COURT OF CRIMINAL APPEALS OPINIONS

Mark Medley v. State of Tennessee
M2005-00295-CCA-R3-PC
Authoring Judge: Judge J. C. McLin
Trial Court Judge: Judge James K. Clayton, Jr.

The petitioner, Mark Medley, appeals from the Rutherford County Circuit Court's denial of post-conviction relief. In his petition, and now in this appeal, he alleges that he entered an involuntary guilty plea based upon the ineffective assistance of counsel. For the reasons set forth in this opinion, we affirm the judgment of the trial court.

Rutherford Court of Criminal Appeals

Francis L. Sanschargrin v. State of Tennessee
M2005-00304-CCA-R3-HC
Authoring Judge: Judge Thomas T. Woodall
Trial Court Judge: Judge Jane W. Wheatcraft

Petitioner, Francis Sanschargrin, filed a pro se petition for writ of habeas corpus relief. The trial court dismissed the petition, finding no grounds entitling Petitioner to habeas corpus relief. On appeal, we affirm the judgment of the trial court.

Sumner Court of Criminal Appeals

State of Tennessee v. Gregory Bernard Grier
M2003-03003-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Thomas T. Woodall
Trial Court Judge: Judge Lee Russell

In Case No. 15207, the Bedford County Grand Jury charged Defendant, Gregory Bernard Grier, with the sale of less than 0.5 grams of cocaine in Count 1, and with delivery of the same cocaine in Count 2. Following a jury trial, he was convicted of both charges. The trial court merged the conviction in Count 2 with the conviction in Count 1, and, following a sentencing hearing, Defendant was sentenced to serve nine (9) years in the Department of Correction as a Range II multiple offender for his Class C felony conviction. Due to the unique procedural history of this case pertaining to the preparation of the record on appeal and the status of Defendant's former counsel at the time of filing a statement of the evidence in lieu of a verbatim transcript, we are compelled to reverse the judgment of the trial court and remand this case to the trial court for proceedings consistent with this opinion.

Bedford Court of Criminal Appeals

State of Tennessee v. Kendrick D. Hutton
M2004-00586-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Thomas T. Woodall
Trial Court Judge: Judge Stella L. Hargrove

Following a revocation hearing, the trial court revoked the probation of Defendant, Kendrick D. Hutton, and ordered him to serve the remainder of his sentence in confinement. On appeal, Defendant requests this Court to remand the matter for a new probation revocation hearing because the trial court failed to follow the statutory procedure governing probation revocations. After review, we affirm the judgment of the trial court.

Giles Court of Criminal Appeals

Randy L. May v. State of Tennessee
M2004-01957-CCA-R3-HC
Authoring Judge: Judge James Curwood Witt, Jr.
Trial Court Judge: Judge Robert L. Jones

The petitioner, Randy L. May, sought a writ of habeas corpus from the Wayne County Circuit Court, claiming that his 1981 life sentence had been rendered void by the Board of Probation and Parole's order that not only denied parole but also mandated, according to the petitioner, that he serve the balance of his sentence. The circuit court granted the state's motion to dismiss the petition without a hearing, and the petitioner appealed. We affirm the dismissal of the petition.

Wayne Court of Criminal Appeals

State of Tennessee v. Daniel Lee Cook
M2004-02099-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Norma McGee Ogle
Trial Court Judge: Judge R.E. Lee Davies

The appellant, Daniel Lee Cook, pled guilty in the Williamson County Circuit Court to reckless burning, and the trial court sentenced him to eleven months, twenty-nine days to be served as thirty days in jail and the remainder on probation. The trial court also ordered the appellant to pay restitution in the amount of one hundred fifty dollars per month for five years. On appeal, the appellant claims that the State failed to prove the fair market value of the destroyed property and that the trial court erred by ordering a payment schedule that extended beyond the maximum statutory term of probation supervision that could have been imposed for the offense. We conclude that the evidence was sufficient for the trial court to determine the amount of the victim's loss. However, the trial court erred regarding the restitution payment schedule. Therefore, we reverse the judgment of the trial court and remand the case for further proceedings consistent with this opinion.

Williamson Court of Criminal Appeals

Cumecus R. Cates, Sr. v. State of Tennessee
M2005-00645-CCA-R3-HC
Authoring Judge: Judge Jerry L. Smith
Trial Court Judge: Judge Seth W. Norman

This matter is before the Court upon the State's motion to affirm the judgment of the trial court by memorandum opinion pursuant to Rule 20, Rules of the Court of Criminal Appeals. The petitioner, Cumecus R. Cates, has appealed the trial court's order summarily dismissing his petition for the writ of habeas corpus. In that petition, the petitioner sought a writ of habeas corpus to release him from various sentences. We are persuaded that the trial court was correct in summarily dismissing the habeas corpus petition and that this case meets the criteria for affirmance pursuant to Rule 20, Rules of the Court of Criminal Appeals. Accordingly, the State's motion is granted, and the judgment of the trial court is affirmed.

