State v. Richardson

2026-Ohio-134 (7th Dist.) · Court of Appeals of Ohio, Seventh Appellate District, Belmont County · January 15, 2026 · No. 25 BE 0027

Summary

The Ohio Court of Appeals, Seventh Appellate District, affirmed Donnalyn Richardson’s convictions and sentence for aggravated possession of methamphetamine. The court held that sufficient circumstantial evidence supported constructive possession and that the jury’s verdict was not against the manifest weight of the evidence.

Holdings

  1. The State presented sufficient evidence for a rational jury to find beyond a reasonable doubt that Richardson knowingly and constructively possessed the methamphetamine and committed aggravated possession of drugs under R.C. 2925.11(A) and (C)(1)(c).
  2. The conviction was not against the manifest weight of the evidence because the jury did not clearly lose its way in finding Richardson guilty of aggravated possession of methamphetamine.

Questions Presented

  1. Whether the evidence was sufficient to prove that Richardson knowingly possessed the methamphetamine, including through constructive possession.
  2. Whether the jury's aggravated-possession conviction was against the manifest weight of the evidence.

Disposition

affirmed

Cases Cited (14)

  • State v. Maxwell, 139 Ohio St.3d 12, 2014-Ohio-1019, 9 N.E.3d 930, ¶ 146(followed)
  • State v. Jenks, 61 Ohio St.3d 259, 574 N.E.2d 492 (1991)(followed)
  • Jackson v. Virginia, 443 U.S. 307, 99 S.Ct. 2781, 61 L.Ed.2d 560 (1979)(followed)
  • State v. Thompkins, 78 Ohio St.3d 380, 387, 678 N.E.2d 541 (1997)(followed)
  • State v. Hunter, 131 Ohio St.3d 67, 2011-Ohio-6524, 960 N.E.2d 955, ¶ 119(followed)
  • State v. DeHass, 10 Ohio St.2d 230, 227 N.E.2d 212 (1967)(followed)
  • Davis v. Flickinger, 77 Ohio St.3d 415, 418, 674 N.E.2d 1159 (1997)(followed)
  • State v. T.D.J., 2018-Ohio-2766 (7th Dist.), ¶ 46-48(followed)
  • State v. Biros, 78 Ohio St.3d 426, 447 (1997)(followed)
  • State v. Wolery, 46 Ohio St.2d 316, 329, 332 (1976)(followed)

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