Full title: STATE OF OHIO, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. JESSICA GROVES, Defendant-Appellant.
Court: Court of Appeals of Ohio, Fourth District, Scioto
Case no: 20CA3904
Date published: Feb 8, 2022
Fact:
This is an appeal from a Scioto County Common Pleas Court judgment of conviction and sentence. A jury found Jessica Groves, defendant below and appellant herein, guilty of (1) aggravated murder, (2) murder, (3) kidnapping, (4) child endangerment, (5) tampering with evidence, (6) interference with custody, (7) gross abuse of a corpse, and (8) four counts of felonious assault.
Appellant raises the following assignment of error for review:
“APPELLANT RECEIVED INEFFECTIVE ASSISTANCE OF COUNSEL DUE TO HER TRIAL COUNSEL ABDICATING HIS ROLE AS HER ADVOCATE AS WELL AS COMMITTING A SERIES OF BAFFLING ACTS AND/OR OMISSIONS DURING THE LITIGATION AND TRIAL OF APPELLANT’S CASE.”
On June 14, 2019, a Scioto County Grand Jury returned an indictment that charged appellant with multiple, serious felony offenses. Daniel Groves, appellant’s spouse and co-defendant, pleaded not guilty to a similar list of charges on June 17, 2019. Appellant initially pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, but after the trial court found appellant competent to stand trial, on September 24, 2019 appellant entered not guilty pleas.
Issue:
Conclusion:
It is ordered that the judgment be affirmed. Appellee shall recover of appellant the costs herein taxed.
The Court finds there were reasonable grounds for this appeal.
It is ordered that a special mandate issue out of this Court directing the Scioto County Common Pleas Court to carry this judgment into execution.
If a stay of execution of sentence and release upon bail has been previously granted, it is continued for a period of 60 days upon the bail previously posted. The purpose of said stay is to allow appellant to file with the Ohio Supreme Court an application for a stay during the pendency of the proceedings in that court. The stay as herein continued will terminate at the expiration of the 60-day period.
The stay will also terminate if appellant fails to file a notice of appeal with the Ohio Supreme Court in the 45-day period pursuant to Rule II, Sec. 2 of the Rules of Practice of the Ohio Supreme Court. Additionally, if the Ohio Supreme Court dismisses the appeal prior to the expiration of said 60 days, the stay will terminate as of the date of such dismissal.
A certified copy of this entry shall constitute that mandate pursuant to Rule 27 of the Rules of Appellate Procedure.