Davidson Court of Criminal Appeals

State of Tennessee v. Dwayne Tyrone Simmons
M2004-01105-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Norma McGee Ogle
Trial Court Judge: Judge W. Charles Lee

A Marshall County Circuit Court jury convicted the appellant, Dwayne Tyrone Simmons, of aggravated burglary and theft of property valued less than $500. The trial court sentenced the appellant to concurrent sentences of eight years, ten months for the aggravated burglary conviction and nine months, eighteen days for the theft conviction. In this appeal, the appellant raises various issues, including that the evidence is insufficient to support his aggravated burglary conviction and that he was unable to present photographs of the home in question to the jury. Upon review of the record and the parties' briefs, we affirm the judgments of the trial court.

Marshall Court of Criminal Appeals

State of Tennessee v. Roxa H. Perkins - Concurring
M2002-02993-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge John Everett Williams
Trial Court Judge: Judge John Everett Williams

I concur in the result reached by the majority in this case, i.e., that the search of the defendant's car was permissible. However, I dissent to the extent that the majority opinion implies that probable cause existed upon the arrival of the described vehicle. I would not find probable cause had the driver, in a similar vehicle, been an individual not associated with Bobby Perkins, the target of this operation.

Coffee Court of Criminal Appeals

State of Tennessee v. Roxa H. Perkins
M2002-02993-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Jerry L. Smith
Trial Court Judge: Judge L. Craig Johnson

In this appeal the defendant, Roxa Perkins, contests her conviction of possession of over .5 grams of a Schedule II controlled substance with the intent to sell or deliver same. She raises four (4) issues for review: (1) whether the warrantless seizure and detention of the defendant violated her constitutional rights; (2) whether probable cause and exigent circumstances existed which justified a warrantless search of the defendant’s vehicle; (3) whether the trial court erred in failing to instruct the jury with respect to lesser included offenses of facilitation, attempt, and facilitation of attempt to possess drugs with the intent to sell or deliver; and (4) whether the defendant received the effective assistance of counsel. After a thorough review of the record and the applicable legal authorities we find no reversible error or ineffective assistance of counsel and we therefore affirm the judgment of the trial court.

Coffee Court of Criminal Appeals

Robert Riggs v. State of Tennessee
E2004-02233-CCA-R3-PC
Authoring Judge: Judge David H. Welles
Trial Court Judge: Judge Richard R. Vance

The Defendant, Robert Riggs, was convicted by a jury of three counts of misapplication of contract funds. His convictions were affirmed by this Court on direct appeal. See State v. Robert B. Riggs, No. E2000-01983-CCA-R3-CD, 2002 WL 1364031 (Tenn. Crim. App., Knoxville, June 25, 2002). The Tennessee Supreme Court denied the Defendant's application for permission to appeal. The Defendant subsequently filed a pro se petition for post-conviction relief, while he remained incarcerated. The State responded by filing a motion to dismiss on the grounds that the petition had been filed outside the statute of limitations. The Defendant contested the State's motion but the trial court granted it without a hearing. The Defendant now appeals the summary dismissal of his petition for post-conviction relief. We reverse the trial court's ruling and remand this matter for an evidentiary hearing on the timeliness of the Defendant's petition.

Sevier Court of Criminal Appeals

State of Tennessee v. Preston Morris Kiser
E2004-02722-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge David H. Welles
Trial Court Judge: Judge R. Jerry Beck

The Defendant, Preston Kiser, pled guilty to multiple counts of passing worthless checks, theft under $500, theft over $500, forgery, reckless driving, and driving on a suspended license. For these offenses, the Defendant received an effective sentence of three years as a Range I, standard offender. The Defendant was ordered to serve his sentence on community corrections. Following a subsequent revocation hearing, the Defendant's community corrections sentence was revoked and the trial court ordered him to serve his sentence in confinement. The Defendant now appeals the trial court's revocation order. We affirm the judgments of the trial court.

Sullivan Court of Criminal Appeals

State of Tennessee v. Paul Dotterweich
E2004-02839-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge David H. Welles
Trial Court Judge: Judge Lynn W. Brown

This is a direct appeal as of right upon a certified question of law. See Tenn. R. Crim. P. 37(b)(2). The Defendant, Paul Dotterweich, was convicted of DUI and underage consumption, both Class A misdemeanors, following his entry of guilty pleas. The Defendant received concurrent sentences of eleven months, twenty-nine days and loss of driving privileges for one year. On appeal, the Defendant argues that the trial court erred by failing to suppress the evidence upon which his convictions were based because the evidence was obtained during an unlawful investigatory stop. We affirm the judgments of the trial court.

