COURT OF CRIMINAL APPEALS OPINIONS

State of Tennessee vs. Ronald Reece Cross
E1998-00364-CCA-R3-CD

Authoring Judge: Judge Jerry L. Smith
Trial Court Judge: Judge R. Jerry Beck

On July 21, 1998, Ronald Reece Cross (the “defendant”) pled gu ilty to the following charges arising out of a single incident: violating an habitual traffic offender order, evading arrest, driving under the influence of alcohol (eighth offense), running a stop sign, reckless driving, and violation of registration. Following a sentencing hearing on the above charges, the trial court denied alternative sentencing for the defendant, and instead ordered the defendant to serve an effective ten (10) year, eleven (11) month, and twenty-nine (29) day sentence. The issues on appeal are: (1) whether the trial court erred in denying alternative sentencing to the defendant, and (2) whether the trial court erred in ordering the defendant to serve consecutive sentences. Because we find that the trial court sentenced the defendant appropriately, we affirm the judgment of the trial court.

John Paul Seals vs State of Tennessee
C.C.A. 03C01-9903-CC-00

Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Gary R. Wade
Trial Court Judge: Judge James E. Beckner

The petitioner, John Paul Seals, entered a guilty plea to first degree murder on December 12, 1988. The state had originally sought the death penalty. The trial court imposed a life sentence. Six years later, the petitioner filed a petition for writ of habeas corpus or, in the alternative, post-conviction relief. The trial court, which treated the petition as one for post-conviction relief, dismissed based upon the statute of limitations. This court affirmed on direct appeal. John Paul Seals v. State, No. 03C01-9409-CR-00319 (Tenn. Crim. App., at Knoxville, Feb. 22, 1995), perm. app. denied, (Tenn. 1995). On January 7, 1998, the petitioner filed this claim for post-conviction relief alleging several constitutional violations. The petitioner argued that the statute of limitations should not apply because he had been mentally incompetent since before the commission of the offense. The petitioner also contended that none of the grounds had been waived or previously determined because the first petition had been filed by someone other than himself. The trial court summarily dismissed the petition at the preliminary stage. See Tenn. Code Ann. § 40-30-206(a), (f). In John Paul Seals v. State, No. 03C01-9802-CC-00050 (Tenn. Crim. App., at Knoxville, Jan. 6, 1999), this court reversed and remanded the cause to the trial court to allow the petitioner to present evidence on the issue of his mental capacity as it related to the statute of limitations: If the petitioner carries his burden of proving facts which require tolling the statute of limitations due to mental incompetence, then the trial court shall proceed to the merits of the constitutional issues presented in the petition. On the other hand, if the petitioner does not carry his burden of proving mental incompetence as regards the statute of limitations, the trial court shall dismiss the petition as untimely. Id., slip op. at 8.

03C01-9810-CR-00358
03C01-9810-CR-00358


Trial Court Judge: Leon C. Burns, Jr.

03C01-9906-CR-00222
03C01-9906-CR-00222


Trial Court Judge: James E. Beckner

01C01-9901-CC-00027
01C01-9901-CC-00027


Trial Court Judge: Robert E. Burch

X2010-0000-XX-X00-XX
X2010-0000-XX-X00-XX


Trial Court Judge: Timothy L. Easter

State vs. Colin Steen
03C01-9811-CR-00419

03C01-9902-CR-00077
03C01-9902-CR-00077


Trial Court Judge: R. Steven Bebb

Melvin Sawyer vs. State
01C01-9811-CR-00440

X2010-0000-XX-X00-XX
X2010-0000-XX-X00-XX

X2010-0000-XX-X00-XX
X2010-0000-XX-X00-XX


Trial Court Judge: J. Randall Wyatt, Jr.

X2010-0000-XX-X00-XX
X2010-0000-XX-X00-XX


Trial Court Judge: Seth W. Norman

X2010-0000-XX-X00-XX
X2010-0000-XX-X00-XX

X2010-0000-XX-X00-XX
X2010-0000-XX-X00-XX


Trial Court Judge: Timothy L. Easter

X2010-0000-XX-X00-XX
X2010-0000-XX-X00-XX


Trial Court Judge: Steve R. Dozier

X2010-0000-XX-X00-XX
X2010-0000-XX-X00-XX


Trial Court Judge: Timothy L. Easter

X2010-0000-XX-X00-XX
X2010-0000-XX-X00-XX

State vs. Joseph Wilson
W2001-03007-CCA-R3-CD

Authoring Judge: Judge Joe G. Riley
Trial Court Judge: Roger A. Page
A Madison County jury found the defendant guilty of three counts of aggravated rape and one count each of attempted second degree murder, especially aggravated robbery, especially aggravated burglary, conspiracy to commit aggravated burglary, and misdemeanor vandalism. In this appeal, the defendant argues: (1) the evidence is insufficient to support his convictions; (2) certain photographs of the victim's injuries were improperly admitted; (3) evidence that the defendant committed a subsequent burglary was improperly admitted; and (4) the trial court erred in failing to charge the jury as to simple rape as a lesser-included offense of aggravated rape. We affirm the judgments of the trial court.

Charles Dwight Farrar vs. State
01C01-9810-CC-00393


Trial Court Judge: Thomas A. Smith

01C01-9810-CR-
01C01-9810-CR-

Larry Anthony Wade
01C01-9809-CR-00378

X2010-0000-XX-X00-XX
X2010-0000-XX-X00-XX

03C01-9904-CR-00161
03C01-9904-CR-00161


Trial Court Judge: Ray L. Jenkins

03C01-9905-CR-00175
03C01-9905-CR-00175


Trial Court Judge: E. Eugene Eblen

03C01-9808-CR-00324
03C01-9808-CR-00324


Trial Court Judge: Arden L. Hill