State v. Reed

Citations

• 2024 Ohio 4838

Syllabus

Sufficient Evidence; Manifest Weight; Expert Testimony. In evaluating a sufficiency of the evidence challenge, the appellate court must examine the record in a light most favorable to the prosecution to determine whether some evidence was produced at trial to substantiate each of the essential elements of the crime. To establish a conviction for aggravated murder in violation of R.C. 2903.01(A), the State must prove that the defendant purposely, and with prior calculation and design, caused the death of another. The failure of the State to request that a witness be formally designated as an expert does not rise to the level of plain error where the witness gave testimony regarding his or her qualifications.