COURT OF CRIMINAL APPEALS OPINIONS

State of Tennessee v. Darrell Phillips
W2005-00154-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Alan E. Glenn
Trial Court Judge: Judge John P. Colton, Jr.

The defendant, Darrell Phillips, appeals the revocation of his probation, arguing that the court had no authority to revoke his suspended sentences because the State did not seek this action until after the sentences had expired. We disagree and affirm the judgment of the trial court.

Shelby Court of Criminal Appeals

State of Tennessee v. Jordan Hill
W2005-00248-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Robert W. Wedemeyer
Trial Court Judge: Judge Joseph B. Dailey

The Defendant, Jordan Hill, was convicted of attempted aggravated robbery and of being a felon in the possession of a handgun. On appeal, he contends that the evidence is insufficient to sustain these convictions. Finding no reversible error, we affirm the judgments of the trial court.

Madison Court of Criminal Appeals

State of Tennessee v. Darrell Toomes
W2005-00517-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge J. Curwood Witt, Jr.
Trial Court Judge: Judge Joseph H. Walker, III

A Lauderdale County jury convicted the defendant, Darrell Toomes, of aggravated rape and aggravated criminal trespass in connection with the June 23, 2002 home invasion of Mamie Milliman’s residence in Ripley, and the assault of Ms. Milliman. The trial court sentenced the defendant to 11 months and 29 days for aggravated criminal trespass and 23 years as a violent offender for the aggravated rape conviction. On appeal, the defendant challenges the sufficiency of the evidence supporting his aggravated rape conviction and claims that his 23-year sentence for that conviction is excessive. We affirm.

Lauderdale Court of Criminal Appeals

State of Tennessee v. Wayne Miller
W2005-00678-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Robert W. Wedemeyer
Trial Court Judge: Judge W. Otis Higgs, Jr.

The Defendant was convicted of possession of a controlled substance with the intent to sell, possession of a controlled substance with the intent to deliver, and evading arrest while operating a motor vehicle. On appeal the Defendant contends that the evidence is insufficient to sustain his convictions. Finding that there exists no reversible error, we affirm the judgments of the trial court.

Shelby Court of Criminal Appeals

Shaun Hoover v. State of Tennessee
W2005-01921-CCA-R3-HC
Authoring Judge: Judge Robert W. Wedemeyer
Trial Court Judge: Judge Joseph H. Walker, III

The State appeals the habeas corpus court’s grant of a petition for habeas corpus relief filed by the Petitioner, Saun Hoover. The Petitioner alleged in his petition that his sentence was illegal because he was sentenced as a Range I offender but ordered to serve his sentence at one hundred percent.  The habeas corpus court agreed and granted the petition. On appeal, the State contends that the habeas corpus court erred because the Petitioner knowingly and voluntarily pled guilty and agreed to this hybrid sentence. Finding that there exists reversible error in the judgment of the habeas corpus court, we reverse this case and remand it to the habeas corpus court for proceedings consistent with this opinion.

Lauderdale Court of Criminal Appeals

State of Tennessee v. Charles Baldwin
M2005-00546-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Jerry L. Smith
Trial Court Judge: Judge Cheryl A. Blackburn

The appellant, Charles Baldwin, pled guilty to two counts of theft over $10,000. The trial court sentenced the appellant as a Range II offender to concurrent sentences of eight years on each count. The trial court ordered nine months in incarceration followed by community corrections. After violating the conditions of community corrections, the trial court increased the appellant's sentence from eight years on each conviction to ten years on each conviction. The trial court ordered the appellant to serve thirty days of the increased sentence in incarceration before being placed back on community corrections. After the appellant violated the conditions of community corrections for a second time, the trial court simply reinstated the appellant to community corrections. Subsequently, a third violation warrant was issued against the appellant. The trial court determined that the appellant violated, for the third time, the conditions of community corrections and re-sentenced the appellant to ten years on each conviction to be served consecutively in the Department of Correction. The appellant filed a timely notice of appeal challenging the trial court's decision to increase his sentence and order incarceration. For the following reasons, we affirm the judgment of the trial court.

