Title: Dombkowski v. State
Citation: 230 N.E.2d 602, 249 Ind. 32
Docket Number: 30,695
State: Indiana
Issuer: Indiana Supreme Court
Date: November 6, 1967

249 Ind. 32 (1967)
230 N.E.2d 602
DOMBKOWSKI
v.
STATE OF INDIANA.
No. 30,695.

Supreme Court of Indiana.
Filed November 6, 1967.
*33 David F. Feagler, and Stevens and Wampler, of Plymouth, for appellant.
John J. Dillon, Attorney General, and Kenneth M. Waterman, Deputy General, for appellee.
LEWIS, J.
This appeal is prosecuted from a conviction and judgment rendered on the verdict of a jury where the appellant was charged with the crime of Sodomy pursuant to Burns' Indiana Statutes, Anno., § 10-4221, (1956 Repl.). The appellant was sentenced to the Indiana Reformatory for an indeterminate period of not less than two (2) nor more than fourteen (14) years.
The appellant filed a motion for a new trial in the court below and urged the following grounds:
The fourth specification of the motion for a new trial reads as follows:
Specifications (e) and (g) have not been dealt with in this opinion for the reason that they were not included in the argument section of appellant's brief, and, therefore, are deemed waived under Supreme Court Rule 2-17, 1964. Said alleged errors are not set out herein.
Specification 4(a) contends that the Court committed error in the rulings on the direct examination of witness Stanley Greenlee, which evidence, together with the objections, is set out supra.
Specification 4(b) urges reversible error by the Trial Court in receiving into evidence the testimony on re-direct examination of the witness Rolland Kling, Jr., as to statements made by the appellant with regard to an alleged stabbing, as set out supra.
Specification 4(c) argues that the Trial Court committed reversible error in receiving into evidence the testimony on re-direct examination of the witness Rolland Kling, Jr., as to certain statements made to him by a deputy sheriff, all as set out verbatim, supra.
Specification 4(d) urges reversible error by the Trial Court in that the Court interrogated a witness as to certain testimony regarding a conversation as set out verbatim, supra.
Specification 4(e) alleges reversible error in the Trial Court in permitting the prosecuting attorney on cross-examination to exceed the scope of direct examination and to exceed proper cross-examination concerning prior convictions of appellant *39 and other charges made against appellant as set out verbatim, supra.
Errors 4(a) and 4(c) contend that certain testimony was introduced over objection. It is true that objections were made; however, in each instance, objections were not made at the proper time and with the proper specificity. In assigned errors (b) and (c), the objection was made, in each instance, after the answer was given. Bramlett v. State (1949), 227 Ind. 662, 87 N.E.2d 880 holds that a party must make his objection before the answer is given in order to preserve the error for appeal. See also, 1 Ewbank's Indiana Criminal Law, Evidence, § 379, p. 232. "Objections to the admission of evidence must be made before answers are given." Citing as authority the following: Parker v. State (1925), 196 Ind. 534, 149 N.E. 59; Kempa v. State (1945), 223 Ind. 120, 58 N.E.2d 934.
The appellant has also failed to show any reason where appellant's rights were prejudiced under assigned errors 4(a) and 4(c).
We conclude, therefore, that there is not reversible error in assigned errors 4(a), 4(b) and 4(c).
In assigned error 4(d) appellant contends that the Trial Court committed error when the Court interrogated witness Styles as to a certain conversation which the witness overheard between the appellant and his "girl friend." Counsel for the appellant had objected to this testimony because the prosecuting attorney had failed to lay a sufficient foundation. The Trial Court intervened by interrogating the witness and establishing the required foundation.
It is not error per se, therefore, for a Trial Judge to interrogate a witness. Therefore, since it has not been shown how the defendant was harmed nor how the Trial Judge abused his discretion, this conduct will not constitute error.
Assigned error 4(f) concerns questions propounded by the prosecuting attorney during the cross-examination of the appellant. It is the contention of appellant that the prosecuting attorney was permitted too much latitude on cross-examination of Dombkowski. We do not, here, pass upon whether or not the prosecuting attorney was overzealous and did exceed the scope of proper examination. Suffice it to say that appellant did not make prompt objection to the questioning; nor did appellant seek any other remedy such as a corrective instruction to the jury or a motion for mistrial. Bramlett v. State, supra.
*41 Appellant has failed to save his alleged error properly.
