FOR PUBLICATION

ATTORNEY FOR APPELLANT: ATTORNEYS FOR APPELLEE:

MICHAEL R. FISHER GREGORY F. ZOELLER

Marion County Public Defender Agency Attorney General of Indiana

Indianapolis, Indiana

JODI KATHRYN STEIN

Deputy Attorney General

Indianapolis, Indiana

IN THE

COURT OF APPEALS OF INDIANA

NATHAN ANDERSON, )

)

Appellant-Defendant, )

)

vs. ) No. 49A05-1105-CR-243

)

STATE OF INDIANA, )

)

Appellee-Plaintiff. )

APPEAL FROM THE MARION SUPERIOR COURT

The Honorable Lisa F. Borges, Judge

Cause No. 49G04-0903-MR-35798

January 31, 2012

OPINION - FOR PUBLICATION

CRONE, Judge
2

Case Summary

Nathan Anderson entered Jane Pepper‟s apartment through a bathroom window. 

Anderson stabbed Pepper numerous times, killing her. He also had sexual intercourse with 

Pepper either just before or just after the murder. A jury found Anderson guilty of murder, 

class B felony burglary, and class D felony abuse of a corpse. The trial court sentenced 

Anderson to eighty-eight years in prison. On appeal, Anderson contends that the trial court 

abused its discretion when it admitted into evidence a statement he made to police in which 

he confessed to his crimes because officers continued to interrogate him despite a clear

request for an attorney. Anderson also contends that the trial court abused its discretion in 

admitting DNA evidence linking him to the murder scene because that evidence was obtained 

with a buccal swab, which he alleges was taken in violation of the applicable Indiana statute 

and in violation of his federal and state constitutional rights. 

We conclude that the admission of Anderson‟s police statement was error, but was 

harmless beyond a reasonable doubt with regard to the murder conviction alone. The 

erroneous admission of Anderson‟s police statement unquestionably influenced the jury 

verdicts as to his convictions for burglary and abuse of a corpse; therefore, we reverse those 

convictions. Additionally, we conclude that the DNA evidence was obtained by “mistake,” 

which constitutes a valid exception to the applicable statute and our federal and state 

exclusionary rules. Regarding Anderson‟s additional challenge to his sentence, we find no 

abuse of discretion on the part of the trial court and conclude that Anderson‟s murder 

sentence is appropriate in light of the nature of the offense and Anderson‟s character. 
3

Accordingly, although we vacate Anderson‟s burglary and abuse of a corpse sentences, we 

affirm Anderson‟s sixty-five year sentence for murder and decline the invitation for sentence 

revision.

Facts and Procedural History

The relevant admissible evidence indicates that on Thursday, October 25, 2007, fortyfour-year-old Jane Pepper spent the evening alone in her Indianapolis apartment. Pepper‟s 

apartment was on the ground level of the apartment building, and Pepper often left her 

bathroom window open to allow her two cats to roam freely. Pepper spoke with her 

boyfriend on the phone around 11:00 p.m. and discussed her plan to attend a Purdue 

University football game with friends that Saturday. Pepper and her boyfriend, Charles 

Brnardic, had been in a serious and exclusive relationship since February of 2007. Shortly 

after 11:00 p.m., a neighbor saw Pepper lean out her apartment door to coax one of her cats 

inside. Pepper told the neighbor not to worry about the other cat because he could just use 

the open bathroom window to come in later.

Pepper did not report to work the next day or show up for the Purdue game that 

Saturday. Similarly, Pepper did not report to work on Sunday, and calls from Brnardic and 

friends went unanswered. On Monday, October 29, after friends and coworkers were unable 

to contact Pepper for several days, Brnardic went to the apartment complex and enlisted the 

aid of a leasing agent to gain access to Pepper‟s apartment. Upon entry, they discovered 

Pepper‟s blood-soaked corpse lying on the bedroom floor. Police were immediately 

summoned. Pepper‟s blood-soaked corpse was found naked from the waist down. Her 
4

bloody pajama bottoms, that had apparently been cut off her body, were found lying on the 

bed. A small pink towel, obviously placed on her after her death, was draped across her 

lower back. Blood was spattered on the bed, walls, and floor, and the bathroom window was 

open. Officers found four bloody kitchen knives, one with a broken blade, near Pepper‟s

body.

An autopsy revealed that Pepper sustained numerous stab wounds to her face, chest, 

hands, and both sides of her neck. She also sustained a stab wound to her back, which 

punctured her left lung. Although any number of the wounds could have been fatal, the stab 

wound to the right side of her neck severed her jugular vein, lacerated her thyroid gland, and 

cut completely across her esophagus. Examiners surmised that death occurred in minutes 

rather than hours due to the nature of the injuries.

