State of Tennessee v. Ginger Jackson

The defendant, Ginger Jackson, was convicted of solicitation of first degree murder. The trial court imposed a Range I sentence of eight years and six months. In this appeal, the defendant asserts (1) that the trial court erred by the admission of certain testimony; (2) that the trial court erred by admitting into evidence certain audiotape recordings; (3) that the trial court erred by failing to instruct the jury regarding the inaudible portions of the audiotape recordings; (4) that the trial court erred by failing to suppress the audiotape recording of the defendant's arrest; (5) that the trial court erred by denying the defendant's motion for a judgment of acquittal at the close of the state's proof; (6) that the trial court erred by excluding certain evidence offered by the defendant; (6) that the trial court erred by admitting into evidence testimony regarding lawsuits involving the defendant and various public entities; (7) that the trial court erred by failing to require the state to elect the specific date on which the offense occurred; (8) that the trial court erred by denying alternative sentencing; and (9) that the sentence is excessive. The defendant has also asked this court to review her sentence under the guidelines of Blakely v. Washington, 542 U.S. ___, 124 S. Ct. 2531 (2004). The judgment of the trial court is affirmed. The sentence is modified and the cause is remanded for consideration of the defendant's suitability for probation.