State of Tennessee v. Eric Ricardo Middleton
The defendant, Eric Ricardo Middleton, was convicted by a Madison County Circuit Court jury of first degree premeditated murder; second degree murder, a Class A felony; and tampering with the evidence, a Class C felony. He was sentenced to an effective term of life imprisonment plus twenty-five years. On appeal, the defendant argues that: (1) the trial court erred in allowing the doctor who performed the autopsies on the victims to testify as an expert; (2) the trial court erred in denying his request for a jury instruction that Mary Thompson, the co-defendant, was an accomplice as a matter of law; (3) the evidence was insufficient to sustain his convictions; and (4) the trial court erred in imposing partial consecutive sentences. After review, we affirm the judgments of the trial court. |
Madison | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Jessie Lee Palmer
The Defendant-Appellant, Jessie Lee Palmer, pled guilty in the Circuit Court of Dyer County to promotion of methamphetamine manufacture, a Class D felony. He was sentenced as a Range II, multiple offender and received four years’ imprisonment. Pursuant to Rule 37(b)(2)(A) of the Tennessee Rules of Criminal Procedure, Palmer reserved certified questions of law addressing whether the trial court erred in denying his motion to suppress evidence obtained following the stop and search of a taxicab in which Palmer was a passenger. In this appeal, the Defendant-Appellant, raises the following issues for our review: (1) whether he has standing to challenge the search; (2) whether the officers had reasonable suspicion to stop the car; (3) whether the taxicab driver’s consent to search was obtained as a result of an illegal stop; and (4) whether the evidence seized from the taxicab should have been suppressed as fruit of the poisonous tree. Upon review, we affirm the judgment of the trial court. |
Dyer | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Kristie M. Smith
Defendant, Kristie M. Smith, was indicted by the Knox County Grand Jury for the first degree premeditated murder of her boyfriend, Curtis Phoenix. Following a jury trial, Defendant was convicted as charged and sentenced to life imprisonment. On appeal, Defendant asserts that: 1) the evidence was insufficient to sustain her conviction; 2) the admission into evidence of Defendant’s recorded phone calls from jail was error; 3) the admission into evidence of letters written by the Defendant while in jail was error;and 4) Defendant received the ineffective assistance of counsel at trial. After a thorough review of the record before us, we affirm the judgment of the trial court. |
Knox | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Jonathan Ray Swanner
A Knox County Criminal Court jury convicted the defendant, Jonathan Ray Swanner, of three counts of rape of a child, see T.C.A. § 39-13-522 (2006), and one count of aggravated sexual battery, see id. § 39-13-504(a)(4). The trial court imposed sentences of 24 years’ incarceration for each rape of a child conviction and 11 years’ incarceration for the aggravated sexual battery conviction, to be served concurrently at 100 percent. In addition to challenging the sufficiency of the evidence on appeal, the defendant contends that the trial court’s ruling that the defendant could not testify about the victim’s prior allegation of molestation resulted in a denial of the defendant’s right to testify; that the trial court erred by allowing the State to use leading questions in its direct examination of the victim; that the trial court erred by allowing the State to introduce extrinsic evidence of a prior inconsistent statement to impeach the victim; that the State violated the rules of discovery by not disclosing the victim’s statement prior to trial; and that the trial court erred by not giving a limiting jury instruction regarding prior inconsistent statements. Discerning no error, we affirm the judgments of the trial court. |
Knox | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
Michael Lee McKinney v. State of Tennessee
The Petitioner, Michael Lee McKinney, appeals the Hamilton County Criminal Court’s summary dismissal of his pro se petition for writ of habeas corpus seeking relief from his eight-year sentence for reckless aggravated assault. On appeal, the Petitioner contends that the habeas corpus court erred in dismissing his petition without a hearing or the appointment of counsel. Because the Petitioner has failed to comply with the procedural prerequisites for seeking habeas corpus relief, we affirm the summary dismissal of the petition. |
Hamilton | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Joseph Tipler
