State of Tennessee v. Ngoc Dien Nguyen
The defendant, Ngoc Dien Nguyen, pled guilty to theft over $1,000 and attempted theft over $1,000 and was sentenced as a Range I offender to an effective term of six years in the Department of Correction. The court ordered that the six-year sentence be served consecutively to a Robertson County sentence and a California sentence and that the defendant pay $9,462 in restitution to the victim. On appeal, the defendant challenges the award of restitution. After review, we affirm the defendant’s convictions but remand for a new hearing as to restitution. |
Sumner | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
Elmi Abdi v. State of Tennessee
A Davidson County jury convicted the Petitioner, Elmi Abdi, of aggravated robbery, a Class B felony, and the trial court sentenced him as a Range III offender to thirty years in the Tennessee Department of Correction. This Court affirmed the Petitioner’s convictions and his status as a Range III offender on direct appeal. State v. Elmi Abdi, No. M2009-01614CCA-R3-CD,2010 WL 2977892 (Tenn.Crim.App.,at Nashville,July29,2010),perm.app. denied (Tenn. Jan. 18, 2011). The Petitioner filed a pro se petition for post-conviction relief, which was amended by appointed counsel. The post-conviction court denied the petition after a hearing. On appeal, the Petitioner contends that he received the ineffective assistance of counsel at trial and during his sentencing. After a thorough review of the record and applicable authorities, we affirm the post-conviction court’s dismissal of his petition. |
Davidson | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Corey Noland
A Shelby County jury convicted appellant, Corey Noland, of false imprisonment, a Class A misdemeanor; domestic assault, a Class A misdemeanor; bribery of a witness, a Class C felony; two counts of coercion of a witness, Class D felonies; and aggravated stalking, a Class E felony. The trial court sentenced him to an effective sentence of eighteen years in the Tennessee Department of Correction. Appellant argues that (1) the evidence was insufficient to support his convictions; (2) the trial court erred in applying sentence enhancement factors; and (3) the trial court erred in allowing the State to engage in “vindictive prosecution.” After reviewing the record, the parties’ briefs, and the applicable law, we affirm the judgments of the trial court. |
Shelby | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
Eric Tolley v. State of Tennessee
Pro se Petitioner, Eric Tolley, appeals the summary dismissal of his petition for post-conviction relief seeking analysis of certain evidence under the Post-Conviction DNA Analysis Act of 2001 (“The Act”). The Petitioner originally entered guilty pleas to three counts of aggravated sexual battery and two counts of rape of child for which he received an effective sentence of twenty-one years and six months in the Department of Correction. In this appeal, the Petitioner contends the post-conviction court erred in denying his petition without an evidentiary hearing. Upon review, we affirm the judgment of the post-conviction court. |
Shelby | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Natayna Daemarie McCullough
The Defendant, Natayna Daemarie McCullough, was convicted by a Maury County jury of facilitation of attempted especially aggravated robbery, a Class C felony. Following a sentencing hearing, the trial court imposed the maximum six-year term and denied judicial diversion or any form of alternative sentencing. In this direct appeal, the Defendant challenges (1) the sufficiency of the evidence; (2) several evidentiary rulings, including an alleged Brady violation and limitations on two witnesses’ testimony; and (3) various sentencing determinations, including the imposition of the maximum sentence,and the denial of judicial diversion or any other form of alternative sentencing. After a thorough review of the record and the applicable authorities, we affirm the judgment of the trial court. |
Maury | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Carlos Radale Cornwell
Appellant, Carlos Radale Cornwell, appeals his conviction of second degree murder and resulting sentence of thirty-five years. Appellant cites the following errors: (1) the State failed to adequately preserve evidence; (2) the trial court erred in permitting the State’s medical expert to testify beyond the scope of her expertise; (3) the trial court improperly allowed two of the State’s witnesses to testify as experts; (4) the trial court erred in allowing improper testimony of certain lay witnesses; (5) the State improperly argued a theory in its closing argument that was not supported by the evidence; (6) the State failed to provide audio tapes of witness interviews in a timely fashion; (7) the trial court erred by allowing an officer to read aloud the affidavit of complaint supporting a domestic violence warrant taken by the victim against appellant; and (8) the trial court erred in sentencing appellant as a Range II offender and in determining the length of appellant’s sentence. Discerning no error, we affirm appellant’s conviction and sentence. |
