State v. Fields

Citations

• 2025 Ohio 2248

Syllabus

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE — SELF-DEFENSE — ADMISSION OF EVIDENCE — CHARACTER EVIDENCE — CHARACTER OF THE VICTIM — EVID.R. 404 — EVID.R. 405 — FINANCIAL SANCTIONS — SENTENCING — NUNC PRO TUNC: Defendant's conviction for domestic violence was not contrary to the manifest weight of the evidence on defendant's claim of self-defense where the record credibly supports that defendant was at fault in creating the altercation by spraying the father of her child with mace when they crossed paths during the exchange of the child at the paternal grandmother's apartment. While the trial court may have erred in precluding defendant from testifying to specific instances of conduct allegedly perpetrated by the father of the child against former romantic partners to inform defendant's state of mind during the confrontation, any error was harmless in view of the overwhelming evidence contravening defendant's self-defense claim. The portion of the sentencing entry imposing a fine is sua sponte reversed and the matter is remanded for the trial court to enter a nunc pro tunc entry reflecting that the fine was remitted as stated in open court at the sentencing hearing.