Under appellant's assignment of error that the verdict is contrary to law, appellant contends that error was committed by the Trial Court in permitting the jury to view the scene of the alleged offense without the affirmative approval of appellant. Appellant made no objection at the trial level to the viewing of the scene of the alleged offense; however, since the affirmative approval of the appellant is not shown, we believe the fatal error on appeal is a violation of Rule 2-6 of the Supreme Court in that appellant failed to place this specification in his motion for a new trial.
Notwithstanding this defect, we move to a more specific case: Brown v. State (1964), 245 Ind. 604, 201 N.E.2d 281. Error was assigned where the Trial Judge failed to admonish the jury concerning conduct during a recess before discharging them. In deciding that this was not prejudicial, per se, this Court stated:
The general rule is embraced in 9 West's Indiana Law Encyclopedia, Criminal Law, Ch. 30, § 751, p. 242, as follows:
*42 We conclude that since appellant made no objection at trial, did not raise this issue in his motion for a new trial, and has not shown how he was prejudiced, he has not properly presented this alleged error on appeal.
Appellant next cites as error, deprivation of counsel. The alleged crime was committed on January 20, 1964, the affidavit was issued on January 23, 1964, and the appellant was arraigned on January 24, 1964. These proceedings were all completed without the appellant having the benefit of counsel. Appellant did not request counsel at this time; however, he was represented by counsel at the trial. This objection was not raised at trial or in the motion for a new trial.
In Capps v. State (1961), 242 Ind. 165, 177 N.E.2d 457, appellant raised on appeal for the first time an alleged error that since he was tried jointly with another defendant he had a right to individual counsel and that he was not advised of his Constitutional Rights. This Court stated: "... The appellant appears to have raised the question urged for the first time on appeal in this Court. Such questions could very well have been presented and raised in the trial court at the time the claimed errors occurred." Citing with authority from Prough v. State, supra; Pivak v. State (1931), 202 Ind. 417, 175 N.E. 278; 74 A.L.R. 406; Flowers v. State (1956), 236 Ind. 151, 139 N.E.2d 185.
Since appellant has not objected at trial nor raised this in his motion for new trial, he may not raise it now.
It is also alleged by appellant that the Trial Judge was biased and interfered with the proceedings during the trial, thereby prejudicing the defendant, but these alleged errors were not even alluded to in appellant's motion for a new trial and they may not now be considered as error. Supreme Court Rule 2-6 (1964).
The last assigned error raised is the insufficiency of the evidence to support the conviction. Appellant points to the *43 fact that the evidence was comprised chiefly of the victim's testimony and other supporting testimony which of itself would not be sufficient.
On appeal from a criminal conviction where the sufficiency of the evidence is challenged, the Supreme Court cannot weigh the evidence but will consider only the evidence most favorable to the state, and the reasonable inferences that may be drawn therefrom, to determine whether the jury was warranted in returning a verdict of guilty. Gilmore v. State (1951), 229 Ind. 359, 98 N.E.2d 677.
The victim's testimony was full and complete in every detail. Appellant's sufficiency of the evidence argument is in reality one which attacks the credibility of the witness.
It is manifest that if the jury believed the witness-victim and were warranted in doing so, we may not reverse this case and usurp their prerogatives.
The complete record indicates to us that a number of times in this trial, the prosecuting attorney may have been overenthusiastic and overzealous for a conviction. We are also impressed from the record as a whole that the Trial Court may have been over-anxious to conclude the trial and may have taken more part in the trial than would be recommended in a treatise on modern trial practice. *44 The appellant's trial attorney probably did not make as many objections as some attorneys might suggest in viewing the record by hindsight; however, the enthusiasm and devotion to duty of the appellant's trial counsel cannot be questioned. His trial strategy should not be judged in hindsight. He worked with a very difficult set of facts before a jury, and only that attorney could properly evaluate the jury and its reactions, and only he could guide the destiny of appellant's defense. This case is replete with many borderline questions, but after a careful review of all questions, properly assigned, and even those that were inadequately assigned, we hold that there is a complete absence of showing that appellant's rights were prejudiced in any manner.
The judgment of the Trial Court is, therefore, affirmed.
Hunter C.J., and Arterburn and Mote, JJ., concur.
Jackson, J., concurs in result.
NOTE.  Reported in 230 N.E.2d 602.