Knox | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Letalvis Cobbins, Lemaricus Davidson and George Thomas
On September 26, 2012, the State of Tennessee, pursuant to Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 10B, section 2.02, appealed the trial court’s order denying its motion to have the trial judge recused or otherwise disqualified from presiding over the three cases at issue in this appeal. After initial review, this Court, pursuant to Rule 10B, section 2.04, stayed all further proceedings in these cases pending resolution of this appeal. Then, in accordance with the mandate of Rule 10B, section 2.06, that this Court act on an expedited basis, this Court, pursuant to Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 10B, section 2.05, requested and received responses from the defendants on October 8, 2012. The issue presented is as follows: Whether a person of ordinary prudence in the trial court’s position, knowing all the facts known to the trial court, would find a reasonable basis for questioning the trial court’s impartiality in these three cases? After a thorough de novo review of the record and relevant authorities, we conclude that the trial court erred in denying the State’s motion for recusal. The judgment of the trial court is reversed, the trial judge is recused, and the stay previously entered in these cases shall remain in effect until the Chief Justice of the Tennessee Supreme Court appoints a replacement trial judge, or pending further orders of this Court or the Tennessee Supreme Court. |
Knox | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Demetree Tyon Harris
The Defendant, Demetree Tyon Harris appeals the Knox County Criminal Court’s order revoking his probation for aggravated assault and misdemeanor theft and ordering the remainder of his five-year sentence into execution. We affirm the judgment of the trial court. |
Knox | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
Randall Turner v. Bruce Westbrooks, Warden
Petitioner, Randall Turner, filed a petition for habeas corpus relief seeking relief from several convictions in the Hamilton County Criminal Court. The habeas corpus court dismissed the petition without an evidentiary hearing. We affirm the judgment of the habeas corpus court pursuant to Rule 20 of the Rules of the Court of Criminal Appeals of Tennessee. |
Bledsoe | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Abbas H. Nejat a.k.a. Abbas H. Nejad
A Davidson County Criminal Court Jury found the appellant, Abbas H. Nejat a.k.a. Abbas H. Nejad, guilty of retaliation for past action, a Class E felony. The trial court sentenced the appellant to six years in the Tennessee Department of Correction. On appeal, the appellant challenges the sufficiency of the evidence sustaining his conviction. The appellant also challenges the trial court’s ruling regarding the admissibility of evidence concerning the appellant’s membership in the Kurdish Pride Gang. Finally, the appellant challenges the sentence imposed by the trial court. Upon review, we affirm the judgment of the trial court. |
Davidson | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee vs. Tommy Gayden
The Defendant, Tommy Gayden, was convicted by a Shelby County Criminal Court jury of second degree murder, a Class A felony. See T.C.A. § 39-13-210 (2010). The trial court sentenced the Defendant as a Range II, multiple offender to thirty years’ confinement at 100% service as a violent offender. On appeal, the Defendant contends that (1) the evidence is insufficient to support his conviction, (2) the trial court erred by allowing the State to argue during opening statements that the Defendant was calm and collected at the time of the shooting, (3) the trial court erred by allowing the State to argue facts not in evidence during closing arguments, and (4) the trial court erred by not granting the Defendant’s requested jury instruction. We affirm the judgment of the trial court. |
Shelby | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Robert Jesus Porrata
