APPELLATE COURT OPINIONS

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E1999-00265-COA-R3-CV

E1999-00265-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge Houston M. Goddard
Originating Judge:Daryl R. Fansler
Knox County Court of Appeals 06/27/00
Cathy Lee Barnes Williams v. Rodney Lee Williams.

M1999-00221-COA-R3-CV-

Originating Judge:Marietta M. Shipley
Davidson County Court of Appeals 06/27/00
State vs. Robert Gamble

W1999-01016-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge David H. Welles
Originating Judge:James C. Beasley, Jr.
Shelby County Court of Criminal Appeals 06/27/00
State vs. Matthew Douglas Cox

E1999-00351-CCA-R3-CD
The appellant, Matthew Douglas Cox, appeals his convictions by a jury in the Knox County Criminal Court of two counts of aggravated rape and one count of incest. The trial court imposed concurrent sentences of twenty years incarceration in the Tennessee Department of Correction for the aggravated rape convictions and three years incarceration for the incest conviction. On appeal, the appellant presents the following issues for our review: (1) whether the evidence adduced at trial supports his convictions of aggravated rape and incest; (2) whether the trial court erroneously admitted into evidence a tape recording of the victim's 911 telephone call; (3) whether the trial court erred in effectively limiting defense counsel's cross-examination of the State's expert witness concerning the results of a DNA analysis of semen samples obtained from the victim; (4) whether the trial court erred in admitting into evidence testimony concerning the circumstances of the appellant's arrest; (5) whether the State committed prosecutorial misconduct during closing argument; and (6) whether the cumulative effect of these errors requires the reversal of the appellant's convictions. Following a review of the record and the parties' briefs, we affirm in part and reverse in part the judgments of the trial court.
Authoring Judge: Judge Norma McGee Ogle
Originating Judge:Richard R. Baumgartner
Knox County Court of Criminal Appeals 06/27/00
State vs. Clyde Hambrick Jr.

E1998-00893-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge John Everett Williams
Originating Judge:Arden L. Hill
Unicoi County Court of Criminal Appeals 06/27/00
State vs. Charles Bryan

W1999-00620-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge J. Curwood Witt, Jr.
Originating Judge:W. Otis Higgs, Jr.
Shelby County Court of Criminal Appeals 06/27/00
State of Tennessee v. Maurice Pruitt

W2002-01905-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Joseph M. Tipton
Originating Judge:Donald H. Allen
Gibson County Court of Criminal Appeals 06/27/00
Marcia Susan Tallent vs. Kenneth Allen Cates

E1999-01168-COA-R3-CV
Outdoor West of TN, Inc. (Lamar Advertising of Tri-Cities) vs.City of Johnson City
Authoring Judge: Judge David Michael Swiney
Originating Judge:Carey E. Garrett
Knox County Court of Appeals 06/27/00
Murray vs. Murray

M1999-02081-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge Ben H. Cantrell
Originating Judge:Russell Heldman
Williamson County Court of Appeals 06/27/00
Ronald Geddings v. Imperial Guard & Detectives