The state appeals from the post-conviction court’s judgment granting the petitioner a new sentencing hearing. A Shelby County jury convicted the petitioner on two counts of aggravated kidnapping, two counts of aggravated assault, one count of assault, and one count of aggravated burglary. The trial court - Division One of the Shelby County Criminal Court - sentenced him as a Range II, multiple offender to an effective sentence of twenty years in the Tennessee Department of Correction, with a release eligibility of thirty-five percent on all counts. The petitioner’s habeas corpus petition alleged that a release eligibility of thirty-five percent was illegal for his aggravated kidnapping convictions. The habeas court - Division Five of the Davidson County Criminal Court - agreed, and it vacated his sentences for aggravated kidnapping. The habeas court remanded the case to Division One of the Shelby County Criminal Court - for a new sentencing hearing in accordance with Tennessee Code Annotated section 40-35-501. On remand, the trial court corrected the judgment forms to reflect the 100% release eligibility required by statute for the aggravated kidnapping convictions but did not conduct a hearing. The petitioner filed a petition for post-conviction relief alleging that the corrected judgments were void and that the entry of corrected judgments violated double jeopardy. The post-conviction court - Division Eight of the Shelby County Criminal Court - granted relief, vacating the corrected judgments and remanding the case to Division One of the Shelby County Criminal Court for a new sentencing hearing. The state appeals the post-conviction court’s order, arguing that the only possible remedy for the petitioner was the entry of corrected judgments. Following our review, we reverse the postconviction court’s order granting relief and dismiss the post-conviction petition. |
Shelby | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Jacob Haliburton
A Shelby County jury convicted the Appellant, Jacob Haliburton, of theft of property over $10,000, a Class C felony, and intentionally evading arrest in a motor vehicle, a Class E felony. He received a five and two year sentence, ordered to be served consecutively, for an effective seven year sentence. In this appeal, the Appellant presents the following issues for our review: (1) whether the evidence is sufficient to support his convictions; (2) whether the trial court committed plain error by failing to charge the jury with instructions regarding duress and necessity; (3) whether the sentence imposed was excessive; and (4) whether the trial court erred in ordering consecutive sentences. Following our review, we affirm the judgments of the trial court. |
Shelby | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Eryk N. Carrasco and Luis Prieto
The Defendants, Eryk N. Carrasco and Luis Prieto, pled guilty as Range I offenders to possession with intent to deliver less than 0.5 gram of cocaine, a Class C felony. See T.C.A. §§ 39-17-417(a), (c)(2)(A) (2010). Each defendant was sentenced to serve four years. The Defendants’ plea agreements reserved a certified question of law regarding the legality of the traffic stop that led to their arrests. We affirm the judgments of the trial court. |
Dickson | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Derrick Rice
Derrick Rice (“the Defendant”) appeals jury convictions for first degree premeditated murder and attempted first degree premeditated murder, claiming that the trial court erred in denying extrinsic evidence of a prior inconsistent statement to impeach the testimony of a witness and challenging the sufficiency of the evidence for both convictions. After a thorough review of the record and the applicable law, we affirm the Defendant’s convictions. |
Shelby | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
Lue Holcomb v. State of Tennessee
The Petitioner filed for post-conviction relief alleging (1) that he received ineffective assistance of counsel in conjunction with his guilty plea to aggravated assault; and (2) that his plea was not voluntary as constitutionally required. After an evidentiary hearing, the post-conviction court denied relief, and the Petitioner has appealed. After a thorough review of the record, we affirm the judgment of the post-conviction court. |
Shelby | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Antonio Durrell Hubbard
Appellant, Antonio Durrell Hubbard a/k/a Antonio Bradford, was indicted by the Fayette County Grand Jury in March of 2010 for possession of more than one-half ounce of marijuana with intent to deliver, driving with a suspended license, and speeding. Prior to trial, Appellant sought to suppress the results of an inventory search. The motion to suppress was denied. After a trial, Appellant was convicted of possession of more than one-half ounce of marijuana with intent to deliver and driving on a suspended license. The speeding charge was dismissed. As a result of the convictions, Appellant received an effective sentence of one year. After the denial of a motion for new trial, Appellant has appealed. The following issues are presented for our review: (1) whether the trial court properly denied the motion to suppress; and (2) whether the evidence was sufficient to support the convictions. After a review, we determine the trial court properly denied the motion to suppress and the evidence is sufficient to support the convictions. Accordingly, the judgments of the trial court are affirmed. |