Defendant, Robert Jesus Porrata, pled guilty to attempted second degree murder, attempted aggravated robbery, and employing a weapon during a felony in Case No. 09-00597 involving victim Cliff Belue. In Case No. 09-00598, he pled guilty to aggravated robbery involving victim Reginald Bean, and he pled guilty to attempted aggravated robbery in Case No. 09-00599 involving victim Ray Heath. In Case No. 09-00597, Defendant was sentenced to ten years for attempted second degree murder, four years for attempted aggravated robbery, to run concurrently, and six years for use of a firearm in a felony, to run consecutively for an effective sixteen-year sentence. In Case No. 09-00598, the trial court imposed a ten-year sentence, and the trial court imposed a four-year sentence in Case No. 09-00599. The sentences in 09-00597, 09-00598, and 09-00599 were ordered to run consecutively for an effective thirty-year sentence in confinement. On appeal, Defendant argues that the trial court improperly sentenced him. After a thorough review, we affirm judgments of the trial court. |
Shelby | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Chris Cummins
The defendant, Chris Cummins, was indicted for first degree murder. The State’s proof included the testimony of an inmate who had been housed with the defendant in prison and who claimed the defendant confessed to the crime. The defendant moved for a continuance based on the fact that he was only made aware of this witness on the morning the trial began, and the trial court denied his motion. The jury returned a guilty verdict, and the defendant was sentenced to life in prison. The defendant asserts on appeal that he is entitled to a new trial because the court erred in denying his request for a continuance. After a careful review of the record, we affirm the judgment of the trial court. |
Wayne | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Timothy Eugene Kelly, Jr.
A Davidson County Criminal Court Juryconvicted the appellant, Timothy Eugene Kelly, Jr., of one count of especially aggravated robbery and two counts of fraudulent use of a credit card. The trial court imposed a total effective sentence of thirty-seven years in the Tennessee Department of Correction. On appeal, the appellant challenges the sufficiency of the evidence supporting his convictions and the sentences imposed by the trial court. Upon review, we affirm the judgments of the trial court. |
Davidson | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
Jerry D. Carney v. State of Tennessee
The pro se petitioner, Jerry D. Carney, appeals the dismissal of his third petition for writ of error coram nobis, arguing that due process should toll the statute of limitations and that he is entitled to coram nobis relief on the basis of newly discovered evidence of the criminal activities and official misconduct of the medical examiner who testified at his trial. Following our review, we affirm the dismissal of the petition. |
Davidson | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
Charles Hall v. State of Tennessee
The petitioner, Charles Hall, appeals the denial of his petition for post-conviction relief from his 2007 Shelby County Criminal Court jury convictions of aggravated robbery, claiming that he was denied the effective assistance of counsel at trial. Discerning no error, we affirm. |
Shelby | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Mell Thomas Bruton, aka Mel T. Bruton
The defendant, Mell Thomas Bruton, aka Mel T. Bruton, appeals the revocation of his community corrections sentence, arguing that the trial court abused its discretion in revoking the sentence based on the defendant’s unauthorized trip out of state when the trip was necessitated by a family emergency. Following our review, we affirm the judgment of the trial court. |
Davidson | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Constance Elaine Archer
The defendant, Constance Elaine Archer, was convicted of theft of property valued at $500 orless,a Class A misdemeanor,and criminaltrespass,a Class C misdemeanor,and sentenced to an effective term of eleven months, twenty-nine days to be served on probation. On appeal, she argues that the evidence is insufficient to sustain her convictions. After review, we affirm the judgments of the trial court. |
Davidson | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
Nicholas Fletcher v. State of Tennessee
Petitioner, Nicholas Fletcher, appeals from the post-conviction court’s dismissal of his petition for post-conviction relief following an evidentiary hearing. In this appeal, Petitioner argues that his trial counsel rendered ineffective assistance of counsel because trial counsel: (1) failed to investigate concerning certain witnesses at his trial; (2) failed to present Petitioner’s testimony at the pre-trial hearing on the motion to suppress Petitioner’s inculpatory statement to police; and (3) failed to adequately explain to Petitioner the State’s negotiated plea agreement offer. After a thorough review of the record and the briefs of the parties, we affirm the judgment of the post-conviction trial court. |
Shelby | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Rodney Dewayne Hymes, alias Rodney Dewayne Hynes