Vaginal swabs of Pepper‟s body along with the pink towel found on her body revealed 

the presence of sperm cells and seminal material. Several of the spermatozoa remained

intact, indicating sexual intercourse within the timeframe of the murder. In November of 

2007, the DNA profile developed from this material was uploaded in CODIS, a computer 

software program that operates national databases of DNA profiles from convicted offenders 

and unsolved crime scene evidence. No match resulted.

Following an unrelated incident, on August 25, 2008, Anderson was charged in 

Marion County with class B felony criminal confinement, class C felony intimidation, class 

D felony criminal confinement, class D felony pointing a firearm, and class A misdemeanor 

domestic battery. Anderson pled guilty to class D felony criminal confinement and class A
5

misdemeanor domestic battery. Pursuant to the open plea agreement, alternative 

misdemeanor sentencing was available to the trial court for the class D felony.1 Accordingly, 

the trial court entered judgment of conviction against Anderson on the confinement charge 

and the domestic battery charge, both as class A misdemeanors. However, the abstract of 

judgment and the order of probation issued by the trial court indicated that Anderson had 

been convicted of class D felony criminal confinement.

Marion County Probation Officer Joe Smith performed an intake interview with 

Anderson on December 22, 2008. After reviewing the order of probation and the abstract of 

judgment, Smith determined that Anderson had been convicted of a felony and advised 

Anderson that he was required to submit to a buccal swab for DNA. Anderson proceeded to 

an administrative office, wherein a cotton swab was rubbed against the inside of his cheek. 

Soon thereafter, Anderson implied to his girlfriend that he had killed someone and asked her 

how long she thought DNA lasted. 

In January 2009, Anderson moved to Longview, Texas and his probation was 

transferred to the “NET caseload” to accommodate the move. State‟s Ex. 169 at 7. On 

February 3, 2009, Anderson‟s DNA profile was loaded into CODIS, and a match with the 

DNA found at the scene of Pepper‟s murder was detected on February 22, 2009. The Indiana 

State Police laboratory performed independent testing which confirmed the DNA match. On 

March 23, 2009, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (“IMPD”) was notified of 

Anderson‟s identity. Because Anderson had also failed to appear for a probation violation, 

 

1

See Ind. Code § 35-50-2-7.
6

officers obtained an arrest warrant as well as a search warrant to obtain a second buccal swab 

from Anderson. IMPD Detectives Robert Flack and Marcus Kennedy flew to Texas to meet 

with Anderson on March 25, 2009. The detectives met with Anderson in an interview room 

at the Longview Police Department.

Before questioning began, Anderson signed an advisement of rights form provided by 

the Longview Police Department. Detectives questioned Anderson from approximately 5:00 

p.m. on March 25, 2009, until 3:00 a.m. on March 26, 2009. During questioning, Anderson 

was permitted several breaks to use the restroom, smoke, make phone calls, and eat food. 

Anderson was also permitted to meet privately with his father, an ordained minister and 

resident of Longview, approximately two or three times during the questioning. During 

questioning, officers told Anderson that they had his DNA from Pepper‟s murder scene and 

that they knew he had sex with her around the time of her murder. Anderson told police that 

he knew Pepper and that he and Pepper had an ongoing sexual relationship. As police 

continued to question and challenge the credibility of Anderson‟s explanation for his DNA 

being at the murder scene, the following colloquy occurred: 

Detective Flack: You said you came inside of her before.

Mr. Anderson: I don‟t know. I really would like to talk to an attorney or 

something because I don‟t know where this is going. I don‟t want y‟all to 

feel that I‟m lying to you in any kind of way. I‟m confused and there‟s a lot 

of stuff going on.

Detective Flack: All of a sudden you‟re confused?

Mr. Anderson: Yeah, because you say she‟s a homicide victim.

Detective Flack: Yeah.
7

Tr. at 1157; State‟s Ex. 169 at 50-51. Detectives did not cease the interview but continued

questioning Anderson until he eventually confessed that he had not known Pepper prior to 

the night in question, that he entered Pepper‟s apartment through the open bathroom window

with the intent of stealing money therein, that Pepper was sleeping and awoke when he 

entered her apartment, that he murdered Pepper by stabbing her numerous times, and that he 

had sexual intercourse with her dead body. Detectives obtained a second buccal swab of 

Anderson and, on March 29, 2009, a second confirmatory analysis established Anderson‟s 

DNA as the DNA from the scene of Pepper‟s murder. 

On March 31, 2009, the State charged Anderson with murder, class B felony burglary, 

and class D felony abuse of a corpse. Although Anderson, a diagnosed schizophrenic, was 

initially found incompetent to stand trial, he was later declared competent in August 2010. 

