COURT OF CRIMINAL APPEALS OPINIONS

Jamal Cooper v. State of Tennessee
M2001-00593-CCA-R3-PC
Authoring Judge: Judge Alan E. Glenn
Trial Court Judge: Judge J. Randall Wyatt, Jr.

The petitioner filed a petition for post-conviction relief from his conviction for voluntary manslaughter, alleging that his guilty plea was involuntary and that he was denied the effective assistance of trial counsel. Following an evidentiary hearing, the post-conviction court dismissed the petition. In a timely appeal to this court, the petitioner raises the issue of whether the post-conviction court erred in finding that he received the effective assistance of trial counsel. After a careful review, we affirm the dismissal of the petition for post-conviction relief.

Davidson Court of Criminal Appeals

State of Tennessee v. Randall Ray Mills
M2000-01065-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Norma McGee Ogle
Trial Court Judge: Judge W. Charles Lee

The defendant, Randall Ray Mills, was convicted in the Marshall County Circuit Court of one count of rape of a child, three counts of aggravated sexual battery, and one count of casual exchange. At the sentencing hearing, the trial court merged all of the defendant's convictions of aggravated sexual battery into the conviction of rape of a child and sentenced the defendant to a total effective sentence of twenty years incarceration in the Tennessee Department of Correction. On appeal, the defendant challenges the sufficiency of the evidence supporting his convictions. Additionally, the State challenges the trial court's merger of the aggravated sexual battery convictions into the rape of a child conviction and further contends that the trial court erred in sentencing the defendant. Upon review of the record and the parties' briefs, we affirm in part and reverse in part the judgment of the trial court and remand for resentencing.

Marshall Court of Criminal Appeals

State of Tennessee v. Ernest Edward Wilson
M2000-01997-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Joe G. Riley
Trial Court Judge: Judge J. Randall Wyatt, Jr.

A Davidson County Grand Jury indicted the defendant for premeditated first degree murder. The defendant was convicted of the lesser-included offense of second degree murder and sentenced to 24 years as a violent offender. In this appeal, the defendant contends: (1) the evidence was insufficient to sustain his conviction; (2) the trial court erroneously neglected to charge the jury on the lesser-included offenses of reckless homicide and criminally negligent homicide; and (3) the defendant's sentence is excessive. After a thorough review of the record, we conclude the failure to charge the lesser-included offenses of reckless homicide and criminally negligent homicide was, at most, harmless error. The defendant's remaining allegations of error are without merit; thus, the judgment of the trial court is affirmed.

Davidson Court of Criminal Appeals

State of Tennessee v. Ernest Edward Wilson - Concurring and Dissenting
M2000-01997-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge James Curwood Witt, Jr.

Although I agree with Judge Welles that it is problematic to use voluntary
manslaughter as the intermediate offense for the purposes of applying the Williams harmless error rule, I concur with Judge Riley in affirming the conviction, based on the facts of the present case and the defendant’s use of those facts in formulating a theory of defense. Given the facts, the defendant’s theory of defense, and the jury’s verdict of second-degree murder, I conclude that the failure to charge the included offenses lesser than voluntary manslaughter was harmless error.

Davidson Court of Criminal Appeals

State of Tennessee v. Ernest Edward Wilson - Dissenting
M2000-01997-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge David H. Welles
Trial Court Judge: Judge J. Randall Wyatt, Jr.

I respectfully dissent from the majority's holding that the trial court’s erroneous failure to instruct the jury on reckless homicide and criminally negligent homicide as lesser-included offenses of first degree murder is harmless beyond a reasonable doubt.

Davidson Court of Criminal Appeals

State of Tennessee v. Daniel Ray Styles
E2001-00905-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Thomas T. Woodall
Trial Court Judge: Judge Ben W. Hooper, II

The defendant, Daniel Ray Styles, was convicted of felony escape, aggravated assault, aggravated robbery, theft over $1,000, and aggravated criminal trespassing. The trial court imposed an effective sentence of fourteen years. On appeal, Defendant raises the following issues: (1) whether the trial court erred by failing to dismiss his case on the ground that his right to a speedy trial was violated; (2) whether the trial court erred in allowing the State to amend the indictments; (3) whether the indictment charging felony escape was facially void because it was unsigned; and (4) whether the trial court erred by failing to require the State to make an election between aggravated assault and aggravated robbery. After a review of the record, we affirm the judgment of the trial court regarding Defendant's convictions and sentences for aggravated robbery, felony escape, and aggravated criminal trespassing. However, we reverse and dismiss Defendant's convictions for aggravated assault and theft as violative of constitutional prohibitions against double jeopardy.

