| Danny S. Cosby vs State
M1999-01861-CCA-R3-CD
The Appellant, Danny S. Cosby, pleaded guilty to two counts of attempted first degree murder and to two counts of aggravated assault. Pursuant to a plea agreement, the Davidson County Criminal Court sentenced the Appellant to an effective sentence of thirty years in the Tennessee Department of Correction. The Appellant subsequently filed for post-conviction relief, claiming that his plea was constitutionally defective because he was inadequately represented. The trial court denied relief. After review, we affirm the judgment of the trial court.
Authoring Judge: Judge Robert W. Wedemeyer
Originating Judge:Steve R. Dozier |
Davidson County | Court of Criminal Appeals | 08/23/00 | |
| State vs. Willie Smith
W2001-02973-CCA-R3-CD
The defendant, Willie Nathaniel Smith, appeals as of right his conviction by a jury in the Tipton County Circuit Court of delivery of .5 grams or more of cocaine, a Class B felony, and his resulting fifteen-year sentence. He also appeals the concurrent fifteen-year sentences received following his guilty pleas to two additional counts of delivery of .5 grams or more of cocaine. He contends (1) the evidence is insufficient to support his conviction in case number 4149; (2) the trial court erroneously allowed a police investigator to testify about what he heard on a recording device; and (3) his sentences in both cases are excessive. We affirm the judgments of conviction.
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Joseph M. Tipton
Originating Judge:Joseph H. Walker, III |
Tipton County | Court of Criminal Appeals | 08/23/00 | |
| Gretchen Bish vs. Sofamor
W1998-00373-COA-R9-CV
These are consolidated interlocutory appeals of products liability suits against the manufacturers of spinal fixation devices. The trial court dismissed plaintiffs' negligence per se claims based on the alleged violation of the Food, Drug and Cosmetics Act (FDCA) and the Medical Device Amendments (MDA). In one of the cases, the trial court also granted defendants' motion in limine to exclude all Federal Drug Administration (FDA) regulatory evidence information and documents concerning the fixation devices. Plaintiffs appeal the rulings of the trial court.
Authoring Judge: Judge W. Frank Crawford
Originating Judge:John R. Mccarroll, Jr. |
Shelby County | Court of Appeals | 08/23/00 | |
| State vs. Eric William Sanders
E1999-00345-CCA-R3-CD
The Defendant pleaded guilty in Sullivan County Criminal Court to violation of a habitual traffic offender order, a Class E felony, and driving under the influence, second offense, a Class A misdemeanor. The Defendant was sentenced to serve one year in the Tennessee Department of Correction as a Range I standard offender for violation of the HTO order and eleven months and twenty-nine days, suspended except for forty-five days, for the DUI. The sentences were to run consecutively. After serving thirty percent of his one-year sentence for violation of the HTO order, the Defendant was released by determinate release to the local jail to serve the remainder of his mandatory forty-five day jail term for the DUI conviction, and he was then released on probation pursuant to determinate release. Within one year of the convictions, two warrants were filed alleging that the Defendant violated the terms of his determinate release for the HTO conviction, but neither warrant made reference to the DUI conviction. Following a hearing, at which the Defendant stipulated that he had absconded as alleged in the second warrant, the trial court revoked the Defendant's probation for the HTO conviction and ordered the Defendant to serve his sentence. The trial court continued disposition of the first warrant to allow the State to file a written motion to amend the first warrant to include the DUI conviction. The trial court then issued a third warrant to amend the first warrant to include the DUI conviction. Following a hearing on the first warrant, as amended, the trial court revoked the Defendant's probation for the DUI conviction and ordered him to serve that sentence as well. The Defendant now appeals, arguing (1) that the trial court did not have jurisdiction to revoke his probation for the DUI conviction, and (2) that the trial court abused its discretion in revoking his probation for the DUI conviction. Finding no error, we affirm the judgment of the trial court.