Prior to trial, Anderson filed motions to suppress his statement to police as well as the DNA 

evidence. Following hearings, the trial court issued extensive findings of fact and 

conclusions of law denying both motions to suppress. Thereafter, a five-day jury trial 

ensued. The jury found Anderson guilty as charged. The trial court sentenced Anderson to 

consecutive sentences of sixty-five years for murder, twenty years for burglary, and three 

years for abuse of a corpse, resulting in an aggregate sentence of eighty-eight years. This 

appeal followed.

Discussion and Decision 

I. Right to Counsel

Anderson first asserts that the trial court abused its discretion when it admitted into 
8

evidence his statement made during questioning by police in which he confessed to murder, 

burglary, and abuse of a corpse. Specifically, Anderson asserts that he unequivocally 

invoked his right to counsel during police questioning but that his request was ignored and 

the interrogation continued in the absence of counsel. Accordingly, he argues that the 

admission of his statement violated his right to counsel. We agree with Anderson.

As Anderson‟s claim involves the trial court‟s decision to admit evidence at trial, our 

standard of review as to the admissibility of the evidence is for an abuse of discretion. Roush 

v. State, 875 N.E.2d 801, 808 (Ind. Ct. App. 2007). An abuse of discretion occurs when a 

trial court‟s decision is clearly against the logic and effect of the facts and circumstances 

before the court. Id. Our supreme court recently considered the invocation of the right to 

counsel pursuant to federal jurisprudence. Indeed, the Court explained:

As established in Miranda v. Arizona, prior to any questioning of a person 

taken into custody, “the person must be warned that he has a right to remain 

silent, that any statement he does make may be used as evidence against him, 

and that he has a right to the presence of an attorney, either retained or 

appointed.” 384 U.S. 436, 444, 86 S. Ct. 1602, 1612, 16 L. Ed. 2d 694, 706–

07 (1966). If the accused requests counsel, “the interrogation must cease until 

an attorney is present.” Edwards v. Arizona, 451 U.S. 477, 482, 101 S. Ct. 

1880, 1883, 68 L. Ed. 2d 378, 384 (1981) (quoting Miranda, 384 U.S. at 474, 

86 S. Ct. at 1628, 16 L. Ed. 2d at 723). An accused‟s request for counsel, 

however, must be unambiguous and unequivocal. Berghuis v. Thompkins, 560 

U.S.__, __, 130 S. Ct. 2250, 2259, 176 L. Ed. 2d 1098, 1110 (2010). The 

cessation of police questioning is not required “if a suspect makes a reference 

to an attorney that is ambiguous or equivocal in that a reasonable officer in 

light of the circumstances would have understood only that the suspect might

be invoking the right to counsel.” Davis v. United States, 512 U.S. 452, 459, 

114 S. Ct. 2350, 2355, 129 L. Ed. 2d 362, 371 (1994).

Carr v. State, 934 N.E.2d 1096, 1102 (Ind. 2010). Indeed, “[i]nvocation of the Miranda right 

to counsel requires, at a minimum, some statement that can reasonably be construed to be an 
9

expression of a desire for the assistance of an attorney.” Davis, 512 U.S. at 459 (quotation 

marks and citation omitted). The request must be made with sufficient clarity such that a 

“reasonable police officer under the circumstances would understand the statement as a 

request for an attorney.” 2 Id. 

In this case, Anderson‟s invocation of his right to counsel was unequivocal. Once 

Anderson stated, “I really would like to talk to an attorney or something,” State‟s Ex. 169 at 

50-51, his right to counsel should have been “scrupulously honored.” Miranda, 384 U.S. at 

479. We disagree with the trial court‟s determination that Anderson‟s request was expressed 

with uncertainty. The addition of the words “or something” did not qualify or equivocate 

Anderson‟s clear statement that he “really would like to talk to an attorney.” State‟s Ex. 169 

at 50-51. The addition of “or something” would appear to be a habit of speech as opposed to

a statement of equivocation. Moreover, Anderson‟s subsequent statement that he was 

“confused” was an indication that he was getting confused about the version of events that he 

was giving police, not an indication that he was confused about wanting an attorney. Id. 

Anderson‟s request was made with sufficient clarity such that a reasonable police officer 

under the circumstances would understand that Anderson was unambiguously asserting his 

right to counsel.

 

2

 Here, at the outset of the interrogation Anderson signed an advisement of rights form acknowledging 

that he had been advised of his Miranda rights. However, such form did not include a written waiver of those 

rights. We note that an accused may waive the right to counsel, if done voluntarily, knowingly, and 

intelligently. Miranda, 384 U.S. at 444. However, even if an accused elects to waive his rights orally or in 

writing, the waiver may be rescinded at any time, and “[i]f the right to counsel or the right to remain silent is 

invoked at any point during questioning, further interrogation must cease.” Berghuis, 560 U.S. at ___, 130 S. 

