Court Opinion

ID: 9844809
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-24 03:09:35.864236+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:15:43.724516
License: Public Domain

BISTLINE, Justice,
specially concurring.
I concur with the majority’s analysis in Part II only because of the rather odd circumstances of the agreement which Dunlap entered into. It is highly questionable as to whether the Ohio murder indictment alone, particularly in light of the presumption of innocence adhering to that Ohio crime, could support a finding beyond a reasonable doubt that Dunlap had committed the Ohio murder and thus that beyond a reasonable doubt he possessed the propensity to murder. However, pursuant to the plea agreement Dunlap agreed to the fact that he had committed the Ohio murder in the event the trial court found the Ohio indictment admissible. With that agreement in place, Dunlap is only positioned to challenge the admissibility of the indictment and related witness statements rather than the weight of the evidence, once admitted. I agree with the majority that the indictment is relevant, although barely, to the sentencing inquiry as to whether Dunlap has the propensity to murder and thus is admissible.