Authoring Judge: Judge Robert W. Wedemeyer
Originating Judge:R. Jerry Beck |
Sullivan County | Court of Criminal Appeals | 08/23/00 | |
| State vs. Jeremy Jones
E1999-02207-CCA-R3-CD
The defendant appeals his conviction and sentence for theft of property, asserting that insufficient evidence supported the verdict and that the trial court erroneously sentenced him to three years of incarceration. We affirm the conviction and modify the sentence to two years of incarceration.
Authoring Judge: Judge John Everett Williams
Originating Judge:James Edward Beckner |
Greene County | Court of Criminal Appeals | 08/23/00 | |
| Sarah Anita James vs. Susan Kay Swindell
E1999-02407-COA-R3-CV
This appeal arises out of an automobile accident. The Defendant lost control of her vehicle, crossed three lanes of traffic, and hit Plaintiff's vehicle. Plaintiff suffered injuries and sued Defendant for damages. A jury trial ensued. The jury found Defendant to be 100% at fault and awarded $15,000 in damages to Plaintiff. The Plaintiff filed a motion for a new trial alleging juror misconduct and presented a juror's affidavit in support of her position. The Defendant untimely presented counter affidavits by jurors. The trial court judge granted a new trial based on juror misconduct. At the second trial the jury found the Defendant 100% at fault and awarded Plaintiff $27,608.60 in damages. On appeal, the Defendant claims that the trial court erred in failing to grant Defendant's motion for a directed verdict and in granting a new trial. We affirm the trial court's denial of a directed verdict for the Defendant and reverse the trial court's granting of a new trial based on juror misconduct. We remand the case to the trial court for the reinstatement of the jury verdict at the first trial.
Authoring Judge: Judge Houston M. Goddard
Originating Judge:L. Marie Williams |
Hamilton County | Court of Appeals | 08/23/00 | |
| State vs. Jimmy Wayne Baker
M1999-00454-CCA-R3-CD
The Defendant, Jimmy Wayne Baker, was convicted by a Bedford County jury of first degree felony murder during the perpetration of or the attempt to perpetrate theft of property, first degree premeditated murder, and aggravated arson. The trial court merged the felony murder conviction with the premeditated murder conviction. The Defendant was sentenced as a Range I standard offender to life imprisonment for the first degree murder conviction and to twenty-one years and nine months incarceration for the aggravated arson conviction, to be served concurrently. The Defendant now appeals, arguing the following: (1) that the trial court erred in instructing the jury to determine whether one of the witnesses was an accomplice; (2) that the evidence presented at trial was insufficient to convict the Defendant of premeditated murder, felony murder, or aggravated arson; (3) that the trial court erred in failing to instruct the jury that they must agree unanimously on a particular set of facts to support a finding of first degree felony murder; (4) that his convictions of both premeditated murder and felony murder violated the Double Jeopardy Clause and the Supremacy Clause; (5) that the Defendant was not properly informed of the elements of and facts necessary to constitute the offense of theft of property as the underlying felony in the felony murder conviction; (6) that the Defendant's sentence for aggravated arson was excessive; and (7) that the trial court erred in failing to instruct the jury on all elements of the offenses charged. After review, we affirm the judgment of the trial court.
Authoring Judge: Judge Robert W. Wedemeyer
Originating Judge:W. Charles Lee |
Bedford County | Court of Criminal Appeals | 08/22/00 | |
| State vs. Billy Kenneth Hall
E1999-02146-CCA-R3-CD
The defendant appeals his convictions for aggravated kidnapping and aggravated rape, contending that the evidence is insufficient to support his convictions, that the trial court should have granted a continuance to allow him to substitute counsel, and that his attorney was constitutionally ineffective. We affirm the trial court.
