State of Tennessee v. James L. Partin

Defendant, James L. Partin, was indicted for the offenses of second degree murder, aggravated assault, three counts of felony reckless endangerment, and unlawful possession of a weapon with intent to use it in the commission of felony reckless endangerment. Pursuant to a negotiated plea agreement, defendant pled guilty to voluntary manslaughter, a lesser-included offense of second degree murder, and all other charges were dismissed. The plea agreement further provided that the trial court would determine the length and manner of service of defendant's sentence, with the sole parameter being that he be sentenced as a standard Range I offender. Following a sentencing hearing, the trial court ordered that defendant serve five years in confinement in the Department of Correction. In this appeal, defendant contends that the trial court erred in determining the length and manner of service of his sentence. After a thorough review of the sentencing proceeding, we affirm the judgment of the trial court concerning the length of defendant's sentence. We reverse the trial court's judgment regarding manner of service, however, and order that defendant serve his sentence on split-confinement.