People v. Bartsch CA4/1
Opinion
Opinion
Huffman, J.
BACKGROUND
Joanne Rogers was born in 1934 and married Stanton Rogers in 1951. Bartsch is
their daughter.
In 2003, Mrs. Rogers suffered a brain aneurysm that resulted in memory
impairment. In 2008, Mr. Rogers underwent ankle surgery and was unable to care for his
wife. At Bartsch's suggestion, Mrs. Rogers left her husband and moved in with Bartsch,
although Mrs. Rogers did not want to separate from her husband. Mrs. Rogers trusted
Bartsch and signed the papers Bartsch gave her. Shortly after moving in with Bartsch,
Mrs. Rogers executed a power of attorney in Bartsch's favor. Bartsch handled Mrs.
Rogers's finances and they had a joint bank account.
Shortly after Mr. Rogers's surgery, Bartsch held a garage sale at which she sold
her parents' tools; hundreds of dollars worth of cookware; new washer and dryer and
refrigerator; and bed. In June 2008, Bartsch took approximately $10,200 in cash, a gun
and personal papers from Mr. Rogers's safe. Around November, Mrs. Rogers received an
inheritance from her brother consisting of $173,000 in retirement accounts. She intended
to leave the money in those accounts.