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Joseph M. Tipton
Originating Judge:Ray L. Jenkins |
Knox County | Court of Criminal Appeals | 08/22/00 | |
| Jimmy Greene vs. State
E2000-00426-CCA-R3-PC
A Blount County jury convicted the Petitioner of the aggravated rape of a person less than thirteen years of age, and the trial court sentenced him to twenty-two years incarceration. His conviction was affirmed on direct appeal. The Petitioner petitioned for post-conviction relief, and the trial court denied his request. He now appeals the trial court's denial of post-conviction relief, arguing that he received ineffective assistance of counsel at trial and on appeal. We conclude that the Petitioner was not denied the effective assistance of counsel and accordingly affirm the judgment of the court below.
Authoring Judge: Judge Robert W. Wedemeyer
Originating Judge:D. Kelly Thomas, Jr. |
Blount County | Court of Criminal Appeals | 08/22/00 | |
| Shelbourne vs. Shelbourne
M1999-02557-COA-R3-CV
The trial court granted the wife a divorce, awarded her custody of the parties' minor child, divided the marital property, and ordered the husband to pay rehabilitative alimony for two years. We affirm
Authoring Judge: Judge Ben H. Cantrell
Originating Judge:Muriel Robinson |
Davidson County | Court of Appeals | 08/22/00 | |
| State vs. John D. Brown
E1999-02217-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge David H. Welles
Originating Judge:R. Steven Bebb |
McMinn County | Court of Criminal Appeals | 08/22/00 | |
| Goggin Truck Line Co. vs. Brake Pro
M1999-01277-COA-R3-CV
This appeal arises from a breach of contract case initiated by Goggin Truck Line Company, Inc. ("Goggin") against Brake Pro, Inc. ("Brake Pro"). Goggin sought payment for unpaid freight shipping services provided to Brake Pro. In addition, as provided for under a company tariff, Goggin sought recovery of an additional amount because of the necessity to initiate legal action. The court below found in favor of Goggin. Brake Pro appeals.
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Alan E. Highers
Originating Judge:Lee Russell |
Bedford County | Court of Appeals | 08/22/00 | |
| State vs. Donald Ree Jones
M2000-00381-CCA-R3-CD
The defendant, Donald Ree Jones, challenges the trial court's dismissal of his motion to correct an illegal sentence. He argues that his sentence is illegal because his agreed sentence pursuant to a guilty plea following the remand of his case was higher than his initial sentence, which was overturned on appeal. We hold that a defendant may not bring an appeal as of right from the dismissal of a motion to correct an illegal sentence and that an illegal sentence is properly challenged in a petition for habeas corpus relief. Treating this appeal as a petition for a writ of certiorari, we hold that the defendant's sentence is legal and decline to grant the petition.
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Joseph M. Tipton
Originating Judge:J. O. Bond |
Wilson County | Court of Criminal Appeals | 08/22/00 | |
| Johnson vs. Traughber
M1999-02472-COA-R3-CV
Appellant, Edward Johnson, is an inmate in the Tennessee Department of Corrections, and in this case, he has filed a Petition for Common Law Certiorari to review a denial of parole by the Board of Paroles. The Chancery Court of Davidson County sustained a motion to dismiss his petition, and we affirm the judgment of the Chancellor.
Authoring Judge: Judge William B. Cain
Originating Judge:Carol L. Mccoy |
Davidson County | Court of Appeals | 08/22/00 | |
| State of Tennessee v. James Wesley Osborne
E1999-01071-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Robert W. Wedemeyer
Originating Judge:O. Duane Slone |
Jefferson County | Court of Criminal Appeals | 08/22/00 | |
| State vs. John D. Brown
E1999-02217-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge David H. Welles
Originating Judge:R. Steven Bebb |
McMinn County | Court of Criminal Appeals | 08/22/00 | |
| Jerrell Livingston vs. James Dukes
W2000-00840-CCA-R3-CD
This appeal results from the trial court's denial of the petitioner's petition for writ of habeas corpus based on the fact that the challenged judgment was not invalid on its face, nor had the petitioner's sentence expired. The court also considered this request as a petition for post-conviction relief but dismissed the petition for lack of jurisdiction. Based upon our review of the record, we affirm the trial court's dismissal of the petitioner's request for habeas corpus or post-conviction relief.