W1999-00199-WC-R3-CV
This workers' compensation appeal has been referred to the Special Workers' Compensation Appeals Panel of the Supreme Court in accordance with Tennessee Code Annotated _5-6-225(e)(3) for hearing and reporting to the Supreme Court of findings of fact and conclusions of law. The defendants, Imperial Guard & Detective Services and the Travelers Insurance Company (Imperial), appeal the judgment of the Shelby Chancery Court awarding the plaintiff, Ronald Geddings (Geddings), sixty-five percent (65%) permanent partial disability to the body as a whole as a result of a mental injury and commuting the award to a lump sum in trust to be administered byGeddings' wife. Imperial does not appeal the trial court's award of sixteen percent (16%) permanent partial disability for a low back injury. For the reasons stated in this opinion, we affirm the award of sixteen percent (16%) permanent partial disability to the body as a whole for the injury to the low back; reverse the award of sixty-five percent (65%) permanent partial disability to the body as a whole for the mental injury; and reverse the award of benefits commuted to a lump sum. Tenn. Code Ann. _ 5-6-225(e) (1999) Appeal as of Right; Judgment of the Chancery Court Affirmed in Part; Reversed in Part MALOAN, SP. J., in which HOLDER, J., and WEATHERFORD, SR. J., joined. Gayle B. Lakey, Memphis, Tennessee, for the appellants, Imperial Guard & Detective Services and The Travelers Company. Stephen R. Leffler, Memphis, Tennessee for the appellee, Ronald Geddings. MEMORANDUM OPINION Geddings was age forty-one (41) at the time of this trial. He graduated from high school and attended some college. Geddings first worked for Imperial as a security officer, advanced to general manager, and then to vice president of operations. On December 9, 1996, Geddings and other Imperial employees attended a sexual harassment seminar. After the seminar, Geddings was hit by an automobile while crossing Poplar Avenue in Memphis, Tennessee. Geddings testified the vehicle struck his buttocks and he fell on the street on his stomach. His only visible injuries were cuts and bruises to his arms, hands, buttocks, and ankle. Geddings was able to assist fellow injured workers, then crossed the street, and either sat down on the curb or collapsed unconscious. Dr. John Brophy, a neurosurgeon, treated Geddings for an injury to his lower back. On February 17, 1997, Dr. Brophy performed a decompression laminectomy at L4-5 and released Geddings to light duty in March 1997 and full duty without restrictions on May 12, 1997. Dr. Brophy assigned an eight percent (8%) permanent impairment to the body as a whole for his low back injury. When Geddings returned to his former job at Imperial he began to have forgetfulness and memory loss. He was assigned to the night shift, where he continued to work for one (1) year until he resigned in March 1998. He then worked for a smaller security company, Guardco, performing similar duties, but was terminated eight (8) or nine (9) months later for lack of organization. William Jenkins, Ed.D., a vocational rehabilitation expert, evaluated Geddings for vocational disability. As a result of numerous tests and a review of a neuropsychological evaluation by Nan Hawks, Ph.D.,1 dated January 19, 1998, Dr. Jenkins testified Geddings had a sixty percent (6%) to sixty-five percent (65%) vocational disability for his psychological problems. At trial, Geddings' attorney requested the trial court to make separate awards for the low back injury and the mental injury. Over Imperial's objection, the trial court awarded sixteen percent(16%) permanent partial disability to the body as a whole for the back injury and an additional sixty-five percent (65%) permanent partial disabilityto the body as a whole for the mental injury. Further, the trial court granted Geddings' motion to commute the award to a lump sum in trust to be administered by Geddings' wife. ANALYSIS The scope of review of issues of fact is de novo upon the record of the trial court, accompanied by a presumption of correctness of the findings, unless the preponderance of evidence is otherwise. Tennessee Code Annotated _5-6-225(e)(2). Lollar v Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., 767 S.W.2d 143 (Tenn. 1989). When a trial court has seen and heard witnesses, especially where issues of credibility and weight of oral testimony are involved, considerable deference must be accorded the trial court's factual findings. Humphrey v David Witherspoon, Inc., 734 S.W.2d 315 (Tenn. 1987). However, where the issues involve expert medical testimony which is contained in the record by deposition, as it is in this case, then all impressions of weight and credibility must be drawn from 1Apparently, Dr. Hawks' deposition was filed with the trial court, but was never entered into evidence during the trial and is not in the record on appeal. -2-
Authoring Judge: William Michael Maloan, Special Judge
Originating Judge:D. J. Alissandratos, Chancellor
Shelby County Workers Compensation Panel 06/27/00
Eslick vs. Campbell

M1998-00944-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge William B. Cain
Originating Judge:Ellen Hobbs Lyle
Davidson County Court of Appeals 06/27/00
State vs. Pruitt

M2000-00416-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge David Michael Swiney
Originating Judge:Wayne C. Shelton
Montgomery County Court of Appeals 06/27/00
Patty jane Farmer Jenkins vs. Thomas Arlin Jenkins

