State of Tennessee v. Lawrence D. Ralph, Jr.

The Defendant, Lawrence D. Ralph, Jr., was convicted by a Warren County jury for violation of the Motor Vehicle Habitual Offenders Act; driving with a revoked license, fifth offense; reckless endangerment with a deadly weapon; reckless driving; and evading arrest.  The Defendant received an effective sentence of eight years in confinement.  The Defendant filed a motion for a new trial, which was denied by the trial court, and subsequently filed a timely notice of appeal to this Court.  After concluding that we lacked jurisdiction, we dismissed the appeal.  See State v. Lawrence D. Ralph, No. M2010-00195-CCA-R3-CD, 2011 WL 766941 (Tenn. Crim. App. March 4, 2011).  The Defendant then filed a petition for post-conviction relief, alleging ineffective assistance of counsel.  The post-conviction court granted the Defendant a delayed appeal to appeal issues raised during trial and in his motion for new trial.  In this appeal, the Defendant argues that the evidence is insufficient to sustain his conviction for reckless endangerment with a deadly weapon and that his sentence is excessive and violates double jeopardy.  Upon review, we affirm the judgments of the trial court.