Fayette | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
Steve Allen Braden v. State of Tennessee
The petitioner filed pro se a writ of error coram nobis regarding two convictions for aggravated assault. The trial court summarily denied relief and this appeal followed. We affirm the trial court’s judgment pursuant to Rule 20 of the Rules of the Court of Criminal Appeals. |
Davidson | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Michael Alvin Young
A Sullivan County jury convicted the Defendant, Michael Alvin Young, of aggravated kidnapping and domestic assault. The trial court merged the two convictions and sentenced the Defendant to eight years and six months in the Tennessee Department of Correction. On appeal, the Defendant contends that the evidence is insufficient to support his aggravated kidnapping conviction and that he received the ineffective assistance of counsel at trial. After a thorough review of the record and the applicable law, we affirm the trial court’s judgment. |
Sullivan | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Kimberly Mangrum
Defendant, Kimberly Mangrum, was indicted by the Dickson County Grand Jury for especially aggravated burglary, especially aggravated kidnapping, first degree premeditated murder, felony murder, and four counts of criminal conspiracy, related to the commission of each of those offenses. Following a jury trial, Defendant was convicted of aggravated burglary, especially aggravated kidnapping, attempted first degree premeditated murder, and felony murder. Her conviction for attempted first degree premeditated murder was merged into her felony murder conviction, and she was sentenced to life imprisonment for her first degree felony murder conviction, twenty-five years for especially aggravated kidnapping, and six years for aggravated burglary, with the sentences to be served concurrently. In this direct appeal, Defendant challenges the sufficiency of the convicting evidence and asserts that the trial court erred by not dismissing the indictment following what, Defendant contends, was the State’s misuse of the grand jury proceedings. After a thorough review of the record, we affirm the judgments of the trial court. |
Dickson | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. James David Moats
The defendant, James David Moats, stands convicted of driving under the influence (“DUI”), fourth or greater offense, a Class E felony. The trial court sentenced him as a Range I, standard offender to two years in the Tennessee Department of Correction. On appeal, the defendant argues that the trial court erred by denying his motion to suppress and motion for judgment of acquittal. Following our review, we conclude that under the facts of this case the police officer seized the defendant when she pulled up behind the defendant’s parked vehicle and activated her blue emergency lights. We further conclude that the officer did not have a reasonable suspicion of criminal activity to justify the seizure. As such, the trial court erred by denying the defendant’s motion to suppress evidence, and we reverse the judgment of the trial court. |
McMinn | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Dib Driver
The Defendant, Dib Driver, was found guilty by a Rutherford County Circuit Court jury of solicitation of sexual exploitation of a minor, a Class B felony; six counts of attempted solicitation of sexual exploitation of a minor, a Class C felony; two counts of sexual battery by an authority figure, a Class C felony; two counts of attempted sexual battery by an authority figure,a Class D felony; attempted sexual battery,a Class A misdemeanor; and two counts of attempted assault, a Class C misdemeanor. See T.C.A. §§ 39-12-101 (2010) (attempt), 39-13-101 (2006) (amended 2009, 2010) (assault), 39-13-505 (2010) (sexual battery), 39-13-527 (2010) (sexual battery by an authority figure), 39-13-529 (2010) (solicitation of sexual exploitation of a minor). He was sentenced as a Range I, standard offender to serve ten years for solicitation of sexual exploitation of a minor, five years for two counts of sexual battery by an authority figure, four years for six counts of attempted solicitation of sexual exploitation of a minor, three years for two counts of attempted sexual battery by an authority figure, eleven months and twenty-nine days for attempted sexual battery, and thirty days for two counts of attempted assault. The trial court imposed partially consecutive sentences yielding an effective fifteen-year sentence for these offenses. After the convictions, the Defendant pled guilty to attempted especially aggravated kidnapping, a Class B felony, pertaining to a count of the indictment that was severed from the counts charging sexual offenses. See id., § 39-13-305 (2010) (especially aggravated kidnapping). The court imposed a twelve-year sentence consecutively to the effective fifteen-year sentence for the other convictions, for a final effective sentence of twenty-seven years. On appeal, the Defendant contends that the trial court erred in denying his two motions for a mistrial. We affirm the judgments of the trial court |
