COURT OF CRIMINAL APPEALS OPINIONS

State of Tennessee v. Ronnie Watson
W2001-03084-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge J. Curwood Witt, Jr.
Trial Court Judge: Judge L. Terry Lafferty

Convicted of aggravated robbery, Ronnie Watson appeals the Gibson County Circuit Court’s denial of his motion to suppress the statements he gave to a law enforcement officer shortly after the commission of the crime. We hold that the issue has been waived by Watson’s failure to include it in his motion for new trial.

Gibson Court of Criminal Appeals

State of Tennessee v. William R. McLeod, Jr.
M2001-03070-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Joseph M. Tipton
Trial Court Judge: Judge Donald P. Harris

The defendant, William R. McLeod, Jr., pled guilty in the Williamson County Circuit Court to two counts of aggravated sexual battery, a Class B felony. Pursuant to the plea agreement, the defendant received an eight-year sentence for each conviction with the issue of concurrent or consecutive sentencing to be decided by the trial court. After a sentencing hearing, the trial court ordered that the defendant serve his sentences consecutively for an effective sentence of sixteen years in the Tennessee Department of Correction. The defendant appeals, claiming that the trial court erred in ordering consecutive sentences. We affirm the judgments of the trial court.

Williamson Court of Criminal Appeals

State of Tennessee v. Earley Story
W2001-00529-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Norma McGee Ogle
Trial Court Judge: Judge John P. Colton, Jr.

The appellant, Earley Story, was convicted in the Shelby County Criminal Court of one count of selling not less than one-half ounce nor more than ten pounds of marijuana, a Class E felony. The appellant was sentenced to one year of incarceration in the Shelby County Jail, which sentence was immediately probated. On appeal, the appellant raises the following issues for our review: (1) whether the trial court erred in failing to conduct a hearing on the appellant's pro se motion alleging a failure to afford him a speedy trial; (2) whether the trial court wrongly forced the appellant to trial with unwanted counsel, which counsel were appointed without any evidence that the appellant was unable to employ counsel of his choosing; and (3) whether the trial court erred in admitting purported transcripts of tape recordings. Upon review of the record and the parties' briefs, we affirm the judgment of the trial court.

Shelby Court of Criminal Appeals

State of Tennessee v. Carlos Bierner
E2001-01857-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Thomas T. Woodall
Trial Court Judge: Judge D. Kelly Thomas, Jr.

Defendant, Carlos Bierner, was charged with aggravated sexual battery. After his trial had commenced, but prior to its conclusion, Defendant entered a plea of guilty to the lesser charge of attempted aggravated sexual battery, a Class C felony. In accordance with the negotiated plea agreement, Defendant received a sentence of eight years, as a multiple Range II offender, with the manner of service to be determined by the trial court. Following a sentencing hearing, the trial court denied probation or any other form of alternative sentencing and ordered that Defendant serve the eight years in confinement, at thirty-five percent eligibility. In this appeal, Defendant argues that the trial court erred by ordering a sentence of continuous confinement. We affirm the judgment of the trial court.

Blount Court of Criminal Appeals

State of Tennessee v. David D. Bottoms
M2001-02693-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge David G. Hayes
Trial Court Judge: Judge Cheryl A. Blackburn

The Appellant, David D. Bottoms, appeals from the Davidson County Criminal Court's order of restitution following his conviction for arson. On appeal, Bottoms argues the amount of restitution was excessive. Upon de novo review, we find that the victim did not provide sufficient evidence of his pecuniary loss for damages to the rental property. Accordingly, the amount of restitution as imposed by the trial court is modified, and the case is remanded for entry of a sentencing order in accordance with this opinion.

Davidson Court of Criminal Appeals

Morris Rucker v. State of Tennessee
M2001-02020-CCA-R3-PC
Authoring Judge: Judge Norma McGee Ogle
Trial Court Judge: Judge Steve R. Dozier

On September 14, 1984, the petitioner, Morris Rucker, was convicted of three violent offenses and was sentenced to imprisonment for life plus sixty years in the Tennessee Department of Correction. On June 21, 2001, the petitioner mailed from prison a petition for post-conviction relief alleging four grounds for relief. The post-conviction court dismissed the petition as being time-barred. On appeal, the petitioner contends that the post-conviction court erred in dismissing his petition. Upon reviewing the record and the parties' briefs, we affirm the judgment of the post-conviction court.