The defendant, Rodney Dewayne Hymes, alias Rodney Dewayne Hynes, appeals the Hamilton County Criminal Court’s revocation of his probation and reinstatement of his original sentences in the Department of Correction for his 2007 and 2008 convictions for violation of the Habitual Motor Vehicle Offender (“HMVO”) Act. The defendant also challenges the trial court’s sentencing determinations in five new cases, arguing that the trial court abused its discretion by failing to give sufficient weight to his potential and amenability for rehabilitation. Following our review, we affirm the judgments of the trial court. |
Hamilton | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Marques Sanchez Johnson
Appellant, Marques Sanchez Johnson, was indicted by the Davidson County Grand Jury for four counts of burglary of a motor vehicle, six counts of theft of property, and one count of evading arrest in two separate cases. Appellant pled guilty to two counts of burglary of a motor vehicle and one count of theft in each case in exchange for a total effective sentence of six years in the first case and twelve years in the second case as a Range IV, career offender, with the trial court to determine after a sentencing hearing whether the sentences would run concurrently or consecutively. After a hearing, the trial court ordered the sentences to run consecutively, for a total effective sentence of eighteen years as a Range IV, career offender. Appellant insists that the trial court erred by ordering consecutive sentences. After a review of the record, the briefs, and the applicable authorities, we conclude that the record supports the trial court’s determination that consecutive sentences were warranted because Appellant had an extensive criminal record and was a professional criminal. Consequently, the judgment of the trial court is affirmed. |
Davidson | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
Jamie Scott Moore v. State of Tennessee
Petitioner, Jamie Scott Moore, pled guilty in Rutherford County to two counts of attempted sale of methamphetamine on October 6, 2006. As a result, he was sentenced to six years at thirty percent as a Range I, standard offender on each offense, to be served concurrently with each other. Petitioner was to serve 270 days prior to release on probation. As part of the plea agreement, Petitioner agreed that on his first violation of probation he would waive any application for a suspended sentence and serve the sentence in its entirety. Petitioner filed a petition for writ of mandamus in which he argued that he was “prematurely and illegally released” before serving all 270 days of the agreed sentence. After a hearing on the petition, the trial court denied the petition. Petitioner appeals. After a review of the record, we determine that Petitioner has failed to support his argument with authority, failed to present the court with an adequate record for review, and sought an appeal to this court from the denial of a writ of mandamus, a right not prescribed in Tennessee Rule of Appellate Procedure 3(b). Consequently, the appeal is dismissed, and the judgment of the trial court is affirmed. |
Rutherford | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
Tarik Robertson v. State of Tennessee
The petitioner, Tarik Robertson, appeals the Shelby County Criminal Court’s denial of his petition for post-conviction relief. The petitioner was convicted of observation without consent, a Class A misdemeanor, and sentenced to eleven months and twenty-nine days, suspended to probation following service of four months in the county workhouse. On appeal, the petitioner contends that it was error to deny him post-conviction relief because: (1) the conviction was based upon evidence obtained pursuant to an unlawful arrest; (2) there is newly discovered evidence in the case; (3) he was denied the effective assistance of counsel; and (4) there were cumulative constitutional errors in the trial process. Following review of the record and arguments of the parties, we affirm the decision of the postconviction court. |
Shelby | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
Patrick Thurmond v. Henry Stewart, Warden
The petitioner, Patrick Thurmond, appeals the denial of his sixth petition for writ of habeas corpus, claiming that his conviction of aggravated rape is void. Discerning no error, we affirm the judgment of the habeas corpus court. |
Lake | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Brian Keith Medley
The defendant, Brian Keith Medley, appeals the Cumberland County Criminal Court’s revocation of his probation for DUI, fifth offense. He argues that the record did not contain substantial evidence in support of the court’s finding that he violated his probation and that the court erred by not allowing him to assert the defense of necessity. Following our review, we affirm the judgment of the trial court. |
Cumberland | Court of Criminal Appeals |