Davidson Court of Criminal Appeals

Steve G. Hutton v. State of Tennessee, Glen Turner, Warden
M2005-00585-CCA-R3-HC
Authoring Judge: Judge Robert W. Wedemeyer
Trial Court Judge: Judge Robert L. Jones

Over a span of several years, the Petitioner, Steve G. Hutton, was convicted of eight counts of passing worthless checks, one count of theft, one count of forgery, one additional count of passing a worthless check, and one count of reckless endangerment. The Petitioner filed a petition for a writ of habeas corpus, alleging that his continued confinement is illegal. The trial court dismissed the petition, and we affirm the judgment of the trial court.

Lawrence Court of Criminal Appeals

Dwight K. Pritchard v. State of Tennessee - Dissenting
M2005-00594-CCA-R3-HC
Authoring Judge: Judge David G. Hayes
Trial Court Judge: Judge Cheryl A. Blackburn

The Petitioner, apparently aggrieved that his sentences were too lenient, now seeks to correct the error by the remedy of habeas corpus. Because the error complained of is non-jurisdictional, I would affirm dismissal of the petition.

Davidson Court of Criminal Appeals

Dwight K. Pritchard v. State of Tennessee
M2005-00594-CCA-R3-HC
Authoring Judge: Judge David H. Welles
Trial Court Judge: Judge Cheryl A. Blackburn

The Petitioner, Dwight K. Pritchard, appeals the summary dismissal of his petition for a writ of habeas corpus. The Petitioner contends that the guilty pleas he entered were not knowing and voluntary because the sentences imposed by the trial court are illegal. Following a thorough review of the record and applicable law, we reverse the judgment of the trial court summarily dismissing the petition. We remand this case to the trial court for further proceedings.

Davidson Court of Criminal Appeals

Jason E. Mize v. State of Tennessee
M2004-00737-CCA-R3-HC
Authoring Judge: Judge Robert W. Wedemeyer
Trial Court Judge: Judge Hamilton V. Gayden, Jr.

The Petitioner, Jason Mize, pled guilty in the Union County Criminal Court to aggravated robbery. In accordance with the plea agreement, the Petitioner was sentenced to an eight year sentence, to run concurrently with "Knox and Anderson County cases." Subsequently, the Petitioner pled guilty to two aggravated robbery charges in the Anderson County Criminal Court and received concurrent eight year sentences on each count. The Anderson County judgment contains the notation, "This sentence may run concurrent with defendant's Knox County sentence if legally possible." The Petitioner filed a petition for a writ of habeas corpus alleging that the Union County conviction is illegal and void because at the time he entered his guilty plea in Union County, he had not yet been convicted in the "Knox and Anderson cases." The Petitioner filed an additional petition for a writ of habeas corpus alleging that the Anderson County judgments of conviction are illegal and void because it is not "legally possible" for the Anderson County sentences to be run concurrently with the Knox County sentence. Both petitions were assigned the same docket number in the Morgan County Criminal Court and subsequently were transferred to the Davidson County Circuit Court, where they were assigned the same Davidson County docket number and ultimately summarily dismissed. On appeal, the Petitioner contends that he is entitled to habeas corpus relief because his sentences are illegal and the judgments from the Union County Court and the Anderson County Court are void on their faces. After reviewing the record and relevant authorities, we affirm the judgment of the trial court.

Davidson Court of Criminal Appeals

James L. Moore v. Kevin Myers, Warden
M2005-01855-CCA-R3-HC
Authoring Judge: Judge Thomas T. Woodall
Trial Court Judge: Judge Robert L. Holloway

Petitioner, James L. Moore, has appealed from the trial court's summary dismissal of the petition for writ of habeas corpus filed by Petitioner. The State has filed a motion, pursuant to Rule 20 of the Rules of the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals, for affirmance of the trial court's judgment. Petitioner opposes the motion. After a thorough review of the record, we grant the State's motion and accordingly affirm the judgment of the trial court.

Wayne Court of Criminal Appeals

State of Tennessee v. John Calvin Sipe, Jr.
E2005-00039-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Jerry L. Smith
Trial Court Judge: Judge James Edward Beckner

A Hamblen County jury convicted the defendant of theft of property, $500-$1,000, and forgery of assignment of title. On appeal the defendant presents three issues: (1) Whether there was sufficient evidence to support the jury's verdict; (2) whether the trial court erred in refusing to grant a retrial based upon newly discovered evidence; and (3) whether the trial court imposed an excessive sentence. We have reviewed the record and have found all of the defendant's issues to be without merit. Therefore, we affirm the judgments of the trial court.