Davidson Court of Criminal Appeals

State of Tennessee v. Christopher John Eddinger
M2001-02493-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Alan E. Glenn
Trial Court Judge: Judge Steve R. Dozier
A Metropolitan Parks and Recreation Department officer observed the defendant, who was wearing only a T-shirt and fishnet stockings and had a spiked leather strap wrapped around his testicles, as the defendant was sitting in his car, with the door open, in a Nashville public park. The defendant was given a misdemeanor citation charging him with violating Tennessee Code Annotated section 39-13-511, “[p]ublic indecency - [i]ndecent exposure.” He was tried and convicted in the general sessions court, and appealed the conviction to the criminal court, where he was convicted of public indecency, a Class B misdemeanor, and ordered to pay a $500 fine. The defendant then timely appealed to this court, arguing that the evidence was insufficient, that the search of his vehicle violated his constitutional rights, that he was acquitted of public indecency in his first trial and, therefore, could not be convicted of it following the appeal, and that the testimony of the arresting officer should have been suppressed. Following our review, we affirm the judgment of conviction.

Davidson Court of Criminal Appeals

State of Tennessee v. Kenneth Ray White
M2002-00125-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge David G. Hayes
Trial Court Judge: Judge Robert E. Burch

The Appellant, Kenneth Ray White, appeals from the sentencing decision of the Humphreys County Circuit Court denying his request for probation. In this appeal, White raises the issue of whether the trial court abused its discretion by ordering a sentence of incarceration rather than the less restrictive alternative of community corrections. After review, we find no abuse of discretion. As such, the trial court's decision is affirmed.

Humphreys Court of Criminal Appeals

State of Tennessee v. Joseph G. Batts
M2001-00896-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Jerry L. Smith
Trial Court Judge: Judge Cheryl A. Blackburn

The appellant, Joseph Batts, was convicted by a jury of the offense of rape. He was sentenced to a term of twelve (12) years in the Tennessee Department of Correction. In this appeal he contends that the evidence is insufficient to sustain the conviction for rape and that his sentence is excessive. After carefully reviewing the record as presented, we are of the opinion that the evidence is legally sufficient to support the conviction. Moreover, in the absence of a transcript of the sentencing hearing we must presume the sentence is correct. The judgment of the trial court is affirmed.

Davidson Court of Criminal Appeals

R.B. Toby v. State of Tennessee
E2000-03127-CCA-R3-PC
Authoring Judge: Judge Jerry L. Smith
Trial Court Judge: Judge Rex Henry Ogle
The appellant filed a Motion to Vacate an Illegal Sentence. The trial judge treated the motion as a petition for post-conviction relief and dismissed the case as time barred. In this appeal, the appellant claims the actions of the trial court were erroneous. We respectfully disagree. The judgment of the trial court is affirmed.

Sevier Court of Criminal Appeals

James William Dash v. Howard W. Carlton, Warden
E2001-02867-CCA-R3-PC
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Gary R Wade
Trial Court Judge: Judge Lynn W. Brown

The petitioner, James William Dash, filed a petition for writ of habeas corpus which was denied by the trial court for lack of jurisdiction. In this appeal of right, the petitioner argues that the trial court clerk erroneously filed the petition in the criminal court rather than the circuit court, that his judgment of conviction is void, and that the trial court erred in the assessment of costs. The trial court's order taxing costs to the petitioner is reversed. Otherwise, the judgment of the trial court is affirmed.

Johnson Court of Criminal Appeals

State of Tennessee v. Harold D. Roberts
M2001-02291-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Alan E. Glenn
Trial Court Judge: Judge Thomas W. Graham

The defendant was convicted of driving under the influence, third offense; driving on a revoked license; felonious evading arrest; and violating the open container law. The trial court granted a motion for judgment of acquittal as to the felonious evading arrest conviction and imposed the following sentences: eleven months, twenty-nine days, suspended after serving ten months in continuous confinement, for DUI, third offense; four months in the county jail, plus six months' probation, for driving on a revoked license; and thirty days for violating the open container law, with all sentences to be served concurrently. The defendant appealed, arguing that the trial court erred by denying his request to give the jury the missing witness instruction and by improperly sentencing him. We affirm the judgments of the trial court but remand for entry of a corrected judgment as to Count 2 reflecting that the defendant was convicted of third offense DUI.