Washington Court of Criminal Appeals

Patrick S. Riley v. State of Tennessee
M2004-01726-CCA-R3-PC
Authoring Judge: Judge J. Curwood Witt, Jr.
Trial Court Judge: Judge Seth W. Norman

On May 24, 2004, the petitioner, Patrick S. Riley, filed a petition for post-conviction relief that challenged his January 11, 2002 conviction of aggravated burglary. The post-conviction court dismissed the petition as being barred by the statute of limitations set forth in Tennessee Code Annotated section 40-30-102(a) (2003). The petitioner now appeals. We affirm the dismissal of the petition.

Davidson Court of Criminal Appeals

State of Tennessee v. Michael E. Raines
M2004-01996-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Joseph M. Tipton
Trial Court Judge: Judge Steve R. Dozier

The defendant, Michael E. Raines, pled guilty in the Davidson County Criminal Court to attempt to commit second degree murder, a Class B felony. Pursuant to the plea agreement, the trial court sentenced the defendant as a Range I, standard offender to eight years with the trial court to determine the manner of service of the sentence. After a sentencing hearing, the trial court ordered that the defendant serve his sentence in confinement. The defendant appeals, claiming that he should have received alternative sentencing. We affirm the judgment of the trial court.

Davidson Court of Criminal Appeals

Timothy DeWayne Gardner v. State of Tennessee
M2004-00754-CCA-R3-PC
Authoring Judge: Judge Norma McGee Ogle
Trial Court Judge: Judge Michael R. Jones

The petitioner, Timothy Dewayne Gardner, was convicted by a jury in the Robertson County Circuit Court of possessing over 300 grams of cocaine with intent to sell. The petitioner received a sentence of seventeen years incarceration in the Tennessee Department of Correction. Subsequently, the petitioner filed for post-conviction relief, alleging that he received ineffective assistance of counsel. The post-conviction court denied the petition, and the petitioner now appeals. Upon review of the record and the parties' briefs, we affirm the judgment of the post-conviction court.

Robertson Court of Criminal Appeals

State of Tennessee v. Samuel Eugene Webster
M2004-01343-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Thomas T. Woodall
Trial Court Judge: Judge Seth W. Norman

Defendant, Samuel Eugene Webster, was charged with aggravated kidnapping and aggravated rape. Pursuant to a negotiated plea agreement, he pled guilty to simple rape, a Class B felony, with a sentence of eight years and the manner of service to be decided by the trial court following a sentencing hearing. The charge of aggravated kidnapping was dismissed. Following a sentencing hearing, he was sentenced to serve eight years in the Department of Correction. On appeal, Defendant argues that the trial court erred in denying his request for alternative sentencing. After a thorough review of the record, we affirm the judgment of the trial court.

Davidson Court of Criminal Appeals

Laveley Brown v. State of Tennessee
E2004-00886-CCA-R3-PC
Authoring Judge: Judge Robert W. Wedemeyer
Trial Court Judge: Judge Richard R. Baumgartner

The Petitioner, Lavely Brown, was convicted of first degree murder, armed robbery, and aggravated kidnapping, and the trial court sentenced him, as a Range II offender, to life imprisonment for the murder conviction, and two concurrent sentences of forty years for the armed robbery and aggravated kidnapping convictions. On appeal, this Court affirmed the Petitioner's convictions and sentences. The Petitioner filed a petition for post-conviction relief, which the post-conviction court denied after a hearing. On appeal, the Petitioner contends the post-conviction court erred when it dismissed his petition because: (1) the State withheld exculpatory information from him; (2) the State committed prosecutorial misconduct in its closing arguments; (3) the trial court conducted an improper ex parte conference with an appellate court judge; (4) the trial court improperly instructed the jury; and (5) he received ineffective assistance counsel. After thoroughly reviewing the record and the applicable law, we conclude that there exists no reversible error in the judgment of the post-conviction court.

Knox Court of Criminal Appeals

State of Tennessee v. James Austin
W2004-00510-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge John Everett Williams
Trial Court Judge: Judge John P. Colton, Jr.

The defendant appeals his conviction for second degree murder on the grounds of (1) insufficient evidence to support the verdict and (2) the sentence, pursuant to Blakely issues. After review, we find sufficient evidence to support the verdict. The Tennessee sentencing structure is not impacted by Blakely, therefore, the sentence is affirmed.

Shelby Court of Criminal Appeals

State of Tennessee v. Harold L. Cassell - Dissenting
M2004-01784-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge David H. Welles
Trial Court Judge: Judge J. Randall Wyatt, Jr.