E2000-00274-COA-R3-CV
Kenneth M. Seaton d/b/a KMS Enterprises vs. State Board of Equalization, et al E1999-00880-COA-R3-CV View
Authoring Judge: Judge Charles D. Susano, Jr.
Originating Judge:Kindall T. Lawson
Hamblen County Court of Appeals 06/27/00
Equifax vs. Johnson

M1999-00782-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge David R. Farmer
Originating Judge:Carol L. Mccoy
Davidson County Court of Appeals 06/27/00
Abernathy vs. Abernathy

M1999-00891-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge David R. Farmer
Originating Judge:Clara W. Byrd
Wilson County Court of Appeals 06/27/00
Christopher v. Sockwell

M1999-00469-WC-R3-CV
This workers' compensation appeal has been referred to the Special Workers' Compensation Appeals Panel of the Supreme Court in accordance with Tenn. Code Ann. _ 5-6- 225(e)(3) for hearing and reporting to the Supreme Court of findings of fact and conclusions of law. As discussed below, the panel has concluded the judgment should be affirmed. The employee or claimant, Lee, worked for Shoney's, Inc. in Nashville for about eight years, primarily operating a tow motor and pulling orders. In November of 1996, while he was manually loading a truck with boxes and cans, he twisted his left leg and hip. He continued working. Later in the same month, he was assigned to work in a freezer to give him a break from heavier work, -2-
Authoring Judge: Joe C. Loser, Jr., Special Judge
Davidson County Workers Compensation Panel 06/26/00
State of Tennessee v. Dennis Wade Suttles

E1998-00088-SC-DDT-CD
Authoring Judge: Justice Frank F. Drowota, III
Originating Judge:Mary Beth Leibowitz
Knox County Supreme Court 06/26/00
E1999-00412-COA-R3-CV

E1999-00412-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge David Michael Swiney
Originating Judge:G. Richard Johnson
Washington County Court of Appeals 06/26/00
State of Tennessee v. Dennis Wade Suttles

E1998-00088-SC-DDT-CD
Authoring Judge: Justice Frank F. Drowota, III
Originating Judge:Mary Beth Leibowitz
Knox County Supreme Court 06/26/00
Nancy Erwin vs. Richard Erwin

W1998-00801-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge Holly M. Kirby
Originating Judge:D. J. Alissandratos
Shelby County Court of Appeals 06/26/00
Nancy Erwin vs. Richard Erwin

W1998-00801-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge Holly M. Kirby
Originating Judge:D. J. Alissandratos
Shelby County Court of Appeals 06/26/00
Phillip W. Lee v. Shoney's, Inc.

M1999-00469-WC-R3-CV
This workers' compensation appeal has been referred to the Special Workers' Compensation Appeals Panel of the Supreme Court in accordance with Tenn. Code Ann. _ 5-6- 225(e)(3) for hearing and reporting to the Supreme Court of findings of fact and conclusions of law. As discussed below, the panel has concluded the judgment should be affirmed. The employee or claimant, Lee, worked for Shoney's, Inc. in Nashville for about eight years, primarily operating a tow motor and pulling orders. In November of 1996, while he was manually loading a truck with boxes and cans, he twisted his left leg and hip. He continued working. Later in the same month, he was assigned to work in a freezer to give him a break from heavier work, -2-
Authoring Judge: Loser, Sp. J.
Davidson County Workers Compensation Panel 06/26/00
State vs. William Ricky Wayne Herrell

M1999-02475-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Joseph M. Tipton
Originating Judge:John H. Gasaway, III
Montgomery County Court of Criminal Appeals 06/23/00
Benjamin Robert Crabtree v. Janice L. Rehbein Crabtree

E2000-00501-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Herschel P. Franks
Originating Judge:Kindall T. Lawson
Hawkins County Court of Appeals 06/23/00
Harold L. Belcher, Sr. vs. Cheryl e. Rogers

E1999-01844-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Herschel P. Franks
Originating Judge:L. Marie Williams
Hamilton County Court of Appeals 06/23/00