Ct. at 2263-64. 
10

The State directs us to cases in which language somewhat similar to that used by 

Anderson was determined to be equivocal and ambiguous. For example, in Davis, the United 

States Supreme Court determined that the defendant‟s statement “maybe I should talk to a 

lawyer” was not an unequivocal request for counsel. Davis, 512 U.S. at 462. In Taylor v. 

State, 689 N.E.2d 699 (Ind. 1997), the defendant stated, “I guess I really want a lawyer, but, I 

mean, I‟ve never done this before so I don‟t know.” Id. at 703. Our supreme court 

determined that the defendant‟s statement was “an expression of doubt, not a request” and 

was merely the suspect choosing to “think out loud about whether to exercise his 

constitutional right.” Id. at 703-05. In Powell v. State, 898 N.E.2d 328 (Ind. Ct. App. 2008), 

trans. denied, this Court considered the defendant‟s statement “Could I see about getting a 

lawyer or something man?” Id. at 337. We found the wording of that statement, which was 

posed as a question to officers, to be ambiguous and not sufficiently clear as to constitute a 

request for an attorney.3 We emphasized in Powell that officers immediately followed up 

 

3

 See also Collins v. State, 873 N.E.2d 149, 156 (Ind. Ct. App. 2007) (holding that defendant‟s 

question “Do I need an attorney” and later observation “I probably need an attorney” were not unequivocal 

requests for an attorney), trans. denied.
11

and asked the defendant if he, in fact, wanted an attorney. When directly asked, the 

defendant did not say yes or clarify that he wanted counsel.4

Here, Anderson neither posed a question regarding needing an attorney as in Powell, 

nor expressed doubt as to whether he needed an attorney as in Davis and Taylor. To the 

contrary, he clearly stated, “I really want to talk to an attorney or something.” The State

argues, or at the very least implies, that in order to make an unequivocal invocation of the 

right to counsel a defendant must “start and end” with “I want to talk to an attorney” and say 

nothing else. Appellee‟s Br. at 18. That would be clear and nice wouldn‟t it? However, the 

State ignores the reality of an interrogation room, the naïveté of a defendant, and what often 

may be the diminished mental capacity of a defendant. Anderson was a twenty-two-year-old 

diagnosed schizophrenic, not a constitutional scholar. We are getting to the point in the 

interpretation of our constitutional law where the exceptions are swallowing the rules. We 

should not go further down the slippery slope the State urges and further eviscerate Miranda 

and an accused‟s right to counsel. Anderson‟s request for counsel in this case was 

unambiguous. The language used by Anderson was a clear invocation of the right to counsel,

 

4

 We note that the United States Supreme Court has held that police have no duty to cease questioning 

when an equivocal request for counsel is made, nor are they required to ask clarifying questions to determine 

whether the suspect actually wants a lawyer. Davis, 512 U.S. at 461. However, the Davis court acknowledged 

that it will often be good police practice to clarify an ambiguous or equivocal statement in order to protect the 

rights of the suspect and minimize the chance of a confession being suppressed due to subsequent judicial 

second-guessing. Id. at 452. The police officers in Powell followed this protocol. While the State argues that 

officers here similarly followed up with Anderson when later asking him “So what do you want to do,” State‟s 

Ex. 169 at 51, such minimal attempt at clarification is of no moment. First, as stated, Anderson‟s request for 

an attorney was unequivocal, not requiring clarification, but instead requiring immediate cessation of further 

questioning. Moreover, the purported clarification fails even to acknowledge or reference Anderson‟s request 

for an attorney.
12

and the officers‟ continued interrogation violated his constitutional rights. Therefore, the 

trial court abused its discretion when it admitted Anderson‟s statement into evidence at trial.5

Nevertheless, statements obtained in violation of the federal constitution and 

erroneously admitted are subject to harmless error analysis. Storey v. State, 830 N.E.2d

1011, 1021 (Ind. Ct. App. 2005). We review a federal constitutional error de novo, and the 

error must be harmless beyond a reasonable doubt. Id. The State has the burden to 

demonstrate that the improper admission of a defendant‟s statement did not contribute to the 

conviction. Alford v. State, 699 N.E.2d 247, 251 (Ind. 1998) (citation and quotation marks 

omitted). “„To say that an error did not contribute to the verdict is ... to find that error 

unimportant in relation to everything else the jury considered on the issue in question, as 

revealed in the record.”‟ Id. (quoting Yates v. Evatt, 500 U.S. 391, 403 (1991)). In other 

words, if the State has presented other overwhelming evidence of the defendant‟s guilt, then 

an erroneously admitted statement may be deemed harmless. Storey, 830 N.E.2d at 1021.

