COURT OF CRIMINAL APPEALS OPINIONS

State of Tennessee v. Benjamin Damron - Dissenting
M2003-00588-CCA-R9-CO
Authoring Judge: Judge David G. Hayes
Trial Court Judge: Judge John W. Rollins
I am unable to join with my colleagues in concluding that the defendant's inculpatory statement must be suppressed. The trial court ruled that the defendant's statement was inadmissible upon grounds that there was no "clear understanding [between the district attorney and defense counsel] about exactly what was going to transpire." The majority opines, on the other hand, that the questions which followed the polygraph examination were "one event and, therefore, part of the polygraph examination itself."

Coffee Court of Criminal Appeals

Terry L. Baker v. State of Tennessee
M2002-00400-CCA-R3-PC
Authoring Judge: Judge John Everett Williams
Trial Court Judge: Judge Seth W. Norman
The petitioner sought post-conviction relief because of ineffective assistance of counsel at the resentencing hearing and on appeal. The trial court found that the sentence imposed was pursuant to an agreement. We conclude the record preponderates against such a finding. We further conclude that the record was insufficient to show that the guilty plea was knowingly and voluntarily entered.  The defendant’s twenty-year sentence is vacated, and this cause remanded for resentencing.

Davidson Court of Criminal Appeals

Terry L. Baker v. State of Tennessee - Concurring
M2002-00400-CCA-R3-PC
Authoring Judge: Judge David G. Hayes
Trial Court Judge: Judge Seth W. Norman
I join with the majority in concluding that resentencing is necessary for those reasons recited in the opinion. In addition, I find that resentencing is also required for the following reasons. The plea agreement, which is the subject of this appeal, was not negotiated contemporaneously with the petitioner's revocation hearing in January 1997; rather, it was negotiated at the time of his original guilty pleas in May 1995. At that time, he received a ten-year community correction sentence. The 1995 plea agreement provided that should he violate a condition of his ten-year sentence, he would then serve a "minimum of twelve years at thirty-five percent . . . and the State would request at least partial consecutive sentencing." I find this type of sentence is not authorized by our sentencing laws.

Davidson Court of Criminal Appeals

State of Tennessee v. Christopher C. Rigsby
E2003-01329-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge J. Curwood Witt, Jr.
Trial Court Judge: Judge Thomas W. Graham

The defendant, Christopher C. Rigsby, appeals from the Bledsoe County Circuit Court's denial of alternative sentencing following his conviction of aggravated assault. Because the record supports the trial court's ordering the defendant to serve the six-year sentence in the Department of Correction, we affirm.

Bledsoe Court of Criminal Appeals

John Robert Tory, Jr. v. State of Tennessee
E2003-00019-CCA-R3-PC
Authoring Judge: Judge J. Curwood Witt, Jr.
Trial Court Judge: Judge Richard R. Baumgartner

This opinion adjudicates John Robert Tory, Jr.'s appeal from the Knox County Criminal Court's denial of his 1994 petition for post-conviction relief. He filed the petition to challenge his 1992 jury convictions of first degree murder and especially aggravated robbery. Following a hearing in which counsel argued but no evidence was presented, the post-conviction court rejected the petitioner's claims that his especially aggravated robbery conviction violated double jeopardy principles, that the trial court erred in not instructing the jury as to second degree murder as a lesser included offense of first degree felony murder, and that trial counsel was ineffective in failing to demand an instruction on second degree murder as a lesser included offense. Because the record and the applicable law support the denial of post-conviction relief, we affirm.

Knox Court of Criminal Appeals

Jesse Cleo Minor v. State of Tennessee
M2002-02378-CCA-R3-PC
Authoring Judge: Judge Jerry L. Smith
Trial Court Judge: Judge Cheryl A. Blackburn

The petitioner, Jesse Cleo Minor, entered a best-interest plea to one count of attempted rape of a child. He is currently serving an eight-year sentence. See State v. Jesse Cleo Minor, No. M1998-00424-CCA-R3-CD, 1999 WL 1179143 (Tenn. Crim. App. at Nashville, Dec. 15, 1999). The post-conviction petition at issue herein was filed by the petitioner's daughter Leann Morrison as next friend. The petition alleges that the petitioner is in poor health and suffers from irreversible dementia that seriously affects his cognitive abilities. The petitioner attacks his conviction based upon the following four allegations: (1) he was incompetent and unable to understand the prior proceedings and therefore incapable of entering a voluntary guilty plea; (2) the State failed to disclose material exculpatory evidence; (3) false and/or materially misleading statements were offered to the trial court; and (4) trial counsel was ineffective. We affirm the trial court's dismissal of the post-conviction petition.

