Quadarius Devonta Bufford v. State of Tennessee
The Petitioner, Quadarius Devonta Bufford, appeals from the Gibson County Circuit Court’s denial of his petition for post-conviction relief from his conviction for first degree felony murder, for which he was sentenced to life imprisonment. The Petitioner alleges that the post-conviction court erred by denying relief on his ineffective assistance of counsel claim, his claim of prosecutorial misconduct, and his request for funds for a medical expert. He also seeks relief due to the cumulative effect of trial counsel’s multiple deficiencies of performance. We affirm the judgment of the post-conviction court. |
Gibson | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
Clifford Lamar Clark, III v. State of Tennessee
The Petitioner, Clifford Lamar Clark, III, appeals from the Henderson County Circuit Court’s denial of his petition for post-conviction relief, arguing that trial counsel rendered ineffective assistance and that he did not knowingly, voluntarily, and intelligently enter into the plea agreement. Discerning no error, we affirm. |
Henderson | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Carlos Monalito Clark
The Defendant, Carlos Monalito Clark, a career offender, was indicted for aggravated burglary, a Class C felony, and vandalism under $1000, a Class A misdemeanor. Pursuant to a plea agreement, the Defendant entered a guilty plea to aggravated burglary and received a Range III sentence of ten years with the manner of service to be determined by the trial court. The vandalism charge was dismissed pursuant to the plea agreement. Following a hearing, the trial court ordered the Defendant to serve his sentence in confinement. In this appeal, the Defendant argues he is entitled to de novo review or a new sentencing hearing because the trial court failed to consider three statutory sentencing factors, failed to consider the purposes and principles of the sentencing act, and failed to consider his request for community corrections. Upon review, we affirm. |
Davidson | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
Brandon Holliday v. State of Tennessee
The petitioner, Brandon Holliday, appeals the denial of his post-conviction petition, arguing the post-conviction court erred in finding he received the effective assistance of counsel. After our review of the record, briefs, and applicable law, we affirm the denial of the petition. |
Madison | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Charles Wilson
The defendant, Charles Wilson, was convicted by a Madison County Circuit Court jury of one count of second-degree murder and one count of facilitation of attempted simple robbery for which he received a sentence of twenty-three years in the Department of Correction. On appeal, the defendant argues that the evidence is insufficient to sustain his conviction. After reviewing the record and considering the applicable law, we affirm the judgment of the trial court. |
Madison | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
STATE OF TENNESSEE v. TELINA S. FULLER
This cause came before the court upon the application of the Defendant, pro se, seeking an extraordinary appeal pursuant to Tennessee Rule of Appellate Procedure 10. More specifically, the Defendant seeks review of the trial court’s October 30, 2025, order directing her to undergo a mental health evaluation to determine her competency to stand trial and her mental state at the time of the charged offense. See Tenn. Code Ann. § 33-7- 301(a). The Defendant also requests a stay of mental health evaluation proceedings. |
Knox | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Kerion Dawson
The Defendant, Kerion Dawson, pled guilty in the Shelby County Criminal Court to mitigated statutory rape, a Class E felony, and received a two-year sentence to be served as sixty days in confinement and the remainder on supervised probation. On appeal, the Defendant claims that the trial court erred by denying his request for judicial diversion. After review, we affirm the sentence imposed by the trial court. |
Shelby | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Joshua Lee Shaw
In 2006, the Defendant, Joshua Lee Shaw, pleaded guilty to attempted possession of a Schedule II substance with intent to deliver, a Class C felony, and simple possession of a Schedule VI substance, a Class A misdemeanor. The trial court sentenced him to four years of supervised probation. He violated his probation by testing positive for methamphetamine, amphetamine, and marijuana. The trial court ordered the Defendant’s punishment for the violation to be for “time served” and returned him to probation. The Defendant successfully completed the remainder of his probation. In 2024, the Defendant filed a petition to expunge his record of his two offenses pursuant to Tennessee Code Annotated section 40-32-101(k). After a hearing, the trial court declined his request. The Defendant appeals, contending the trial court erred. We conclude that the Defendant does not meet the plain language requirements of an “eligible petitioner” in Tennessee Code Annotated section 40-32-101(k), and thus we affirm the trial court’s judgment. |
Sumner | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Paul Rogers