Regarding Anderson‟s murder conviction, notwithstanding the admission of his police 

statement, the State presented other overwhelming evidence of Anderson‟s guiltsufficient to 

render the erroneous admission of his statement harmless. First, the DNA evidence, the 

admissibility of which we address in the next section, placed Anderson at the scene of 

 

5 Because we conclude that Anderson‟s right to counsel pursuant to the federal constitution was 

violated, we need not address whether his rights were similarly violated pursuant to Article 1, Section 13 of the 

Indiana Constitution. It should be noted, however, that our supreme court has concluded that our state 

constitution affords essentially the same protection regarding custodial interrogations as its federal counterpart. 

See Taylor, 689 N.E.2d at 703-04.
13

Pepper‟s brutal murder. Anderson‟s intact sperm cells were found on vaginal swabs of 

Pepper‟s body, indicating that Anderson had sexual intercourse with Pepper within the timeframe that she was also murdered. Because DNA evidence placed Anderson‟s sperm inside 

Pepper‟s body, the key defense theory was that Anderson and Pepper had an ongoing

relationship and that Anderson merely had consensual sexual intercourse with Pepper just 

prior to her murder. However, testimony of Pepper‟s friends and family indicated that the 

then-twenty-one-year-old Anderson was an absolute stranger to forty-four-year-old Pepper. 

There was no evidence to indicate that Pepper and Anderson had ever met or ever had the 

opportunity to meet prior to the murder. By all accounts, Pepper was in a serious and 

exclusive relationship with her boyfriend, Brnardic.

Pepper‟s body was found naked from the waist down, and her bloody pajama pants, 

which had apparently been cut off her body, were found nearby. This evidence supports a 

reasonable inference by the jury that the same individual who had murdered Pepper also had 

sexual intercourse with her either just before or just after the murder. The only seminal fluid 

or DNA recovered was that of Anderson. Anderson‟s seminal fluid and DNA were also 

found on a small pink towel that was draped over Pepper‟s body after she was murdered. 

Again, it was reasonable for the jury to conclude that Anderson‟s sexual intercourse with 

Pepper occurred contemporaneously with her murder. 

Additionally, the jury heard the testimony of Laura Cox, Anderson‟s girlfriend at the 

time of the murder. Cox testified that shortly after Anderson was swabbed for DNA by the 

probation department following his commission of unrelated crimes, Anderson asked Cox
14

about how long she thought DNA evidence lasted at a crime scene. Cox, who was earning a 

bachelor‟s degree in criminal justice science, found this questioning strange. Anderson then 

informed Cox that he had “done something that would earn him a teardrop” tattoo for his eye. 

Tr. at 605. Cox explained to the jury that individuals get teardrop tattoos to signify that they 

have murdered someone. Cox went on to testify that when she further questioned Anderson, 

he told her that he had thrown a knife or knives over a bridge and assured her that she did not 

need to worry about anything. When Cox later learned that DNA linked Anderson to 

Pepper‟s murder, she decided to come forward and tell police what Anderson had told her. 

The State presented overwhelming evidence from which a jury could reasonably 

conclude beyond a reasonable doubt that Anderson murdered Pepper. The cumulative 

admissible evidence satisfies the State‟s burden to demonstrate that the evidence was 

sufficient without the improper admission of Anderson‟s police statement. Thus, Anderson‟s

police statement was unnecessary for his murder conviction, and its admission by the trial 

court was harmless beyond a reasonable doubt.

We cannot say the same regarding Anderson‟s convictions for burglary and abuse of a 

corpse. The key elements of those offenses were provided to the jury only through 

Anderson‟s statement. Without his police statement, the jury would not have been able to 

conclude beyond a reasonable doubt that Anderson broke into Pepper‟s apartment with the 

intent to commit theft therein or that Anderson had sexual intercourse with Pepper‟s body 

post mortem. Consequently, we must reverse Anderson‟s convictions for burglary and abuse 

of a corpse. The State, however, may retry Anderson for these offenses. A reversal for 
15

insufficient evidence bars retrial under the Double Jeopardy Clause, but analysis for such 

sufficiency includes consideration of the erroneously admitted evidence. Carr, 934 N.E.2d at 

1109. Although we must reverse here due to the trial court‟s error in the admission of 

evidence, „“clearly with that evidence, there was enough to support”‟ the jury‟s verdicts and 

resulting convictions. Id. (quoting Lockart v. Nelson, 488 U.S. 333, 40 (1988)). 

Accordingly, Anderson may be subject to retrial on these offenses if the State so chooses. 

