State vs. Michael Wayne Perry

The defendant, Michael Wayne Perry, was convicted by a Wilson County jury of second degree murder and first degree felony murder committed during the perpetration of, or attempted perpetration of, rape. The trial court sentenced Defendant to life without parole for the first degree murder conviction, twenty years as a standard Range I offender for the second degree murder conviction, and then merged the two counts into a single conviction for first degree murder. Defendant appeals his convictions and presents the following issues: 1) whether the trial court erred in admitting Defendant's recorded confession; 2) whether the trial court erred in admitting evidence obtained from the vehicle that Defendant drove on the night of the murder; 3) whether the trial court erred in admitting photographs of the victim's body; 4) whether the trial court's instructions to the jury were proper; 5) whether the evidence was sufficient for a rational trier of fact to find Defendant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt; and 6) whether the conduct of law enforcement officials in the case "shocks the conscience." Based upon a careful review, we affirm the judgment of the trial court.