Opinions Feb. 8, 2013

Indiana Court of Appeals
Billy Russell v. State of Indiana
49A04-1203-CR-148
Criminal. Affirms conviction and sentence on charges of murder and Class B felony possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon. The panel found that the trial court did not abuse its discretion in refusing to completely bifurcate the trial of the SVF charge from the murder charge or in refusing to tender Russell’s self-defense jury instruction. The court also determined the 85-year sentence was not inappropriate.

Hiawathia Hunt v. State of Indiana
49A04-1207-CR-371
Criminal. Affirms 545-day sentence, 270 executed, on a conviction of Class D felony theft following a bench trial, holding that a sentence in which the judge offered possible leniency in time served in exchange for restitution to the victim was not error because the sentence was not conditioned upon restitution but rather offered possible modification if restitution was paid.

Estate of Ruby L. Rowland: James A. Rowland, Jr. v. Michael B. Rowland (NFP)
48A02-1203-ES-223
Estate, supervised. Affirms the trial court’s denial of the Estate’s petition to recover assets. Ruled the trial court properly found that the presumption of undue influence does not apply and properly found the Estate failed to prove that the statutory presumption for survivorship rights was overcome.

Louis Townsend v. State of Indiana (NFP)
48A04-1207-PC-389
Post conviction. Affirms trial court’s denial of Townsend’s petition for relief. Found the post-conviction court did not err when it concluded that Townsend did not receive ineffective assistance of trial and appellate counsel and when it concluded Townsend was not entitled to post-conviction relief on the basis of newly-discovered evidence.

The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals issued no Indiana decisions prior to IL deadline. The Indiana Supreme Court and Tax Court issued no opinions prior to IL deadline.