II. DNA Evidence

Next, we consider Anderson‟s challenge to the admission of the DNA evidence at 

trial. Specifically, Anderson argues that the DNA evidence was obtained in violation of 

Indiana Code Section 10-13-6-10, which requires only convicted felons to submit DNA 

samples. Anderson maintains that the collection of his DNA was not a “mistake” within the 

meaning of subsection (c) of that statute. Additionally, Anderson contends that the buccal 

swab of his mouth violated his constitutional rights under the Fourth Amendment to the 

United States Constitution and Article 1, Section 11 of the Indiana Constitution, and thus the 

evidence should have been excluded. We will address each argument in turn.

We begin by reiterating that our standard of review as to the admissibility of evidence

is for an abuse of discretion. Roush, 875 N.E.2d at 808. An abuse of discretion occurs when 

a trial court‟s decision is clearly against the logic and effect of the facts and circumstances 

before it. Id. In reviewing the admissibility of evidence, we consider only the evidence in 

favor of the trial court‟s ruling and any unrefuted evidence in the defendant‟s favor. Id.

A. Indiana Code Section 10-13-6-10 and the Mistake Exception
16

Indiana Code Section 10-13-6-10 provides, in relevant part, that a person convicted of 

a felony, conspiracy to commit a felony, or attempt to commit a felony “shall provide a DNA 

sample” to the “agency that supervises the person, or the agency‟s designee, if the person is 

on conditional release in accordance with Indiana Code Section 35-38-1-27.” Subsection (c) 

of the statute further states that “[t]he detention, arrest, or conviction of a person based on a 

data base match or data base information is not invalidated if a court determines that the 

DNA sample was obtained or placed in the Indiana DNA data base by mistake.” Ind. Code § 

10-13-6-10(c). 

We agree with the trial court that what happened in this case fits squarely within the 

“mistake” exception provided by Indiana Code Section 10-13-6-10. Ten months after Pepper 

was murdered, Anderson was charged with various crimes, including class D felony criminal 

confinement, in an unrelated case. Pursuant to a plea agreement, Anderson was sentenced 

according to the alternate misdemeanor sentencing statute, Indiana Code Section 35-50-2-

7(b).6 Therefore, the resulting judgment of conviction entered by the trial court was for a 

class A misdemeanor. However, when Anderson appeared for his probation intake interview,

probation officer Smith reviewed the order of probation received from the trial court. That 

document clearly indicated that Anderson had been convicted of criminal confinement as a 

class D felony with no mention of alternate misdemeanor sentencing. The record also reveals

that the abstract of judgment received from the trial court stated that Anderson was convicted 

 

6

 That section provides that “if a person has committed a Class D felony, the court may enter judgment 

of conviction of a Class A misdemeanor and sentence accordingly.”
17

of criminal confinement as a class D felony with no mention of alternate misdemeanor 

sentencing. Unbeknownst to Smith, the information provided in those documents by the trial 

court was inaccurate. Smith relied on the information when he advised Anderson that, 

because he was convicted of a felony, he was required to submit a DNA sample. Anderson 

did not correct Smith or state that he had been convicted of only a misdemeanor. Instead, 

Anderson proceeded to another office and submitted to a buccal swab for DNA. 

The record clearly establishes that Smith relied upon two court orders when advising 

Anderson that he was required to submit a DNA sample. As noted by the State, as a 

probation officer, Smith “serve[s] at the pleasure of the appointing court and [is] directly 

responsible to and subject to the orders of the court.” Ind. Code § 11-13-1-1(c). We disagree 

with Anderson‟s contention that the buccal swab was taken with intentional or reckless 

disregard of his constitutional rights. Instead, the DNA evidence was obtained and placed in 

the DNA database by mistake. Having determined that the DNA evidence was obtained by 

mistake, we must now turn to the admissibility of the evidence pursuant to constitutional 

principles.

B. The Mistake Exception and the Fourth Amendment

The Fourth Amendment protects “[t]he right of the people to be secure in their 

persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures.” U.S.

CONST. amend IV. We begin by noting that our supreme court recently declined to 

affirmatively declare that a cheek swab for DNA constitutes a “search” for Fourth 

Amendment purposes. Garcia-Torres v. State, 949 N.E.2d 1229 (Ind. 2010). This Court, 
18

however, has held that while the taking of a biological sample, such as a DNA sample, 

indeed constitutes a “search” for purposes of the Fourth Amendment, the statutory 

requirement that a defendant convicted of a felony submit a DNA sample for the DNA 

database comes within the special needs exception against suspicionless searches. Balding v. 

