State v. Coleman

Citations

• 2025 Ohio 4988

Syllabus

The trial court did not err by declining to merge appellant's convictions for aggravated robbery and abduction where the evidence shows the offenses were committed with distinct import, at different times, and with a separate animus. Appellant's convictions were supported by the manifest weight of the evidence where there was overwhelming evidence of guilt. The jury, as the trier of fact, was in the best position to assess the credibility of the witnesses. Trial counsel was not ineffective for not raising meritless issues. In addition, there was no reason to second-guess counsel's strategic decision not to object, and appellant failed to show a reasonable probability that the outcome of the trial would have been different had counsel objected.