Davidson Court of Criminal Appeals

State of Tennessee v. Delsie Lucille Sartain
M2002-02617-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge David G. Hayes
Trial Court Judge: Judge W. Charles Lee

The appellant, Delsie Lucille Sartain, was convicted by a jury for the reckless aggravated assault of a five-month-old baby, which resulted in permanent injuries. Following a sentencing hearing, the trial court imposed a sentence of three years and two months incarceration as a range I standard offender. Sartain appeals the sentencing decision, arguing that the trial court erred by ordering a sentence of total confinement rather than the less restrictive alternative of probation. After review, we find no error and affirm the judgment of the Bedford County Circuit Court.

Bedford Court of Criminal Appeals

State of Tennessee v. Doyle Gilbert Newsom
M2002-01696-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Jerry L. Smith
Trial Court Judge: Judge Lee Russell

The defendant, Doyle Gilbert Newsom, was convicted by a Bedford County jury of fifth offense driving under the influence of an intoxicant, driving on a revoked driver’s license, and violation of the implied consent law. He received sentences of six years at 60% incarceration as a career D.U.I. offender, and 11 months, 29 days for driving on a revoked license. In this appeal the defendant claims that: (1) the evidence is insufficient to support the D.U.I. conviction because the testimony of an accomplice was not sufficiently corroborated; (2) he was improperly sentenced to 11 months, 29 days for driving on a revoked license; and (3) the prior judgments of conviction are invalid. We find no merit to any of these contentions. Therefore, the judgments of the trial court are affirmed.

Bedford Court of Criminal Appeals

State of Tennessee v. Mindy Sue Dodd
M2002-01882-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Joseph M. Tipton
Trial Court Judge: Judge James K. Clayton, Jr.

The defendant, Mindy S. Dodd, appeals from her convictions by a jury in the Rutherford County Circuit Court of first degree murder and conspiracy to commit first degree murder. She received sentences of life and twenty years, respectively, to be served concurrently in the Department of Correction. The defendant contends that the evidence is insufficient to support either conviction. We affirm the judgments of conviction.

Rutherford Court of Criminal Appeals

State of Tennessee v. Danny Johnson
M2002-02139-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Norma McGee Ogle
Trial Court Judge: Judge Buddy D. Perry

The appellant, Danny Johnson, was convicted by a Sequatchie County jury of two counts of rape of a child, Class A felonies, and one count of aggravated sexual battery, a Class B felony. Following a sentencing hearing, the trial court sentenced the appellant to an effective sentence of twenty-one years in the Tennessee Department of Correction. On appeal, the appellant challenges (1) the selection process of the venire from which grand and petit jurors were selected; (2) the trial court's failure to allow into evidence as an excited utterance the statement of Thomas Zervos regarding prior abuse of the victim; and (3) the sufficiency of the evidence. Upon review of the record and the parties' briefs, we affirm the judgments of the trial court.

Sequatchie Court of Criminal Appeals

State of Tennessee v. Benton William Pamplin
M2002-00408-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge David G. Hayes
Trial Court Judge: Judge Lee Russell

The appellant, Benton William Pamplin, was convicted by a Bedford County jury of simple assault and resisting arrest. On appeal, Pamplin presents two issues for our review: (1) whether the trial court committed reversible error by refusing to strike, for cause, a prospective juror who was a uniformed deputy sheriff and whose office presented testimony at the trial, and (2) whether the evidence was sufficient to sustain the verdicts. After review, we conclude that the trial court's refusal to strike the prospective juror constituted reversible error in that it denied Pamplin his right to a fair and impartial jury. Accordingly, the judgments of conviction are reversed and the case is remanded for a new trial.

Bedford Court of Criminal Appeals

State of Tennessee v. Christopher Todd Whitaker
E2003-00817-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Robert W. Wedemeyer
Trial Court Judge: Judge Robert E. Cupp

The Washington County Grand Jury indicted the defendant, Christopher Whitaker, for three counts of robbery, and one count of theft valued over $500. The defendant pled guilty to all four counts. Following a sentencing hearing, the trial court denied the defendant's request for alternative sentencing and sentenced the defendant to serve six years in prison. The defendant appeals, contending that the trial court erred when it denied his request for alternative sentencing. Finding no reversible error, we affirm the trial court's judgments.

