State of Tennessee v. Jerome Maurice Teats

Jerome Maurice Teats (“the Defendant”) was convicted by a jury of one count of aggravated robbery and four counts of especially aggravated kidnapping.  The trial court subsequently imposed an effective sentence of fifty years’ incarceration.  In this direct appeal, the Defendant raises the following issues:  (1) the trial court erred in denying his motion to suppress; (2) the trial court erred in denying his motion to disqualify the district attorney general’s office; (3) his convictions for especially aggravated kidnapping must be reversed on due process and double jeopardy grounds; (4) the trial court improperly instructed the jury on criminal responsibility; (5) the evidence was not sufficient to support his convictions; (6) cumulative error; and (7) his sentence is excessive.  Upon our thorough review of the record and applicable law, we affirm the judgments of the trial court.