 

{¶ 13} However, in its entry the trial court found that Bornhoeft was "not a mentally ill 

person subject to hospitalization," but also found that "he represents a significant risk to the 

public." While "mentally ill person subject to hospitalization" is not defined in Chapter 29 of 

the Revised Code, we find guidance in Chapter 51's definition of the phrase. Pursuant to 

R.C. 5122.01(B): 

"Mentally ill person subject to hospitalization by court order" 

means a mentally ill person who, because of the person's illness: 

* * * 
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(2) Represents a substantial risk of physical harm to others as 

manifested by * * * evidence of present dangerousness[.] 

{¶ 14} Therefore, the trial court's entry contradictorily finds that Bornhoeft does not 

present a substantial risk of harm to others as manifested by evidence of present 

dangerousness, but also that he is a significant risk to the public. 

{¶ 15} This court has previously held that, "[w]hen the written opinion contains 

inconsistencies and insufficient articulation, we are unable to review the decision without 

interjecting our own judgment, or at least trying to articulate what the trial court was saying 

based on our collective speculation and conjecture." Bracket v. Moler Raceway Park, L.L.C., 

195 Ohio App. 3d 372, 2011-Ohio-4469, ¶ 2 (12th Dist.). The legal principle applied to a 

written opinion in Bracket is equally applicable to an entry as in the present case. State v. 

Jones, 5th Dist. Stark No. 2005CA00062, 2005-Ohio-5822, ¶ 16 (remanding a judgment 

entry as "inconsistent at worse [sic] and ambiguous at best."). 

{¶ 16} In light of the foregoing, we reverse the trial court's judgment and remand this 

matter for further proceedings. Upon remand, the trial court shall specifically enter a finding 

regarding whether Bornhoeft (1) does not present a substantial risk of harm to others as 

manifested by evidence of present dangerousness, or (2) is a significant risk to the public. 

The court shall make its determination based upon the record developed herein or upon such 

additional evidence as the trial court determines appropriate. 

{¶ 17} Judgment reversed and remanded. 

HENDRICKSON and PIPER, JJ., concur.