Originating Judge:Joseph H. Walker, III |
Lauderdale County | Court of Criminal Appeals | 08/22/00 | |
| State vs. William Livingstone, Jr.
E1999-01362-CCA-R3-CD
A Hamblen County jury convicted the Defendant of three counts of obtaining prescription drugs by fraud, and the trial court sentenced him as a Range II persistent offender to six years incarceration for each count, with the sentences to be served concurrently, but consecutive to a previous conviction for which he received a twenty-one-year sentence. On appeal, the Defendant argues: (1) that he was improperly arraigned; (2) that the evidence is insufficient to support his convictions; (3) that a mistrial should have been ordered by the trial court when a witness speculated that the Defendant might have been Sheriff of Grainger County at one time; (4) that the trial court erred by failing to grant the Defendant's motion for a change of venue; (5) that the trial court should have recused itself; and (6) that the Defendant was denied a speedy trial. Finding no merit to these allegations, we affirm the judgment of the trial court.
Authoring Judge: Judge Robert W. Wedemeyer
Originating Judge:James E. Beckner |
Hamblen County | Court of Criminal Appeals | 08/22/00 | |
| W1999-1453-CCA-R3-PC
W1999-1453-CCA-R3-PC
Originating Judge:John P. Colton, Jr. |
Shelby County | Court of Criminal Appeals | 08/22/00 | |
| 25840-COA-R3-CV
25840-COA-R3-CV
Originating Judge:Samuel H. Payne |
Hamilton County | Court of Appeals | 08/22/00 | |
| State vs. Cornelius Michael Hyde
E2000-00042-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge David H. Welles
Originating Judge:D. Kelly Thomas, Jr. |
Blount County | Court of Criminal Appeals | 08/22/00 | |
| State vs. Michael G. Waldrum
M1999-01924-CCA-R3-CD
The defendant appeals his conviction for DUI, fourth offense, contesting the sufficiency of the evidence supporting his conviction; the validity of his seizure and arrest; and the admissibility of the breath alcohol test result, the breath alcohol test operator's videotaped former testimony, and the breath alcohol test machine's certification documents. We conclude that the trial court erred in finding the breath test operator unavailable and that his videotaped testimony should not have been allowed. We reverse the judgment of conviction and remand the case for a new trial.
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Joseph M. Tipton
Originating Judge:Timothy L. Easter |
Williamson County | Court of Criminal Appeals | 08/22/00 | |
| Israel vs. Williams
M1999-02400-COA-R3-CV
This appeal presents the issue of whether the trial court was correct to grant summary judgment against Plaintiffs regarding their suit for damages resulting from alleged negligent misrepresentation by Defendants. Plaintiffs claim that Defendants made negligent misrepresentations regarding the condition of their house prior to the sale of the house to Plaintiffs. Summary judgment was granted by the trial court. Upon review of this record, we affirm the judgment of the trial court.
Authoring Judge: Judge William B. Cain
Originating Judge:Russell Heldman |
Williamson County | Court of Appeals | 08/22/00 | |
| State vs. Paul Andrew Thompson
E2000-01224-CCA-R3-CD
The defendant appeals his conviction for first degree murder and sentence of life imprisonment without parole, contending (1) that the evidence was insufficient to establish premeditation, (2) that the testimony of Kimberly Johnson, the victim's ex-stepdaughter, was improperly excluded, and (3) that the evidence was insufficient to establish the aggravating circumstance of mutilation of the body. We affirm the defendant's conviction and sentence.
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Joseph M. Tipton
Originating Judge:James E. Beckner |
Hancock County | Court of Criminal Appeals | 08/22/00 | |
| State vs. Cornelius Michael Hyde
E2000-00042-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge David H. Welles
Originating Judge:D. Kelly Thomas, Jr. |
Blount County | Court of Criminal Appeals | 08/22/00 |