The Defendant, Paul Rogers, pled guilty to a nine-count information charging aggravated assault, evading arrest, and reckless endangerment, among other offenses. As part of the plea, the parties agreed that the Defendant would be sentenced to an effective term of eight years, with the trial court determining the manner of service. Following a sentencing hearing, the trial court denied the Defendant’s request for an alternative sentence and imposed a sentence of full confinement. On appeal, the Defendant argues that the trial court should have granted an alternative sentence. Upon our review, we respectfully affirm the judgments of the trial court. |
Knox | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
Christopher Alan Hauser, James Michael Usinger and Ronald James Lyons v. State of Tennessee
Petitioner, Christopher Alan Hauser, and four co-defendants were convicted of multiple counts of filing a lien without a reasonable basis and multiple counts of forgery. On direct appeal, we affirmed Petitioner’s convictions. State v. Lyons, No. M2019-01946-CCA-R3-CD, 2021 WL 1083703, at *23, perm. app. granted, (Tenn. Crim. App. March 22, 2021). The Tennessee Supreme Court granted certiorari and affirmed the convictions. State v. Lyons, 669 S.W.3d 775, 779-80 (Tenn. 2023). Petitioner, a non-lawyer, filed a petition for post-conviction relief on behalf of himself and his co-defendants. The post-conviction court dismissed the petition without a hearing as untimely. Petitioner appealed on behalf of himself and on behalf of his co-defendants. After review, we disregard claims alleged by Petitioner for the co-defendants and affirm the judgment of the post-conviction court as to Petitioner. |
Davidson | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
Roosevelt Morris v. Chris Brun, Warden
The Petitioner, Roosevelt Morris, appeals from the Hickman County Circuit Court’s summary dismissal of his petition for a writ of habeas corpus from his convictions for two counts of attempted first degree murder and his effective forty-seven-year sentence. The Petitioner contends that the habeas corpus court erred by dismissing his petition because his sentence was imposed in violation of Blakely v. Washington, 542 U.S. 296, 303-04 (2004). We affirm the judgment of the habeas corpus court. |
Hickman | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
Ricky A. Davis v. State of Tennessee
Petitioner, Ricky A. Davis, appeals the denial of his petition for post-conviction relief, |
Knox | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Terrence Sanders
The Defendant, Terrence Sanders, appeals the revocation of his probation and reinstatement of his original sentence in confinement, arguing that there was insufficient proof that his new arrest for domestic assault constituted a non-technical violation of his probation and that the trial court erred by failing to make appropriate findings in support of its decisions. We agree that the trial court failed to make adequate findings in support of its decisions to revoke the Defendant’s probation and order execution of the original judgment. Accordingly, we reverse the judgment of the trial court and remand for the trial court to make additional findings, in accordance with State v. Dagnan, 641 S.W.3d 751, 753 (Tenn. 2022), regarding whether the State proved a non-technical violation of probation by a preponderance of the evidence and, if so, the appropriate consequence to be imposed. |
Shelby | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Deon LaMonte Young
Defendant, Deon Lamonte Young, was convicted of possession of a firearm after having been convicted of a violent felony, driving on a revoked or suspended license, driving with an open container, and failing to stop at a stop sign. The State filed notice of intent to seek enhanced punishment based on six of Defendant’s prior felony convictions. The trial court imposed an effective twenty-five year sentence with eighty-five percent release eligibility as a Range III, persistent offender. On appeal, Defendant argues that the evidence was insufficient to support his conviction for possession of a firearm; that his sentence was excessive; and that the trial court committed plain error by “abrogat[ing] its duty to ensure a fair trial when it did not address whether [Defendant] intended to stipulate to his felony status, and failed to provide adequate instructions to the jury.” However, because the appeal is untimely and the interest of justice does not require waiver of the timely filing of the notice of appeal, we dismiss the appeal. |
Hamblen | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Charles Edward Blankenship
Defendant, Charles Blankenship, was convicted by a Monroe County jury of possession of 300 grams or more of methamphetamine with the intent to sell or deliver and possession of a firearm after having been convicted of a violent felony. He received an effective sentence of fifty-two years’ incarceration. Defendant appeals, arguing that 1) he was denied his right to an impartial jury; 2) the trial court erred in denying his motion to suppress his statement; 3) the evidence was insufficient to support his conviction for possession of methamphetamine; 4) the trial court erred in revoking his bond during the trial; and 5) the trial court abused its discretion in ordering his sentences to be served consecutively. Upon review of the entire record, the briefs and oral argument of the parties, and the applicable law, we affirm the judgments of the trial court. |
Monroe | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Johnny Robert Bowen, Jr.