Cocke Court of Criminal Appeals

State of Tennessee, Respondent/Appellee v. Edward Alan Scarbrough, alias, Defendant; International Fidelity Insurance Company, Petitioner/Appellant
E2001-00304-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Thomas T. Woodall
Trial Court Judge: Judge Mary Beth Leibowitz

The defendant, Edward Alan Scarbrough, failed to appear for a scheduled court date on September 21, 1999. Conditional forfeiture was taken on bail bonds in the total amount of $125,000.00. The surety for these bail bonds was International Fidelity Insurance Company, which was obligated through its agent, Gary's Bail Bonds, Inc. Defendant was not returned to custody until after the time period for final forfeiture had expired. International Fidelity Insurance Company filed a timely petition to be granted full exoneration. The trial court, after a hearing, granted partial exoneration and ordered International Fidelity Insurance Company to pay $55,000.00. We affirm the judgment of the trial court.

Knox Court of Criminal Appeals

State of Tennessee v. Michael J. McCann
2990-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge David H. Welles
Trial Court Judge: Judge Timothy L. Easter

The Defendant, Michael J. McCann, was convicted by a jury of one count of aggravated criminal trespass on a habitation; two counts of assault; two counts of aggravated assault; one count of aggravated sexual battery; and two counts of especially aggravated kidnapping. After a hearing he was sentenced as a Range II multiple offender on the aggravated assaults, and as a Range I offender on the remaining convictions, to an effective sentence of thirty years. In this appeal as of right, the Defendant contends that his kidnapping convictions must be reversed and dismissed as violative of his due process rights under State v. Anthony; that the trial court erred in not requiring the State to elect between the proof presented in support of two sexual offenses charged; that the Defendant’s two assault convictions should have  been merged into one of the aggravated assault convictions; that
the prosecutor made improper and prejudicial remarks during closing  argument; that his sentence is excessive; and that he received ineffective assistance of counsel. We reverse and dismiss one of the Defendant’s assault convictions. In all other respects, the judgment of the trial court is affirmed.

Lewis Court of Criminal Appeals

State of Tennessee v. Marion Lee Chapman
W1999-00410-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Jerry L. Smith
Trial Court Judge: Judge C. Creed McGinley

A Carroll County jury convicted the appellant, Marion Lee Chapman, of one (1) count of driving under the influence of an intoxicant. The trial court sentenced the appellant to eleven (11) months and twenty-nine (29) days, suspended after serving ten (10) days in confinement. On appeal, the appellant argues that the trial court erred in denying his motion for a continuance on the day of trial. We hold that the appellant has waived this issue for failing to prepare an adequate record for this Court's review. In addition, we conclude that, based on the limited record before us, the trial court did not abuse its discretion in denying the motion for a continuance. Therefore, we affirm the judgment of the trial court.

Carroll Court of Criminal Appeals

State of Tennessee v. Arhonda Rice
W2000-03004-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Robert W. Wedemeyer
Trial Court Judge: Judge James C. Beasley, Jr.

The Defendant pled guilty to theft over $1,000.00, a Class D felony, and the trial court sentenced her to two years incarceration as a Range I standard offender. The trial court suspended the Defendant’s sentence and placed her on seven years probation. The trial court also ordered the Defendant to serve one hundred weekends at the Shelby County Correctional Center, perform five hundred hours of community service, and pay $8,400.00 in restitution. The Defendant now appeals, arguing (1) the trial court erred in denying her judicial diversion, and (2) that the trial court erred in denying her full probation. Finding no error, we affirm the judgment of the trial court.

Shelby Court of Criminal Appeals

Jeffrey E. Dunlap v. State of Tennessee
E2001-00189-CCA-R3-PC
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Gary R Wade
Trial Court Judge: Judge Ray L. Jenkins

The petitioner, Jeffrey E. Dunlap, appeals the trial court's denial of post-conviction relief. The single issue presented for review is whether the petitioner was denied the effective assistance of counsel at trial. The judgment is affirmed.

Knox Court of Criminal Appeals

State of Tennessee v. Steve Barber, a.k.a. Vernon S. Barber
E2001-00909-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Alan E. Glenn
Trial Court Judge: Judge Phyllis H. Miller

The defendant was convicted by a Sullivan County Criminal Court jury of driving under the influence, third offense, a Class A misdemeanor, and driving while license suspended, revoked, or cancelled, third offense, a Class B misdemeanor. On appeal to this court, he argues, inter alia, that the trial court erred in denying his request for a mistrial and in admitting expert testimony on breath alcohol testing devices. After a careful review of the record, we affirm the judgment of the trial court. However, we remand for entry of corrected judgment forms to reflect that the defendant's convictions resulted from jury verdicts, rather than guilty pleas.

