State of Tennessee v. Jordan Clayton, Carlos Stokes, and Branden Brookins

Defendants, Jordan Clayton, Carlos Stokes, and Branden Brookins, were convicted of first degree murder, conspiracy to commit first degree murder, attempt to commit first degree murder, two counts of employing a firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony, and reckless endangerment after a jury found them guilty of the murder of a seven-year-old female child. Defendant Clayton was also convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm. On appeal, Defendants challenge the trial court’s refusal to sever the cases for trial, the admissibility of a recording of a preliminary hearing and a written statement of a witness with memory loss, and the sufficiency of the evidence. We determine that the trial court did not abuse its discretion by denying a motion to sever or by admitting the preliminary hearing recording and written statement into evidence. Additionally, we determine that the evidence was sufficient to support the convictions. Consequently, we affirm the judgments of the trial court with respect to the convictions for first degree murder, attempted first degree murder, employing a firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony, and reckless endangerment. However, we reverse the judgments of the trial court with respect to the conspiracy to commit first degree murder convictions because the trial court improperly merged the conspiracy convictions with the first degree murder convictions. On remand, the trial court should reinstate the judgments for conspiracy to commit first degree murder.