State v. Welker, Unpublished Decision (3-11-2004)

JOURNAL ENTRY and OPINION

{¶ 1} Defendant-appellant Charles Welker ("appellant") appeals various rulings by the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas arising from his pleas of guilty to one count of rape and five counts of gross sexual imposition. For the reasons stated below, we affirm.

{¶ 2} On February 17, 1999, appellant was indicted on four counts of rape and sixteen counts of gross sexual imposition ("GSI") that occurred over many years, each count involving one of appellant's granddaughters.1 On November 17, 1999, appellant's trial began. On November 18, 1999, in the midst of trial,…