Sullivan Court of Criminal Appeals

State of Tennessee v. Daniel Thomason
M2000-01164-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge J. Curwood Witt, Jr.
Trial Court Judge: Judge Steve R. Dozier

Daniel Thomason appeals from the aggravated robbery conviction he received at a jury trial in the Davidson County Criminal Court. Thomason is serving an eight-year sentence in the Department of Correction for his crime. In this appeal, he challenges the sufficiency of the convicting evidence that he accomplished the robbery “by display of any article used or fashioned to lead the victim to reasonably believe it to be a deadly weapon.” Because the record before us is does not contain all of the relevant evidence presented at trial, we are precluded from reviewing the sufficiency of the evidence and therefore affirm.

Davidson Court of Criminal Appeals

State of Tennessee v. Ricky Eugene Cofer - Concurring and Dissenting
E2000-01499-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Jerry L. Smith
Trial Court Judge: Judge Richard R. Baumgartner

I concur fully in the lead opinion with respect to the attempted murder convictions of both defendants. I also concur fully with Judge Woodall’s opinion in all other respects save for the issue concerning the failure of the trial court to instruct the jury on the lesser-included offenses of robbery and attempted robbery to the aggravated robbery indictment and the attempted aggravated robbery indictment. For the reasons stated below I would find this failure to instruct with respect to these lesser-included offenses constituted reversible error. A reading of the recent cases of State v. Bowles, ___ S.W.3d ___(Tenn. 2001); and State v. Ely & Bowers, 48 S.W.3d 710 (Tenn. 2001); leads one to the inescapable conclusion that our high court has mandated that lesser-included offense instructions be given anytime the evidence is sufficient to support a conviction for these offenses.  This means that anytime the proof is sufficient for a conviction of the indicted offense, the proof will a fortiori be sufficient for a conviction of the lesser-included offenses. See Bowles ___ S.W.3d at ____. As a practical matter, this in turn means that it will almost always be error to fail to instruct the jury as to all lesser-included offenses of the indicted offense.1 Thus, the only real inquiry, in my opinion, in virtually all of the cases raising the lesser-included offense issue is whether the error in failing to instruct on the lesser offenses can be said to be harmless beyond a reasonable doubt.  It should be noted at the outset of this discussion that although defendant Richmond raised
on appeal the lesser-included offense issue, defendant Johnson did not. Nevertheless, pursuant to Tenn. R. Crim. P. 52(b) and the case of State v. Smith, 24 S.W.3d 274 (Tenn. 2000); I would find as to Johnson that the failure to instruct the jury on the lesser-included offenses of robbery and attempted robbery constitutes plain error. As such I would therefore grant relief on this issue to both defendants.

Knox Court of Criminal Appeals

State of Tennessee v. Linnell Richmond and Shervon Johnson - Concurring
E2000-01499-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Gary R Wade
Trial Court Judge: Judge Richard R. Baumgartner

I concur with Judge Woodall's lead opinion as to the defendant Johnson and would affirm in all respects. I disagree with Judge Smith that this court should reverse Johnson's aggravated robbery and attempted aggravated robbery convictions on a plain error basis for failure to instruct on the lesser offenses of robbery and attempted robbery. Johnson did not present the issue on appeal.  Five factors determine whether the failure to charge lesser included offenses qualifies as reversible, plain error:

1. The record must clearly establish what happened in the trial court;
2. a clear and unequivocal rule of law must have been breached;
3. a substantial right of the accused must have been adversely affected;
4. the accused did not waive the issue for tactical reasons; and
5. consideration of the error is necessary to do substantial justice.

Knox Court of Criminal Appeals

State of Tennessee v. Linnell Richmond and Shervon Johnson
E2000-01545-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Thomas T. Woodall
Trial Court Judge: Judge Richard R. Baumgartner

Following a jury trial, a Knox County jury found the Defendants, Linnell Richmond and Shervon Johnson, guilty of aggravated robbery, attempted aggravated robbery and two counts of attempted first degree premeditated murder. Defendant Johnson was also convicted of the additional attempted aggravated robbery of Leonard Hill. The trial court sentenced Defendant Richmond to an effective sentence of twenty-two years for his convictions. Defendant Johnson was order to serve an effective sentence of seventy years for his convictions. The trial court further ordered that both Defendants serve their state sentences consecutively to a federal sentence arising out of the same situation and conduct as the state sentences. In this appeal as of right, the Defendants raise the following issues:

1) whether the evidence was sufficient to convict each Defendant of attempted first degree premeditated murder, attempted aggravated robbery and aggravated robbery; 2) whether the trial court erred in failing to instruct the jury on the natural and probable consequences rule; 3) whether the trial court erred in allowing the state to proceed under a theory of criminal responsibility against Defendant Richmond, when the indictment failed to charge him with criminal responsibility; 4) whether the trial court erred in failing to charge lesser-included offenses; 5) whether the trial court erred in failing to allow the victim, Mose Cuxart, to be impeached with false statements concerning his income tax returns; 6) whether the trial court erred in admitting photographs of Shannon Brown and Kevin Brown; 7) whether the trial court erred in amending the indictment for aggravated robbery; and 8) whether the trial court erred in ordering the Defendants’ state sentence to run consecutively to their federal sentence. After a thorough review of the evidence and the applicable law, a majority of the panel affirms each of Defendant Johnson’s convictions and sentences. A majority of the panel reverses and remands for a new trial Defendant Richmond’s convictions for aggravated robbery, attempted aggravated robbery, and attempted murder.

Knox Court of Criminal Appeals

Anthony Jerome Stokes v. State of Tennessee
E2000-03232-CCA-R3-PC
Authoring Judge: Judge Alan E. Glenn
Trial Court Judge: Judge Douglas A. Meyer

In 1995, the petitioner entered pleas of guilty to two counts of murder. Subsequently, he filed a petition for post-conviction relief attacking his sentence. Relief was denied by both the post-conviction court and this court. His post-conviction counsel neither withdrew nor filed an application for permission to appeal. Subsequently, he filed a number of other pleadings of various types, including a second petition for post-conviction relief, the dismissal of which is the basis for this appeal. Through that petition, he sought to file an application for permission to appeal to the supreme court the judgment of this court affirming dismissal of his first petition for post-conviction relief. Based upon our review, we remand the matter to the post-conviction court for an evidentiary hearing.

Hamilton Court of Criminal Appeals

State of Tennessee v. Michael Dean Baugh
M2001-00354-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Joe G. Riley
Trial Court Judge: Judge Lee Russell

The defendant entered a best interest guilty plea to aggravated burglary for an agreed sentence of three years as a Range I standard offender, with the potential for alternative sentencing left to the discretion of the trial court, and a misdemeanor theft count was dismissed. Prior to the sentencing hearing, the defendant filed a motion to set aside his plea pursuant to Tenn. R. Crim. P. 32(f), claiming he unknowingly entered it. Following a hearing, the trial court concluded the plea was knowingly entered and denied the defendant's request for alternative sentencing. In this appeal, the defendant claims the trial court erred (1) by denying his motion to withdraw his guilty plea, and (2) by denying alternative sentencing. We affirm the judgment of the trial court.

Bedford Court of Criminal Appeals

State of Tennessee v. Dennis Harry Johnson
M2000-03047-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Gary R Wade
Trial Court Judge: Judge Lee Russell

The defendant, Dennis Harry Johnson, pled guilty to two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor. The trial court imposed a sentence of one year and six months on each count, to be served consecutively, for an effective sentence of three years. In this appeal of right, the defendant argues that the trial court erred by denying his request for alternative sentencing and by ordering the sentences to be served consecutively. The judgments are affirmed.

Bedford Court of Criminal Appeals

State of Tennessee v. Angela H. Black
M2000-02368-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Joe G. Riley
Trial Court Judge: Judge Steve R. Dozier

A Davidson County jury convicted the defendant of theft over $60,000, a Class B felony. The defendant contends in this appeal that (1) the trial court erred in allowing the testimony of a state's witness who heard the victim's testimony despite the trial court's order to sequester witnesses; and (2) the trial court erred in not giving an enhanced unanimity instruction. We affirm the judgment of the trial court.

Davidson Court of Criminal Appeals

State of Tennessee v. Cayle Wayne Harris
M2000-02143-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Gary R Wade
Trial Court Judge: Judge Robert L. Jones

The defendant, Cayle Wayne Harris, was convicted of three counts of rape of a child. The jury assessed a fine of $50,000 for each count and the trial court imposed sentences of twenty-one years for each offense, two terms to be served concurrently and one to be served consecutively. The effective sentence is, therefore, forty-two years. In this appeal of right, the defendant contends that the evidence was insufficient. The judgments are affirmed.

