Opinion ID: 797839
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Insufficiency of Evidence for Rape Conviction

Text: 118 Finally, Durr argues that the prosecution presented insufficient evidence to support his rape conviction. Specifically, Durr claims that the state failed to present proof beyond a reasonable doubt that Durr at any time raped Angel Vincent. He argues that there was no medical or eyewitness testimony to establish a rape occurred, and that circumstantial evidence of Angel's partially naked body is insufficient to sustain the charge of rape and the capital specification that the offense occurred in the commission of rape. Durr initially raised this claim on direct appeal. Because the state court reviewed this claim on the merits, we review this claim under the stricter AEDPA standard. 119 Ohio's statute concerning rape at the time of Durr's trial stated that no person shall engage in sexual conduct with another when the offender purposely compels the other person to submit by force or threat of force. Ohio Rev.Code § 2907.02(A)(2) (repealed 1995). Sexual conduct was defined as vaginal intercourse between a male and female, and anal intercourse, fellatio, and cunnilingus between persons regardless of sex. Penetration, however slight, is sufficient to complete vaginal or anal intercourse. Ohio Rev.Code § 2907.01(A) (repealed 1995). Sexual contact was defined at the time of Durr's trial as any touching of an erogenous zone of another, including without limitation the thigh, genitals, buttock, pubic region, or, if the person is female, a breast for the purpose of sexually arousing or gratifying either person. Ohio Rev. Code 2907.01 (repealed 1995). 120 Acknowledging that Vincent's body was so severely infested with bacteria, testing for the presence of acid phosphates and spermatozoa was inconclusive, Durr, 568 N.E.2d at 677, the Ohio Supreme Court nevertheless rejected the claim, stating: 121 In this case, the prosecution presented highly probative circumstantial evidence. Except for a pair of tennis shoes, the victim's body was found nude from the waist down. In addition, Deborah Mullins testified that when she saw Angel tied up in the back of [Durr's] car, [Durr] informed Deborah that he was going to kill Angel because she would tell. Based on these facts, we believe that there was sufficient probative evidence from which a rational trier of fact could have found [Durr] guilty of rape beyond a reasonable doubt. 122 Durr, 568 N.E.2d at 682. 123 Two state supreme court justices disagreed with the majority's determination that there was sufficient evidence to support a conviction of rape. Id. at 686. (Moyer, C.J. and Brown, J., concurring). The district court held that the evidence cited by . . . the Supreme Court of Ohio support[s] a finding that sufficient evidence existed for any rational trier of fact to find the essential elements of the crime beyond a reasonable doubt. We review this claim under the AEDPA standard. 124 This issue presents a very close question, since there is absolutely no physical evidence of any penetration to affirmatively establish sexual conduct under Ohio Rev.Code § 2907.01(A) (repealed 1995), rather then a less severe charge of sexual contact under Ohio Rev.Code § 2907.01(B) (repealed 1995). Were this case before us on de novo review, we might be hard-pressed to conclude after reviewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the prosecution, [that] any trier of fact could have found the essential elements of the crime beyond a reasonable doubt. Jackson v. Virginia, 443 U.S. 307, 319, 99 S.Ct. 2781, 61 L.Ed.2d 560 (1979). However, our review on habeas is very deferential to the state courts, and we simply cannot say that the insufficiency of evidence claim resulted in a decision that was contrary to, or involved an unreasonable application of Jackson. As the Ohio Supreme Court held, although circumstantial, the evidence in this case was highly probative. Deborah Mullins testified that she saw the victim tied up in Durr's car, and that Durr told her that he was going to waste Angel because she would tell. The body was nude from the waist down, except for tennis shoes. Medical evidence was inconclusive because the amount of bacteria in the body. Based on this evidence, a jury could have reasonably inferred that Angel had been raped. As circumstantial evidence is entitled to equal weight as direct evidence, United States v. Farley, 2 F.3d 645, 650 (6th Cir.1993), we cannot conclude on habeas review that the Ohio Supreme Court erred. As the state of Ohio has considerable expertise in matters of Ohio state criminal law, it is appropriate for this Court to exercise substantial deference to the Ohio Supreme Court in this area. See Medina v. California, 505 U.S. 437, 445-46, 112 S.Ct. 2572, 120 L.Ed.2d 353 (1992) (stating that Court should not lightly construe the Constitution so as to intrude upon the administration of justice by the individual States.). Therefore, claim thirty-six is denied.