Marion Court of Criminal Appeals

State of Tennessee v. Harold D. Roberts
M2001-02291-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Alan E. Glenn
Trial Court Judge: Judge Thomas W. Graham

The defendant was convicted of driving under the influence, third offense; driving on a revoked license; felonious evading arrest; and violating the open container law. The trial court granted a motion for judgment of acquittal as to the felonious evading arrest conviction and imposed the following sentences: eleven months, twenty-nine days, suspended after serving ten months in continuous confinement, for DUI, third offense; four months in the county jail, plus six months' probation, for driving on a revoked license; and thirty days for violating the open container law, with all sentences to be served concurrently. The defendant appealed, arguing that the trial court erred by denying his request to give the jury the missing witness instruction and by improperly sentencing him. We affirm the judgments of the trial court but remand for entry of a corrected judgment as to Count 2 reflecting that the defendant was convicted of third offense DUI.

Marion Court of Criminal Appeals

Roy C. Smith, Jr. v. State of Tennessee
W2001-01457-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Norma McGee Ogle
Trial Court Judge: Judge Joseph H. Walker, III

The petitioner, Roy C. Smith, Jr., pled guilty to one count of rape of a child and was sentenced to fifteen years incarceration in the Tennessee Department of Correction. Subsequently, the petitioner, acting pro se, filed a petition for a writ of habeas corpus, alleging that his conviction is illegal because he pled guilty to a crime that was not in effect at the time of the commission of the offense.  The trial court dismissed the petition and the petitioner now appeals. Upon review of the record and the parties’  briefs, we affirm the judgment of the trial court.

Lauderdale Court of Criminal Appeals

Roy C. Smith, Jr. v. State of Tennessee - Concurring
W2001-01457-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge James Curwood Witt
I concur in the results reached by the majority. Although I agree that the petitioner’s sentence may be vulnerable to a proper habeas corpus attack, I see no basis for commenting that the petitioner was convicted pursuant to a statute that was not in effect at the time the offenses were committed.

Lauderdale Court of Criminal Appeals

State of Tennessee v. Harley B. Upchurch
M2001-03170-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Joe G. Riley
Trial Court Judge: Judge Lillie Ann Sells

Defendant pled guilty to burglary, theft under $500, and vandalism under $500 and was sentenced by the trial court to an effective sentence of four years with the requirement that he serve one year "day for day" in the county jail followed by twelve years of supervised probation. On appeal, defendant contends (1) the length of his sentence is excessive; (2) he should have been granted full probation; and (3) the trial court erred in requiring him to serve his time of confinement "day for day." We remand for deletion of the "day for day" requirement because it deprives the defendant of the opportunity to earn statutory sentencing credits; however, we affirm the judgments of the trial court in all other respects.

Overton Court of Criminal Appeals

State of Tennessee v. Harley B. Upchurch
M2001-03170-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Joe G. Riley
Trial Court Judge: Judge Lillie Ann Sells

Defendant pled guilty to burglary, theft under $500, and vandalism under $500 and was sentenced by the trial court to an effective sentence of four years with the requirement that he serve one year "day for day" in the county jail followed by twelve years of supervised probation. On appeal, defendant contends (1) the length of his sentence is excessive; (2) he should have been granted full probation; and (3) the trial court erred in requiring him to serve his time of confinement "day for day." We remand for deletion of the "day for day" requirement because it deprives the defendant of the opportunity to earn statutory sentencing credits; however, we affirm the judgments of the trial court in all other respects.

Overton Court of Criminal Appeals

State of Tennessee v. David Allen Lackey
M2001-01043-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Robert W. Wedemeyer
Trial Court Judge: Judge Seth W. Norman

A Davidson County jury convicted the Defendant of one count of premeditated murder, one count of felony murder during the perpetration of a theft, and one count of misdemeanor theft. The trial
court merged the two murder convictions and sentenced the Defendant to life imprisonment in the Tennessee Department of Correction for the murder conviction. The trial court sentenced the
Defendant to eleven months and twenty-nine days for the theft conviction and ordered that the sentence run concurrent with the murder sentence. The Defendant now appeals, challenging the
sufficiency of the evidence supporting the murder convictions and arguing that the trial court erred in failing to suppress his confession. After review, we affirm the judgments of the trial court.