Giles Court of Criminal Appeals

State of Tennessee v. Patricia Adkisson
M2000-01079-CCA-R3-CD,
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Gary R. Wade
Trial Court Judge: Judge Donald P. Harris

The defendant, Patricia Adkisson, who was charged with 253 counts of animal cruelty and one count of tampering with evidence, was convicted on three counts of animal cruelty. See Tenn. Code Ann. §§ 39-14-202, 39-16-503. The trial court imposed three consecutive terms of 11 months, 29 days, and granted supervised probation. As a condition of probation, the defendant was prohibited from owning any caged animals for a period of five years. The defendant appealed. Later, the trial court revoked probation and a second appeal followed. In this consolidated proceeding, the defendant claims that (1) the trial court erred by denying her motion to suppress evidence gathered during the initial search of her property; (2) the evidence was insufficient; (3) the sentence was improper; and (4) the trial court lacked authority to revoke her probation. Because the search of the defendant's premises violated constitutional principles, the trial court erred by failing to suppress the evidence which led to the convictions. Accordingly, the convictions are reversed and the causes are remanded.

Hickman Court of Criminal Appeals

State of Tennessee v. Martin Stuart Hammock
M2000-00334-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge L. Terry Lafferty
Trial Court Judge: Judge Carol L. Soloman

After a trial, Defendant, Martin Stuart Hammock, was found guilty by a Davidson County jury of murder first degree. In accordance with the jury's verdict, the trial court imposed a sentence of life imprisonment with parole. Also accused of murder first degree was a co-Defendant, Brent Rollins, with Angela Watson being indicted for Accessory After the Fact to murder first degree. The co-Defendants were severed prior to trial. In this direct appeal, Defendant contends that: (1) the trial court erred in denying introduction of testimony from the victim's neighbor, David Thompson, regarding the victim's past violent behavior; and (2) the verdict was contrary to the evidence and law in that the proof was insufficient to support a verdict of guilty. After reviewing the record, we reverse, modify and remand the trial court's judgment.

Davidson Court of Criminal Appeals

State of Tennessee v. Michael Fields
M2000-01657-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Gary R Wade
Trial Court Judge: Judge John H. Gasaway, III

In 1992, the defendant, Michael Fields, was convicted of two counts of sale of cocaine; the trial court imposed concurrent sentences of eight years in community corrections. In 1993, the defendant pled guilty to possession of cocaine with intent to sell; the trial court imposed an additional sentence of eight years in community corrections and ordered it to be served concurrently with the 1992 sentences. In February of 1997, the trial court revoked the community corrections sentences and ordered the defendant to serve the remainder of his sentences in the Department of Correction. In May of 1997, the defendant entered a plea of nolo contendere to possession with intent to sell less than one-half gram of cocaine; the trial court imposed a sentence of three years, consecutive to his prior sentences, for an effective sentence on all offenses of 11 years, and granted probation. On July 1, 1998, a probation violation warrant was filed in all three cases. The defendant was ordered to serve 30 days of periodic confinement for the violations. On August 1, 1999, another probation violation warrant, which was later amended, was served on the defendant. Ultimately, probation in all three cases was revoked. In this appeal of right, the defendant complains that he had completed his sentence and the trial court had no authority to revoke probation. In the alternative, the defendant argues that if the sentence had not been completed, he should have been returned to intensive probation. The judgments are affirmed.

Montgomery Court of Criminal Appeals

State of Tennessee v. Johnie Jefferson and Larry Johnson
W1999-00747-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Robert W. Wedemeyer
Trial Court Judge: Judge Joseph B. Dailey

The Defendants, Johnie Jefferson and Larry Johnson, were found guilty by a Shelby County jury of first degree murder in No. W1999-00747-CCA-R3-CD. Both Defendants received life sentences with the possibility of parole. The Defendants now appeal, arguing (1) that there was insufficient evidence to convict them of first degree premeditated murder, (2) that the trial court erred in admitting into evidence a demonstrative exhibit showing the organizational structure of the Gangster's Disciples, (3) that the trial court erred in allowing the jury to take an exhibit showing the organizational structure of the Gangster's Disciples into the jury room during deliberations, (4) that the trial court erred in admitting for impeachment purposes Jefferson's prior convictions, (5) that the trial court erred in denying Jefferson's motion to sever, and (6) that the trial court erred in allowing into evidence the contents of Johnson's car. In addition, Defendant Jefferson sought relief in a petition for a writ of error coram nobis, which was denied by the trial court. Jefferson's appeal from the denial of this petition came before this court in a separate appeal, No. W2000-01970-CCA-R3-CO; however, both cases were consolidated for appellate purposes. We find no reversible error with regard to any of the issues raised; thus, we affirm the judgment of the trial court.

Shelby Court of Criminal Appeals