State, 812 N.E.2d 169, 172 (Ind. Ct. App. 2004). 7 In Balding, we specifically considered a 

buccal swab and determined that (1) a convicted offender had a reduced expectation of 

privacy, (2) the character of the intrusion was minimal because the procedure was 

noninvasive and pain free, and (3) the State has a substantial interest in creating a database of 

DNA samples from convicted offenders. Accordingly, we concluded that the compulsory 

collection of DNA samples from convicted offenders to be included in Indiana‟s DNA 

database does not violate the Fourth Amendment.8 Id. at 173-74; see also Keeney v. State, 

873 N.E.2d 187, 189 (Ind. Ct. App. 2007). 

Anderson maintains that, unlike a convicted felon, as a convicted misdemeanant, he 

did not possess a reduced expectation of privacy. Thus, he argues that admission of the DNA 

evidence pursuant to the “mistake” exception of Indiana Code Section 10-13-6-10(c) violated 

his Fourth Amendment rights. First, we do not agree with Anderson that a defendant who 

commits and pleads guilty to a crime that is a felony but is merely sentenced pursuant to the 

 

7 While arguably disagreeing with Balding and its progeny but ultimately deciding the case on other 

grounds, the Garcia-Torres court merely acknowledged that “[m]ost courts that have addressed 

constitutionality of cheek swabs have concluded that a cheek swab is a „search‟ for the purposes of the Fourth 

Amendment.” Id. at 1232. Although Balding has not been overruled, we are unaware as to how our supreme 

court may resolve this issue in the future.
19

grace of our alternate misdemeanor sentencing statute possesses a significantly greater 

expectation of privacy than a convicted felon such that the compulsory collection of his DNA 

sample would violate the Fourth Amendment. More importantly, we are compelled to note 

that “[t]he touchstone of the Fourth Amendment is reasonableness.” Shotts v. State, 925 

N.E.2d 719, 723 (Ind. 2010). Indeed, the amendment itself “contains no provision expressly 

precluding the use of evidence obtained in violation of its commands.” Arizona v. Evans, 

514 U.S. 1, 10 (1995)). The exclusionary rule rendering evidence obtained through an illegal 

search or seizure inadmissible at trial is a judicially created remedy designed to safeguard the 

right of people to be free from “unreasonable searches and seizures.” United States v. 

Calandra, 414 U.S. 338, 348 (1974). Thus, the sole purpose of the exclusionary rule is to 

deter future Fourth Amendment violations. Davis, __ U.S.__, 131 S. Ct. at 2426. 

In Evans, the Supreme Court held that “[t]he exclusionary rule does not require 

suppression of evidence seized in violation of the Fourth Amendment where the erroneous 

information resulted from clerical errors of court employees.” Evans, 514 U.S. at 10. 

Specifically, the exclusionary rule was historically designed as a means of deterring police 

misconduct, not mistakes by court employees. Id. Here, even assuming that Anderson had a 

greater expectation of privacy than those to which Indiana Code Section 10-13-6-10 was 

intended to apply, and thus the collection of his DNA violated his Fourth Amendment rights, 

exclusion of the DNA evidence would serve no deterrent purpose. The buccal swab here was 

 

8

 Interestingly, the Balding court repeatedly refers to a convicted “offender” as opposed to specifically 

a convicted “felon.” However, as it stands, Indiana Code Section 10-13-6-13 requires DNA samples only from

persons “convicted of a felony,” “conspiracy to commit a felony,” “attempt to commit a felony,” or “burglary.”
20

performed and the DNA was collected due to an unintentional mistake by a court and its 

employees when it issued an erroneous order of probation and abstract of judgment. As such, 

exclusion was unnecessary and admission of the evidence did not violate Anderson‟s Fourth 

Amendment rights.

C. The Mistake Exception and the Indiana Constitution

Although Article 1, Section 11 of the Indiana Constitution tracks the Fourth 

Amendment verbatim, the Indiana provision in some cases confers greater protections to 

individuals than the Fourth Amendment affords and focuses on what was “reasonable” under 

the “totality of the circumstances.” Shotts, 925 N.E.2d at 726. However, Anderson offers us 

no rationale, and we can find none for concluding that the Indiana Constitution demands a 

different result here. Indiana search and seizure jurisprudence, like Fourth Amendment 

doctrine, identifies deterrence as the primary objective of the exclusionary rule. Membres v. 

State, 889 N.E.2d 265, 273 (Ind. 2008). As stated, exclusion of Anderson‟s DNA evidence 

would serve no deterrent purpose, as it was collected inadvertently as the result of an 

unintentional mistake by the court and court employees. Accordingly, admission of the 

evidence did not violate Anderson‟s rights pursuant to the Indiana Constitution.