Washington Court of Criminal Appeals

Michael J. Grant v. State of Tennessee - Dissenting
E2003-00637-CCA-R3-PC
Authoring Judge: Judge Joseph M. Tipton
Trial Court Judge: Judge R. Steven Bebb
I respectfully dissent. The majority opinion summarily concludes that the petitioner could not “reasonably” rely on counsel’s assurances regarding his release. In essence, the opinion stands for the proposition that post-conviction relief will never be justified based upon counsel’s assurances regarding parole. I do not believe such to be true.

Bradley Court of Criminal Appeals

Michael J. Grant v. State of Tennessee
E2003-00637-CCA-R3-PC
Authoring Judge: Judge John Everett Williams
Trial Court Judge: Judge R. Steven Bebb
The petitioner appeals the summary dismissal of his post-conviction petition. The petitioner alleges his untimely petition should be tolled on due process grounds because of reliance on counsel’s “guarantee” of release from incarceration after serving 30% of his sentence. We affirm the summary dismissal for failure to file for post-conviction relief within the one-year statute of limitations provided in Tennessee Code Annotated section 40-30-202(a) and affirm.

Bradley Court of Criminal Appeals

State of Tennessee v. Dedrick Dewayne Chism
W2002-01887-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Joseph M. Tipton
Trial Court Judge: Judge Julian P. Guinn

A Henry County Circuit Court jury convicted the defendant, Dedrick Dewayne Chism, of two counts of selling more than one-half gram of cocaine, a Class B felony, and the trial court sentenced him as a Range II, multiple offender to twelve years for each conviction to be served concurrently. The defendant appeals, claiming that (1) the evidence is insufficient to support his convictions, (2) the state improperly withheld an exculpatory witness’s name from the defense, and (3) the trial court erred by refusing to allow the defense to impeach a state witness with his prior conviction and bad acts. We affirm the judgments of the trial court.

Henry Court of Criminal Appeals

State of Tennessee v. Jarvis Williams and John Williams
W2002-03010-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge David H. Welles
Trial Court Judge: Judge Joseph B. Dailey

Defendant Jarvis Williams was convicted of seven counts of especially aggravated kidnapping and four counts of aggravated robbery. He was sentenced to an effective term of 360 years in the Department of Correction for these offenses. In this direct appeal, he challenges the length of his sentence. Co-defendant John Williams was convicted of five counts of especially aggravated kidnapping and three counts of aggravated robbery. He was sentenced to an effective term of 161 years in the Department of Correction for these offenses. In this direct appeal, he challenges the sufficiency of the evidence and the length of his sentence. We affirm the judgments of the trial court in all respects.

Shelby Court of Criminal Appeals

State of Tennessee v. Howard Duty, Jr.
E2002-01772-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge J. Curwood Witt, Jr.
Trial Court Judge: Judge R. Jerry Beck

Convicted by a jury of assault and aggravated stalking, the defendant, Howard Duty, Jr., appeals. In addition to claiming that his convictions are not supported by sufficient evidence, he claims it was error for the trial court to enhance a charge of misdemeanor stalking to the felony of felony stalking. The lower court imposed the felony stalking conviction based upon a previous conviction of stalking that was adjudicated after the commission of the offense in the present case. Based upon our review, we conclude that sufficient evidence supports the stalking conviction; however, the aggravation of the stalking offense to a felony was improper. Thus, the lower court's actions are reversed in part and affirmed in part.

Sullivan Court of Criminal Appeals

Michael C. Adams v. State of Tennessee
E2003-00658-CCA-R3-PC
Authoring Judge: Judge Alan E. Glenn
Trial Court Judge: Judge R. Jerry Beck

The petitioner, Michael C. Adams, appeals the denial of his petition for post-conviction relief from his conviction for second degree murder and four counts of aggravated assault. He argues that he was denied effective assistance of counsel because his trial counsel failed to properly advise him of his right to testify and failed to properly communicate a plea offer and recommended that he proceed to trial. Following our review, we affirm the post-conviction court's denial of the petition.