Rutherford | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Kenneth Edward Watts
A Knox County jury convicted the defendant, Kenneth Edward Watts, of vandalism resulting in $10,000 to $60,000 in damages, a Class C felony, and theft of property under $10,000, a Class D felony. The trial court sentenced him as a Range III, persistent offender to fifteen years for the Class C felony and as a career offender to twelve years for the Class D felony. On appeal, the defendant argues that the trial court erred by allowing a witness to testify as to the estimated cost of repair; that the evidence was insufficient to support his convictions; and that the trial court improperly calculated his sentencing range. Following our review, we affirm the judgments of the trial court. |
Knox | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Robert L. Adams
The defendant, Robert Lee Adams, fled justice while the jury was deliberating numerous charges against him stemming from his participation in a drug-related shooting in 2007. The jury found the defendant guilty of attempted first degree murder, a Class A felony; especially aggravated kidnapping, a Class A felony; aggravated robbery, a Class B felony; and conspiracy to commit kidnapping, a Class D felony. The defendant was sentenced in absentia to an effective sentence of life without the possibility of parole plus twenty years. The defendant’s trial counsel filed a timely motion for new trial. In response, the State moved to dismiss the defendant’s motion on the grounds that the defendant had abandoned his right to proceed by absconding from the court’s jurisdiction. After a hearing held while the defendant was still in absentia, the trial court dismissed the defendant’s motion for a new trialpursuantto the fugitive disentitlement doctrine and allowed the defendant’s trialcounsel to withdraw soon thereafter. Weeks later, the defendant was returned to custody, filed a pro se notice of appeal, and was appointed new counsel. On appeal, the defendant argues that: (1) the trial court erred by dismissing his motion for a new trial; (2) the evidence was insufficient to support his convictions; (3) the trial court erred by denying his trial counsel’s motion for a continuance; and (4) the trial court applied improper enhancement factors when it sentenced him for his conspiracy and aggravated robbery convictions. The State argues that we must dismiss the defendant’s appeal for lack of jurisdiction. We conclude that the trial court properly dismissed the defendant’s motion for a new trial on the grounds that he was a fugitive from justice but that, nonetheless, we have jurisdiction to review his appeal now that he has been returned to custody. The absence of a motion for new trial, however, limits our appellate review to considering the sufficiency of the evidence to support his convictions and his sentencing. After thorough review, we conclude that sufficient evidence supports the defendant’s convictions and thatthe trial court committed no error in sentencing the defendant for conspiracy to commit kidnapping. While we conclude that the trial court may have erroneously applied one of the several enhancement factors it used when it sentenced the defendant for aggravated robbery, in light of the applicable sentencing principles, remaining enhancement factors, and the particular facts of this case, we conclude that the sentence imposed by the trial judge was appropriate. Accordingly, the judgments of the trial court are affirmed. |
Rutherford | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Susan A. Webb