III. Sentencing

Anderson next contends that the trial court abused its discretion when it sentenced 

him. Sentencing decisions are within the sound discretion of the trial court and are reviewed 

only for an abuse of that discretion. Anglemyer v. State, 868 N.E.2d 482, 490 (Ind. 2007), 

clarified on reh’g, 875 N.E.2d 218. An abuse of discretion occurs if the decision is clearly 
21

against the logic and effect of the facts and circumstances before the court, or the reasonable, 

probable, and actual deductions to be drawn therefrom. Id. A trial court may abuse its 

discretion in sentencing by failing to enter a sentencing statement, entering a sentencing 

statement that explains reasons for imposing a sentence which the record does not support, 

omitting reasons that are clearly supported by the record and advanced for consideration, or 

giving reasons that are improper as a matter of law. Id.

Anderson argues that the trial court abused its discretion by finding an aggravating 

factor not supported by the record and failing to find a mitigating factor that was clearly 

supported by the record. Regarding aggravating factors, the trial court found the “extremely 

violent nature of this offense” as an aggravating circumstance. Tr. at 1001. First, the facts 

and circumstances surrounding Pepper‟s murder clearly support a finding that the murder was 

extremely violent. Her stab wounds were almost too numerous to count, and several of the 

wounds were inflicted so violently that any one of them could have been fatal.9 Indeed, 

Anderson does not challenge the three additional aggravating factors found by the trial court, 

which included his criminal history, prior probation violation, and past illegal substance 

abuse. A single aggravating circumstance is sufficient to justify a sentence enhancement. 

Williams v. State, 891 N.E.2d 621, 633 (Ind. Ct. App. 2008). Accordingly, even if a 

 

9 Anderson disputes the evidentiary support for the trial court‟s additional statement that he was “so 

excited by the act of murdering Jane Pepper that he became erect and had to relieve that erection through a 

sexual attack on Jane Pepper‟s body.” Tr. at 1001. We agree that there was no evidentiary support for this 

statement. Nevertheless, the facts and circumstances surrounding the murder itself support the trial court‟s 

general finding in aggravation as to the extremely violent nature of the offense, and we will not disturb that 

finding.
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sentencing court improperly applies an aggravating circumstance, but other valid aggravating 

circumstances exist, a sentence enhancement may still be upheld. Id.

Regarding the sole mitigating factor, Anderson argues that although the trial court 

specifically found his long history of mental illness as a mitigator, the court seemed to 

entirely discount the mitigating relevance of this factor. Anderson‟s argument in this regard 

is merely a challenge to the weight given to his mental illness. This argument is not available 

on appeal. The trial court is no longer obligated to weigh mitigating and aggravating factors 

when imposing sentence, and thus the trial court cannot be said to have abused its discretion 

in failing to assign proper weight to certain factors. Anglemyer, 868 N.E.2d at 491. 

Accordingly, Anderson has established no abuse of discretion.

As a final matter, Anderson requests that we review the appropriateness of his

sentence. Pursuant to Indiana Appellate Rule 7(B), we may revise a sentence authorized by 

statute if, after due consideration of the trial court‟s decision, we find that the sentence “is 

inappropriate in light of the nature of the offense and the character of the offender.” The 

defendant bears the burden to persuade this Court that his or her sentence is inappropriate. 

Childress v. State, 848 N.E.2d 1073, 1080 (Ind. 2006). “[W]hether we regard a sentence as 

appropriate at the end of the day turns on our sense of culpability of the defendant, the 

severity of the crime, the damage done to others, and myriad other factors that come to light 

in a given case.” Cardwell v. State, 895 N.E.2d 1219, 1224 (Ind. 2008).

We have already reversed two of Anderson‟s convictions and vacated twenty-three 

years of Anderson‟s sentence, leaving him with a sixty-five year sentence for murder. 
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Indiana Code Section 35-50-2-3 provides that a person who commits murder shall be 

imprisoned for a fixed term of between forty-five and sixty-five years, with the advisory 

sentence being fifty-five years. Under the circumstances presented here, we cannot say that 

the maximum sixty-five year sentence is inappropriate. Pepper‟s murder is one of the most 

disturbing that we have encountered. As noted earlier, this crime was incredibly violent. The

brutal and random nature of Anderson‟s murder of Pepper supports the trial court‟s 

imposition of the maximum penalty available. Moreover, Anderson does not persuade us 

that his character warrants a lesser sentence. While we acknowledge his history of mental 

illness, there is insufficient evidence in the record connecting Anderson‟s mental illness to 

his commission of this murder. Anderson has failed to meet his burden to show that his 

sixty-five year sentence is inappropriate.

In sum, we affirm Anderson‟s conviction and sentence for murder. We reverse his 

convictions for burglary and abuse of a corpse and vacate those sentences. As noted earlier, 

the State may retry Anderson for those offenses if it so chooses.

Affirmed in part, reversed in part and remanded.

MAY, J., and BROWN, J. concur.