Hamblen Court of Criminal Appeals

Scott Bradley Price v. State of Tennessee
E2004-02718-CCA-R3-PC
Authoring Judge: Judge Thomas T. Woodall
Trial Court Judge: Judge Mary Beth Leibowitz

Petitioner, Scott Bradley Price, appeals the denial of his petition for post-conviction relief by the Knox County Criminal Court. Petitioner was convicted for rape of a child and sentenced as a Range I offender, to twenty-one years at one hundred percent, to be served in the Tennessee Department of Correction. On direct appeal, Petitioner challenged only the length of his sentence. This Court affirmed that judgment on November 19, 2001. State v. Scott Bradley Price, No. E2000-00441-CCA-R3-CD, 2001 WL 1464555 (Tenn. Crim. App. Nov. 19, 2001). Petitioner filed a pro se petition for post-conviction relief. The petition was subsequently amended by appointed counsel. In his appeal, Petitioner argues that he was denied effective assistance of counsel because (1) trial counsel did not investigate Petitioner's claims that his audio recorded confession was materially altered; (2) trial counsel did not advise Petitioner to testify in order to rebut the State's evidence; and (3) trial counsel did not use available medical records to challenge the accuser's testimony at trial. We affirm the judgment of the trial court.

Knox Court of Criminal Appeals

State of Tennessee v. Clarence Bunton
W2004-02866-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Norma McGee Ogle
Trial Court Judge: Judge John P. Colton, Jr.

A Shelby County Criminal Court jury convicted the appellant, Clarence Bunton, of attempted child rape, and the trial court sentenced him as a Range II, multiple offender to twelve years in confinement. The appellant appeals, claiming that the evidence is insufficient to support the conviction. Upon review of the record and the parties’ briefs, we affirm the judgment of the trial court.

Shelby Court of Criminal Appeals

State of Tennessee v. Gary Timothy Lawler
M2005-00177-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Thomas T. Woodall
Trial Court Judge: Judge Jane W. Wheatcraft

The Defendant, Gary Timothy Lawler, pled guilty to one count of attempted aggravated sexual battery, a Class C felony; one count of attempted rape, a Class C felony; and one count of attempted sexual battery by an authority figure, a Class D felony. He received a sentence of seven years for each conviction. The sentence for the attempted aggravated sexual battery conviction was ordered to be served consecutively to the remaining two sentences, which were ordered to be served concurrently with each other. Thus, the total effective sentence is fourteen years. Defendant argues that the trial court erred in denying him alternative sentencing and requiring him to serve the entire sentence in the Tennessee Department of Correction. After reviewing the record, we affirm the judgment of the trial court.

Sumner Court of Criminal Appeals

State of Tennessee v. Brandon Johnson
E2005-00392-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge David G. Hayes
Trial Court Judge: Allen W. Wallace

The Appellant, Brandon Jerome Johnson, appeals the sentencing decision of the Sullivan County Criminal Court. Johnson pled guilty to possession of less than .5 grams of cocaine for sale or delivery, tampering with evidence, vandalism, and resisting arrest. Pursuant to the plea agreement, he was sentenced as a Range I standard offender to an effective sentence of four years and six months in the Department of Correction. On appeal, Johnson argues that the trial court erred by denying his request for alternative sentencing. After review of the record, we affirm the judgment of the trial court.

Sullivan Court of Criminal Appeals

State of Tennessee v. Corey DeShawn Robinson
E2005-00515-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge John Everett Williams
Trial Court Judge: Judge Phyllis H. Miller

The defendant appeals his sentence of three years confinement after entering a guilty plea to theft of property over $10,000. The defendant contends the trial judge erred in failing to sentence him to full probation or other alternative sentencing. Our review reveals that the trial judge complied with sentencing procedures, and we affirm the sentence.

Sullivan Court of Criminal Appeals

State of Tennessee v. Nicholas Riendeau
E2005-00576-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Gary R. Wade
Trial Court Judge: Judge Phyllis H. Miller

The defendant, Nicholas Riendeau, pled guilty to theft over $1,000, forgery, identity theft, two counts of possession of drug paraphernalia, possession with intent to deliver less than .5 grams of cocaine, simple possession of cocaine, possession of a schedule IV drug (clonazepam), and theft over $10,000. The trial court imposed a Range I, effective sentence of five years in the Department of Correction. In this appeal, the defendant asserts that the trial court erred by denying full probation. The judgments of the trial court are affirmed.