In this interlocutory appeal, the Defendant-Appellant, Susan A. Webb, appeals the Bradley County Criminal Court’s order denying her request for relief from the prosecutor’s denial of her application for pretrial diversion. On appeal, Webb argues: (1) the trial court erred in allowing the victim to testify at the hearing challenging the prosecutor’s denial of pretrial diversion; (2) the trial court erred in allowing the prosecutor to “fill in the gaps” in proof after determining that the prosecutor initially abused her discretion in denying pretrial diversion; (3) the trial court erred in suggesting and allowing her to file a second application for pretrial diversion; (4) the unfavorable factors regarding the circumstances of the case and the need for deterrence did not outweigh the favorable factors as stated in her application for pretrial diversion; (5) the prosecutor considered irrelevant factors and drew “conclusions based on conjecture and speculation” in evaluating her petition for pretrial diversion; (6) the prosecutor abused her discretion in using “conclusionary, flawed logic” in denying her application for pretrial diversion, which resulted in an “arbitrary and capricious” decision; and (7) appellate review of the denial of her two applications for pretrial diversion is improper. Upon review, we affirm the judgment of the trial court. |
Bradley | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
Charles Edward Cliff v. State of Tennessee
The Petitioner, Charles Edward Cliff, appeals the denial of post-conviction relief, contending that (1) his guilty plea was not knowingly and voluntarily entered and (2) he received ineffective assistance of counsel. Upon review, we affirm the judgment of the postconviction court. |
Gibson | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Martarious Hoskins
The defendant, Martarious Hoskins, appeals from his Shelby County Criminal Court jury convictions of aggravated robbery, arguing that the evidence was insufficient to support his convictions. Discerning no error, we affirm. |
Shelby | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
Gdongalay P. Berry v. State of Tennessee
The Davidson County Criminal Court denied the petitioner, Gdongalay P. Berry, post-conviction relief from his Davidson County Criminal Court convictions of two counts of first degree murder, two counts of especially aggravated robbery, and two counts of especially aggravated kidnapping but granted relief from his sentence of death in the form of a new capital sentencing hearing. The petitioner appeals the partial denial of his petition for post-conviction relief, alleging that the State violated the tenets of Brady v. Maryland, 373 U.S. 83 (1963); that neither the State nor the trial court honored his constitutional right to a speedy trial; that the State’s pursuit of inconsistent theories violated his constitutional right to due process; that he was deprived of the effective assistance of counsel; and that the cumulative effect of the constitutional deprivations rendered his trial fundamentally unfair. The State appeals the post-conviction court’s grant of a new sentencing hearing, asserting that the error attending the petitioner’s original sentencing hearing was harmless beyond a reasonable doubt. Discerning no error, we affirm. |
Davidson | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. John Wesley Wright
The Defendant, John Wesley Wright, was convicted by a Dickson County Circuit Court jury of theft of property valued at ten thousand dollars or more but less than sixty thousand dollars, a Class C felony. See T.C.A. §§ 39-14-103, -105 (2010). He was sentenced as a Range II,multiple offender to seven years’ confinement. On appeal, the Defendant contends that (1) he was denied his right to a speedy trial, (2) the evidence was insufficient to support his conviction, and (3) he received the ineffective assistance of counsel. We affirm the judgment of the trial court. |
Dickson | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Shanta Jones
The Defendant, Shanta Jones, was convicted by a Madison County Circuit Court jury of facilitation of aggravated robbery, a Class C felony; facilitation of aggravated burglary, a Class D felony; facilitation of aggravated assault, a Class D felony; and retaliation for past action, a Class E felony. See T.C.A. §§ 39-11-403 (2010), 39-13-402 (2010), 39-14-403 (2010), 39-13-102 (Supp. 2009) (amended 2010), 39-16-510 (2010). The trial court sentenced the Defendant as a Range I, standard offender to six years for facilitation of aggravated robbery, to four years each for the burglary and assault convictions, and to two years for retaliation for past action, to be served concurrently. On appeal, the Defendant contends that the evidence was insufficient to support her convictions. We affirm the judgments of the trial court. |
Madison | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Marlon McKay
The defendant, Marlon McKay, was convicted by a Shelby County Criminal Court jury of first degree felony murder and attempted aggravated robbery and was sentenced by the trial court to consecutive terms of life plus six years in the Department of Correction. On appeal, the challenges the sufficiency of the convicting evidence and contends that the trial court committed plain error by granting the State’s request to omit a portion of the pattern jury instruction on criminal responsibility. Following our review, we affirm the judgments of the trial court. |
Shelby | Court of Criminal Appeals |
