State of Tennessee v. Jeffrey Scott

A Shelby County jury convicted the defendant, Jeffrey Scott, of second degree murder. The trial court sentenced him as a Range I, violent offender to twenty-five years in the Tennessee Department of Correction. On appeal, the defendant presents nine issues for our review: (1) whether the trial court erred by admitting evidence of prior bad acts that were relevant only to show propensity; (2) whether the trial court erred by admitting hearsay statements under the state of mind and excited utterance exceptions; (3) whether the trial court erred by admitting fifty color autopsy photographs; (4) whether the trial court erred by allowing improper lay opinion testimony; (5) whether the trial court erred by allowing testimony that was protected by the attorney-client privilege and that violated the defendant’s right to confrontation; (6) whether the trial court erred by denying the defendant’s motions for mistrial or to strike a witness’s testimony; (7) whether the evidence was sufficient to sustain the conviction for second degree murder; (8) whether the sequential jury instructions precluded the jury from considering a conviction for voluntary manslaughter; and (9) whether the trial court misapplied enhancement and mitigation factors in sentencing. Following our review of the record, the parties’ briefs, and the applicable law, we affirm the judgment of the trial court.