Davidson Court of Criminal Appeals

David Michael Long v. State of Tennessee
E2001-03086-CCA-R3-PC
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Gary R Wade
Trial Court Judge: Judge Carroll L. Ross

The petitioner, David Michael Long, appeals the denial of his petition for post-conviction relief. In this appeal of right, the petitioner asserts that his plea was neither knowingly nor voluntarily made and that he was denied the effective assistance of counsel. The judgment of the trial court is affirmed

McMinn Court of Criminal Appeals

Johnny McClain v. State of Tennessee
M2001-02713-CCA-R3-PC
Authoring Judge: Judge David G. Hayes
Trial Court Judge: Judge J. Randall Wyatt, Jr.

The Appellant, Johnny McClain, appeals as of right from the judgment of the Davidson County Criminal Court denying his petition for post-conviction relief. On appeal, the Appellant argues that he received ineffective assistance of counsel. After review of the record, we find that the Appellant's brief fails to provide any argument in support of the issue as presented. Due to the Appellant's procedural default, the appeal is dismissed.

Davidson Court of Criminal Appeals

State of Tennessee v. Wendy Stevens
M2001-02464-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Norma McGee Ogle
Trial Court Judge: Judge Timothy L. Easter

The appellant, Wendy Stevens, pled guilty in the Williamson County Circuit Court to one count of forgery involving a value of more than $500 but less than $1,000, and one count of fraudulent use of a credit card involving a value of more than $500 but less than $1,000, both Class E felonies. The trial court sentenced the appellant to eighteen months incarceration in the Tennessee Department of Correction for each offense, but immediately suspended the sentence in favor of supervised probation. On appeal, the appellant complains that the trial court erred by failing to grant her judicial diversion. Upon review of the record and the parties' briefs, we affirm the judgment of the trial court.

Williamson Court of Criminal Appeals

State of Tennessee v. Ivan E. Cummings
M2001-00407-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Joseph M. Tipton
Trial Court Judge: Judge Robert W. Wedemeyer

The defendant, Ivan E. Cummings, pled guilty in the Montgomery County Circuit Court to aggravated child abuse, aggravated child neglect, and second degree murder, Class A felonies. The trial court merged the aggravated child abuse and neglect convictions and sentenced the defendant as a Range I, standard offender to twenty-four years in the Tennessee Department of Correction. For the second degree murder conviction, the trial court sentenced the defendant to twenty-five years to be served concurrently with the twenty-four-year sentence. The defendant appeals, claiming that the trial court erroneously applied enhancement factors to his convictions. We affirm the judgments of the trial court.

Montgomery Court of Criminal Appeals

Lee O. Anderson v. State of Tennessee
W2001-02951-CCA-R3-PC
Authoring Judge: Judge Joseph M. Tipton
Trial Court Judge: Judge Jon Kerry Blackwood

The petitioner, Lee O. Anderson, appeals the Fayette County Circuit Court's denial of his petition for post-conviction relief from his convictions for delivery of one-half gram of cocaine and delivery of less than one-half gram of cocaine. This court affirmed the judgments of conviction. See State v. Lee O. Anderson, No. W2000-00671-CCA-R3-CD, Fayette County (Tenn. Crim. App. Feb. 9, 2001), app. denied (Tenn. June 25, 2001). The petitioner claims that he received the ineffective assistance of counsel because his trial attorney (1) failed to present evidence of the petitioner's treatment for drug addiction in order to support a casual exchange defense and (2) failed to raise an insufficiency of the evidence claim on appeal of his convictions. We affirm the judgment of the trial court.

Fayette Court of Criminal Appeals

State of Tennessee v. Donald E. Bryant
E2001-01255-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Thomas T. Woodall
Trial Court Judge: Judge D. Kelly Thomas, Jr.
Following a bench trial, defendant, Donald E. Bryant, was found guilty of two counts of aggravated assault and one count of misdemeanor theft. He was sentenced as a persistent Range III offender to serve twelve years for each aggravated assault, and eleven months and twenty-nine days for the misdemeanor theft; all sentences were ordered to be served concurrently. In this appeal, defendant challenges the sufficiency of the evidence to support the two convictions for aggravated assault. After reviewing the record and the applicable law, we affirm the judgments of the trial court.

Blount Court of Criminal Appeals

State of Tennessee v. James L. Partin
E2001-02254-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Thomas T. Woodall
Trial Court Judge: Judge E. Shayne Sexton
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.

Claiborne Court of Criminal Appeals