The Defendant, Johnny Robert Bowen, Jr., appeals from the order of the trial court revoking his probation. The Defendant contends the admission of the drug screening report violated his confrontation rights because there was an insufficient showing of good cause or reliability. He additionally argues the trial court abused its discretion in fully revoking his probation by failing to consider any other alternative to incarceration. After review, we affirm the judgment of the trial court. |
Bedford | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Kevin McDougle
In 2024, the Defendant, Kevin McDougle, filed his eighth motion pursuant to Tennessee Rule of Appellate Procedure 36.1 seeking to correct an illegal sentence. The trial court summarily denied the Defendant’s motion for failure to state a colorable claim. On appeal, the Defendant contends that the trial court erred when it denied his motion. After a thorough review of the record and applicable authorities, we affirm the trial court’s judgment. |
Shelby | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
Frederick Demetrius DeBerry v. State of Tennessee
A Fayette County jury convicted the Petitioner, Frederick Demetrius Deberry, of aggravated rape, and the trial court imposed a twenty-year sentence to be served consecutively to a federal sentence. The Petitioner thereafter filed an application for a writ of habeas corpus, asserting that his conviction and sentence were void for the following reasons: (1) the trial court improperly overruled his objections to the State’s peremptory strikes of Black jurors; (2) the trial court improperly admitted hearsay testimony; (3) trial and appellate counsel rendered ineffective assistance; (4) the evidence was insufficient to support his conviction; (5) the court unlawfully enhanced his sentence and ordered it to run consecutively to his federal sentence; and (6) the post-conviction court erred by dismissing his earlier petition without a hearing. The habeas corpus court summarily dismissed the application, concluding that the alleged claims, even if true, would render the challenged judgment voidable rather than void. The Petitioner now appeals. Upon our review, we respectfully affirm the judgment of the habeas corpus court |
Hardeman | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Gary Douglas Craigo, Jr.
The Defendant, Gary Douglas Craigo, Jr., appeals his Sumner County Criminal Court convictions of aggravated rape and extortion, for which he received an effective sentence of twenty-nine years’ incarceration. On appeal, the Defendant challenges the sufficiency of the convicting evidence for each of his convictions. Discerning no error, we affirm. |
Sumner | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
Kejuan King v. State of Tennessee
Petitioner, Kejuan King, appeals the denial of his petition for post-conviction relief, claiming the post-conviction court erred in concluding that he received the effective assistance of trial counsel related to his conviction for second degree murder and his resulting twenty-five-year sentence. Petitioner argues that trial counsel failed to adequately investigate Petitioner’s self-defense claim, failed to effectively present a self-defense theory at trial, and failed to advocate against certain jury instructions. Petitioner further argues that the cumulative effect of trial counsel’s failures amounts to a Sixth Amendment violation. After review, we affirm the judgment of the post-conviction court. |
Shelby | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Arthur Davis Hicks, Jr.
Arthur Davis Hicks, Jr., (“Defendant”) appeals his convictions for reckless aggravated assault resulting in death and felon in possession of a weapon, for which he received a total effective sentence of twenty-eight years’ incarceration. Defendant contends that: (1) the evidence is insufficient to support his convictions; (2) the trial court abused its discretion by admitting testimony from the State’s expert forensic scientist regarding gunshot residue analysis performed by her co-worker; (3) the trial court erred in excluding testimony regarding the victim’s prior history of carrying a weapon and his “violent tendencies”; and (4) the trial court imposed an excessive sentence. Upon review, we affirm the judgments of the trial court. |
Lincoln | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
STATE OF TENNESSEE v. KORTNEY DALON BALL
The Appellant, Kortney Dalon Ball, is appealing his conviction and the sentence he |
Davidson | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Timothy Aaron Baxter
The petitioner, Timothy Aaron Baxter, appeals from the Madison County Circuit Court’s denial of his pro se motion to correct a clerical error pursuant to Tennessee Rule of Criminal Procedure 36. Based on our review of the record, the parties’ briefs, and the applicable law, we affirm the decision of the trial court. |
Madison | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Destiny Sharina Williams
The State appeals the trial court’s dismissal of the indictment against the defendant, Destiny Sharina Williams, charging her with assault and abuse of a vulnerable adult. The State argues that dismissal was in error because the trial court based its decision on the State’s failure to object to a delayed dismissal of warrants against the defendant in city court. Upon our review of the record, the applicable law, and the parties’ briefs, we reverse the trial court’s order dismissing the indictment, reinstate the charges against the defendant, and remand the case to the trial court for further proceedings. |
Madison | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
Tarvis Weatherly v. State of Tennessee
The petitioner, Tarvis Weatherly, appeals the denial of his post-conviction petition, arguing the post-conviction court erred in finding he received the effective assistance of counsel. After our review of the record, briefs, and applicable law, we affirm the denial of the petition. |
Shelby | Court of Criminal Appeals |