Sullivan Court of Criminal Appeals

State of Tennessee v. Ronald Lee Hamby
E2005-00653-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Gary R. Wade
Trial Court Judge: Judge Phyllis H. Miller

The defendant, Ronald Lee Hamby, entered pleas of guilty to aggravated burglary, a Class C felony, and theft over $500, a Class E felony. The trial court imposed an effective sentence of seven years to be served in a community corrections program. Fifteen months later, the community corrections sentence was revoked and the defendant was ordered to serve the remainder of his term in the Department of Correction. In this appeal, the single issue presented for review is whether revocation was proper. The judgment is affirmed.

Sullivan Court of Criminal Appeals

State of Tennessee v. Clarence Edward Johnson
E2005-00718-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Gary R Wade
Trial Court Judge: Judge Phyllis H. Miller

The defendant, Clarence Edward Johnson, entered pleas of guilty to four counts of forgery, four counts of identity theft, speeding, failure to provide proof of financial responsibility, two counts of second offense driving on a revoked license, misdemeanor failure to appear, two counts of felony failure to appear, and theft under $500. The trial court imposed an effective sentence of six years of incarceration followed by three years of supervised probation. In this appeal, the defendant asserts that the trial court erred by denying an alternative sentence. The judgments of the trial court are affirmed.

Sullivan Court of Criminal Appeals

Darrell Braddock v. State of Tennessee
W2004-02162-CCA-R3-PC
Authoring Judge: Judge Alan E. Glenn
Trial Court Judge: Judge Bernie Weinman

The petitioner, Darrell Braddock, appeals the denial of his petition for post-conviction relief, arguing the post-conviction court erred in finding he received effective assistance of counsel. Following our review, we affirm the post-conviction court.

Shelby Court of Criminal Appeals

State of Tennessee v. Richard Gastineau
W2004-02428-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Norma McGee Ogle
Trial Court Judge: Judge Chris B. Craft

The appellant, Richard Gastineau, pled guilty in the Shelby County Criminal Court to reckless driving, and the trial court sentenced him to a six-month suspended sentence and fined him five hundred dollars. The trial court also sua sponte ruled that the appellant had violated the implied consent law and revoked his driver’s license for one year. In this appeal, the appellant claims that the trial court erred by finding that he violated the implied consent law and by revoking his driver’s license. Upon review of the record and the parties’ briefs, we conclude that the trial court lacked jurisdiction over the implied consent law violation and reverse the judgment of the trial court. We also remand the case to the trial court in order for it to clarify on the record whether the appellant should receive judicial diversion for the reckless driving conviction.

Shelby Court of Criminal Appeals

Michael W. Smith v. State of Tennessee
W2005-00246-CCA-R3-PC
Authoring Judge: Judge Alan E. Glenn
Trial Court Judge: Judge Chris B. Craft

The petitioner, Michael W. Smith, appeals the denial of his petition for post-conviction relief, raising as his sole issue whether trial counsel was ineffective for failing to properly prepare and investigate his case. Following our review, we affirm the denial of the petition.

Shelby Court of Criminal Appeals

State of Tennessee v. Corey C. Abernathy
E2005-00266-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Alan E. Glenn
Trial Court Judge: Judge Rebecca J. Stern

The defendant, Corey C. Abernathy, was convicted after a bench trial of theft of property under $500, a Class A misdemeanor, and sentenced to eleven months, twenty-nine days, suspended to probation. On appeal, the defendant argues the evidence was insufficient to support his conviction. We conclude that the defendant was not questioned, as required, before being allowed to represent himself. Accordingly, we reverse the conviction and remand for a new trial.

Hamilton Court of Criminal Appeals

Deangelo Demond Johnson v. State of Tennessee
E2005-00707-CCA-R3-PC
Authoring Judge: Judge Norma McGee Ogle
Trial Court Judge: Judge Richard R. Baumgartner

The petitioner, Deangelo Demond Johnson, pled guilty in the Knox County Criminal Court to possession of more than .5 grams of cocaine with the intent to sell, felony evading arrest, and driving on a suspended license. He received a total effective sentence of ten years. Subsequently, the petitioner filed a petition for post-conviction relief, alleging that his counsel was ineffective. The post-conviction court dismissed the petition, and the petitioner appeals. Upon our review of the record and the parties' briefs, we affirm the judgment of the post-conviction court.

Knox Court of Criminal Appeals