Hendley v. State, No. 2--773A156

• Docket Nº: No. 2--773A156
• Citation: 160 Ind.App. 338, 311 N.E.2d 849, 42 Ind.Dec. 211
• Case Date: June 06, 1974
• Court: Court of Appeals of Indiana

Page 849

311 N.E.2d 849 160 Ind.App. 338 David Leroy HENDLEY, Appellant (Defendant below),
v.
STATE of Indiana, Appellee (Plaintiff below). No. 2--773A156. Court of Appeals of Indiana, Second District. June 6, 1974.

[160 Ind.App. 339]

Page 850

Robert E. Hughes, Indianapolis, for appellant.

Theodore L. Sendak, Atty. Gen. of Ind., Robert F. Colker, Asst. Atty. Gen., Indianapolis, for appellee.

BUCHANAN, Judge.

CASE SUMMARY

Defendant-Appellant David Hendley (Hendley) appeals from a jury conviction of Assault and Battery with Intent to Commit a Felony (Rape), claiming insufficient evidence as to the requisite intent, and prejudice resulting from improper testimony of prior arrests.

We affirm.

[160 Ind.App. 340] FACTS

The facts and evidence most favorable to the State are:

On July 14, 1971, an 18 year old girl (Karen), was employed as a babysitter at the home of Barry and Sandra Jones in Indianapolis, Indiana. Hendley and a female companion, Diana Gist (Diana), were present when Karen arrived at the Jones' home about 4:00 P.M. The four adults (the Joneses, Hendley and Diana) then departed, leaving Karen in charge of the Jones' two small children.

Later that evening, Hendley and Diana returned to the house with Diana's young daughter and asked Karen if she would agree to watch over her too. Karen agreed, and the couple departed. They then visited various taverns until about 2:00 A.M.

Hendley then returned to the Jones residence, leaving Diana asleep in the car. When Karen answered the door, Hendley informed her that he had come for Diana's

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daughter who, along with the other two young children, was asleep in a bedroom.

After Hendley gained entrance, Karen resumed watching T.V. in the living room. Hendley followed her, and while both were seated, asked Karen if she was a virgin. After receiving an affirmative reply, Hendley asked her to go with him into the bedroom. She replied, 'No, I don't want to go to bed with you.'

Hendley then went into the kitchen. During his absence, Karen attempted to telephone her parents who lived eight blocks distant. This attempt was thwarted by Hendley who by this time had reentered the room and placed his finger over the phone and advised Karen that she 'wasn't going to call anyone.'

This was followed by Hendley's continued insistence that Karen 'go to the bedroom' with him--and Karen's repeated refusals.

[160 Ind.App. 341] Hendley then returned to the kitchen, obtained a knife and began throwing it in front of Karen . . . toward a door. Hendley later obtained a second knife from the kitchen and ran its blade across Karen's throat and legs, while placing his other hand on her breast, all of which was accompanied by additional demands that she go with him into the bedroom. When Karen continued to refuse, Hendley threated to 'split (her) wide open' if she did not comply.

Karen maintained her resistance.

Hendley again withdrew to the kitchen. This time Karen attempted to flee out the front door. Hendley intercepted her on the front porch, seized her by the arm and pushed her back inside against a wall, telling her she was not going to leave.

Later as Hendley investigated a crying child in a bedroom, Karen did escape. She ran to the nearby home of a girlfriend. Hendley pursued her for a short distance, threatening to kill the children if she did not return.

Karen telephoned her parents, who summoned police. Hendley was arrested shortly thereafter at the Jones' home.

At the trial, one of the arresting officers testified as to a conversation he had with Diana informing her of what had transpired since she had last seen Hendley. He testified in part:

'So we advised her of what had happened and the first thing that she said was, she called him a name and said you've done it again, you've done it again, I didn't believe you before but by God, you've done it again, and that's the same exact words that she said.'

No objection was made to this testimony. After the next question, trial counsel objected to the conversation as being hearsay, and the objection was sustained. A few questions later the witness again referred to the fact that Diana said previously, 'he had been arrested before for assault on a baby sitter.' Again trial counsel objected. The Court sustained[160 Ind.App. 342] the objection and admonished the jury to disregard 'reference to any prior arrests which at least at this point has no bearing on his guilt or innocence.'

The jury found Hendley guilty of Assault and Battery with Intent to Rape. He was subsequently sentenced to 1 to 10 years imprisonment under I.C.1971 35--1--54--3, Ind.Ann.Stat. § 10--401 (Burns 1973 Suppl.) (Assault and Battery with Intent to Commit a Felony).

Hendley appeals.

ISSUES

Issues properly before this court are:

ISSUE ONE--Was the evidence sufficient to prove that Hendley intended to commit Rape?

ISSUE TWO--Was Hendley prejudiced by Trooper Hilzley's testimony relating to prior arrests despite the trial court's admonishment to the jury to disregard the testimony?

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As to ISSUE ONE, Hendley admits the evidence was sufficient to prove an assault and battery, but argues that the proof could not support a reasonable inference that he intended to rape Karen.

The State argues that a reasonable inference as to Hendley's intent could be drawn by the jury from the evidence.

As to...