Sullivan Court of Criminal Appeals

State of Tennessee v. David Jennings
E2003-00633-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Alan E. Glenn
Trial Court Judge: Judge Phyllis H. Miller

The defendant, David Jennings, pled guilty to burglary, a Class D felony; theft over $1,000, a Class D felony; vandalism, a Class D felony; simple possession of marijuana, a Class A misdemeanor; and possession of drug paraphernalia, a Class A misdemeanor. He was sentenced as a Range I, standard offender to an effective sentence of three years, fined a total of $400, and ordered to pay restitution. On appeal, he argues that the trial court erred in denying alternative sentencing. Following our review, we affirm the judgments of the trial court.

Sullivan Court of Criminal Appeals

State of Tennessee v. Donald P. McGuire
E2003-00384-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge J. Curwood Witt, Jr.
Trial Court Judge: Judge R. Jerry Beck

The defendant appeals the trial court's revocation of his community corrections placement. Because the record supports the trial court's ordering the defendant to serve the balance of his original sentences, we affirm.

Sullivan Court of Criminal Appeals

State of Tennessee v. Sharon J. Breeden
E2003-01237-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Joe G. Riley
Trial Court Judge: Judge D. Kelly Thomas, Jr.

The defendant, Sharon J. Breeden, appeals the revocation of her probation. We affirm the judgment of the trial court.

Blount Court of Criminal Appeals

Jason M. Weiskopf v. State of Tennessee
W2002-01675-CCA-R3-PC
Authoring Judge: Judge Thomas T. Woodall
Trial Court Judge: Judge J. C. Mclin

Petitioner, Jason M. Weiskopf, was convicted of first degree premeditated murder and was sentenced to life imprisonment. This Court affirmed Petitioner’s conviction. State v. Jason M. Weiskopf, No. W2000-02308-CCA-RM-CD, 2000 Tenn. Crim. App. LEXIS 787 (Tenn. Crim. App. at Jackson, October 11, 2000). Petitioner timely filed a petition for post-conviction relief. Following an evidentiary hearing, the trial court denied post-conviction relief. In this appeal, Petitioner raises one issue for our review: whether trial counsel was ineffective for failing to present evidence of Petitioner’s diminished capacity. After a careful review of the record, we affirm the judgment of the post-conviction court.

Shelby Court of Criminal Appeals

Taurys K. Walls v. State of Tennessee
W2002-01330-CCA-R3-PC
Authoring Judge: Judge Thomas T. Woodall
Trial Court Judge: Judge Arthur T. Bennett

Petitioner, Taurys K. Walls, appeals from the trial court's dismissal of his petition for post-conviction relief. Petitioner argues that his confession was coerced in violation of the United States and Tennessee constitutions. Additionally, petitioner argues that he received ineffective assistance of counsel at trial and on direct appeal. After a careful review of the record, we affirm the judgment of the post-conviction court.

Shelby Court of Criminal Appeals

State of Tennessee v. Gene Shelton Rucker Jr.
E2002-02101-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge J. Curwood Witt, Jr.
Trial Court Judge: Judge Douglas A. Meyer

A Hamilton County Grand Jury indicted the defendant, Gene Shelton Rucker, Jr., for felony murder and aggravated arson in connection with a fire that took the life of an individual who resided in the apartment structure that was burned. Following a jury trial, the defendant was convicted of the lesser-included offense of criminally negligent homicide and aggravated arson, as charged. The defendant now appeals his convictions and sentence. Specifically, the defendant argues (1) that the trial court erred by instructing the jury on criminal responsibility for the conduct of another; (2) that setting fire to personal property is a lesser-included offense of aggravated arson and should have been included in the charge to the jury; (3) that the instruction on the knowing mens rea element of aggravated arson was incorrect; (4) that the state violated the defendant's due process rights by advancing impermissibly inconsistent positions relative to the defendant and an indicted co-defendant; (5) that the evidence was insufficient to support his convictions; and (6) that his sentence should not have been enhanced on the basis of prior convictions that were not proven by certified copies of the underlying judgments. After a thorough review of the record, we affirm the defendant's convictions and sentence.

Hamilton Court of Criminal Appeals

State of Tennessee v. Grady Paul Daverson
E2003-00596-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Joe G. Riley
Trial Court Judge: Judge Rebecca J. Stern

A jury convicted the defendant, Grady Paul Daverson, of driving under the influence, fourth or subsequent offense. In this appeal, the defendant argues his arrest was illegal; therefore, the trial court erred by not suppressing the evidence against him. We affirm the judgment of the trial court.

Hamilton Court of Criminal Appeals