I respectfully dissent from the majority’s opinion insofar as it places the defendant on judicial diversion. As set forth in the majority opinion, a trial court is obliged to consider a multitude of factors in determining whether to grant a request for judicial diversion. See State v. Cutshaw, 967 S.W.2d 332, 343-44 (Tenn. Crim. App. 1997); State v. Bonestel, 871 S.W.2d 163, 168 (Tenn. Crim. App. 1993), overruled on other grounds by State v. Hooper, 29 S.W.3d 1, 9 (Tenn. 2000). A trial court is further required to state on the record the weighing process it uses in balancing all of the factors and the calculus relied upon in reaching the ultimate conclusion. See State v. Electroplating, Inc., 990 S.W.2d 211, 229 (Tenn. Crim. App. 1998). When the trial court follows this procedure and provides a comprehensive record of its decision-making process, then this Court should affirm the trial court’s ruling so long as there is any substantial evidence to support it. See Cutshaw, 967 S.W.2d at 344. However, it is only when the trial court satisfies its obligations in reviewing a request for judicial diversion that this Court is given the opportunity for meaningful appellate review.

Davidson Court of Criminal Appeals

State of Tennessee v. Harold L. Cassell
M2004-01784-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge J. Curwood Witt, Jr.
Trial Court Judge: Judge J. Randall Wyatt, Jr.

The defendant, Harold L. Cassell, entered an agreed plea to domestic assault, a Class A misdemeanor, and applied for judicial diversion, pursuant to Tennessee Code Annotated section 40-35-313. The trial court imposed a sentence of 11 months and 29 days to be served on probation and denied the application for judicial diversion. On appeal, the defendant challenges the denial of judicial diversion. Upon review, we reverse the judgment of the trial court and grant judicial diversion. The cause is remanded for the imposition of conditions of the probationary term.

Davidson Court of Criminal Appeals

State of Tennessee v. Kenna Jean Parrott
M2004-00723-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Thomas T. Woodall
Trial Court Judge: Judge J. Randall Wyatt, Jr.

Following a jury trial, Defendant, Kenna Jean Parrott, was found guilty of theft of property over $60,000, a Class B felony, and forgery of books and records valued at over $60,000, a Class B felony. The trial court sentenced Defendant as a Range I, standard offender, to eight years for each offense and ordered Defendant's sentences to run concurrently. The trial court ordered six months of the effective eight-year sentence to be served in jail, and the remainder of the effective sentence in Community Corrections. Defendant does not challenge the length or manner of service of her sentence. In her appeal, Defendant challenges the sufficiency of the convicting evidence. After review, we affirm the judgments of the trial court.

Davidson Court of Criminal Appeals

State of Tennessee v. Clayton Wilburn Eslick
M2004-01459-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Norma McGee Ogle
Trial Court Judge: Judge W. Charles Lee

The appellant, Clayton Wilburn Eslick, was convicted by a jury in the Marshall County Circuit Court of six counts of passing worthless checks. The trial court imposed a total effective sentence of six years incarceration in the Tennessee Department of Correction. On appeal, the appellant argues that the evidence was insufficient to sustain his convictions. Upon our review of the record and the parties' briefs, we affirm the judgments of the trial court.

Marshall Court of Criminal Appeals

State of Tennessee v. Carey Ray Faught
E2004-01705-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Thomas T. Woodall
Trial Court Judge: Judge Richard R. Baumgartner

Following a jury trial, Defendant, Carey Ray Faught, was found guilty of carjacking, a Class B felony. At the conclusion of the sentencing hearing, the trial court sentenced Defendant as a Range I, standard offender, to nine years. The trial court ordered Defendant's sentence for the current offense to be served consecutively to the sentence he was currently serving in case No. 71405. On appeal, Defendant argues (1) that the trial court erred in not granting his motion to suppress the victim's pre-trial identification; (2) that the evidence was insufficient to support his conviction for carjacking; (3) that the trial court erred in sentencing Defendant above the minimum of the range for a Range I, standard offender, convicted of a Class B felony; and (4) that the trial court erred in ordering Defendant to serve his sentence for the current offense consecutively to his sentence in case No. 71405. After a thorough review of the record, we affirm the judgments of the trial court.

Knox Court of Criminal Appeals

State of Tennessee v. Lacey Jones
W2004-01628-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Gary R. Wade
Trial Court Judge: Judge Chris B. Craft

The defendant, Lacey Jones, was convicted of four counts of especially aggravated kidnapping, one count of aggravated burglary, and two counts of aggravated robbery. The trial court merged the aggravated robbery convictions into the convictions for especially aggravated kidnapping and ordered a concurrent sentence of thirty-five years for each of the four counts. The trial court ordered the aggravated burglary sentence of seven years to be served consecutively, for an effective sentence of forty-two years. In this appeal of right, the defendant argues that his convictions for especially aggravated kidnapping and aggravated robbery violate principles of due process; that the trial court erred by merging the aggravated robbery convictions into the especially aggravated kidnapping convictions; and that the trial court erred by ordering consecutive sentencing. The judgments of the trial court are affirmed.

Shelby Court of Criminal Appeals