State vs. Deborah Graham & Denice Smith

After a jury trial, a Cocke County jury found the Defendants, Deborah Graham and Denice Smith, guilty of the first degree murder of Aaron Smith. Following a sentencing hearing, the trial court sentenced both Defendants to life imprisonment with the possibility of parole. In this appeal as of right, the Defendants raise the following issues: 1) whether the trial court erred in not dismissing the indictments because of the State's failure to provide the Defendants with a speedy trial; 2) whether the trial court erred by allowing the State to decide not to consolidate Alexandro Rivera's case with the Defendants' case, because of a potential Bruton problem, without first granting the Defendants an opportunity to be heard on the issue; 3) whether the trial court erred in failing to sever Defendant Smith's case from Defendant Graham's case; 4) whether the trial court erred in consolidating Defendant Graham's case with Defendant Smith's case; and 5) whether the evidence was sufficient to convict each of the Defendants of first degree murder. After a thorough review of the evidence and the applicable law, we affirm the decision of the trial court.