Quadarius Deshun Martin v. State of Tennessee
Pursuant to a negotiated plea agreement, the Appellant, Quadarius Deshun Martin, pled guilty to seven offenses on April 4, 2024, and received an agreed-upon sentence of twelve years’ incarceration. Eighteen days later, the Appellant filed an unsigned, untitled, handwritten pleading in which he stated he wished to withdraw his guilty pleas, arguing that he pled guilty under duress and that trial counsel failed to investigate his case. The trial court entered an order construing the filing as a petition for post-conviction relief and appointing counsel. At the subsequent evidentiary hearing, the trial court stated that it would hear both the Appellant’s request to withdraw his guilty pleas and his petition for post-conviction relief. Following the hearing, the trial court denied post-conviction relief but did not rule upon the Appellant’s request to withdraw his guilty pleas. The Appellant appealed, arguing the trial court erred by failing to find he received the ineffective assistance of counsel. We ordered the parties to file supplemental briefs to address whether the trial court erred by construing the Appellant’s filing as a petition for post-conviction relief despite his request to withdraw his guilty plea. Following our review of the record, we reverse the judgment of the trial court and remand for consideration of the Appellant’s motion to withdraw his guilty pleas. |
Henderson | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Jason A. McCain
The Defendant, Jason A. McCain, pled guilty in the Henry County Circuit Court to reckless endangerment with a deadly weapon, a Class E felony. After a sentencing hearing, the trial court sentenced him as a Range III, persistent offender to six years in confinement. On appeal, the Defendant contends that the trial court should have sentenced him as a Range I, standard offender because the State did not file its notice of intent to seek enhancement punishment pursuant to Tennessee Code Annotated section 40-35-202(a) until the day of his sentencing hearing and that his six-year sentence is excessive. Based upon the oral arguments, the record, and the parties’ briefs, we affirm the judgment of the trial court. |
Henry | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Leonard Harrison Beard, Jr.
The Defendant, Leonard Harrison Beard, Jr., was convicted by a Maury County Circuit Court jury of two counts of attempted first degree murder, a Class A felony; reckless endangerment, a Class A misdemeanor; unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, a Class B felony; reckless endangerment involving a habitation, a Class C felony; vandalism valued at $2,500 or more but less than $10,000, a Class D felony; and employing a firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony, a Class C felony. See T.C.A. §§ 39-12-101 (2018) (criminal attempt); 39-13-202 (2018) (subsequently amended) (first degree murder); 39-13-103 (2018) (reckless endangerment); 39-17-1307 (2018) (felon in possession of a firearm); 39-14-408 (Supp. 2024) (vandalism); 39-14-105 (2018) (subsequently amended) (grading); 39-17-1324 (2018) (subsequently amended) (employing a firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony). The trial court imposed an effective fifty-year sentence. On appeal, the Defendant argues that the trial court erred by denying his motion for a new trial on the basis that he received the ineffective assistance of counsel. We affirm the judgments of the trial court. |
Maury | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
Quadarius Deshun Martin v. State of Tennessee - Dissent
I respectfully dissent from the majority’s opinion reversing the trial court’s judgment and remanding for consideration of Appellant’s pleading as a motion to withdraw his guilty pleas pursuant to Tennessee Rule of Criminal Procedure 32(f) because I conclude that Appellant abandoned any claim of relief on appeal based on Rule 32(f). |
Henderson | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Joseph Raymond Cacciatore
Defendant, Joseph Raymond Cacciatore, appeals the trial court’s denial of his motion for a reduction of sentence pursuant to Tennessee Rule of Criminal Procedure 35 in which Defendant sought a reduction of his effective ten-year sentence of incarceration resulting from his guilty pleas to two counts of solicitation of a minor, three counts of coercion of a witness, and one count of attempted especially aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor. On appeal, Defendant contends that he received the ineffective assistance of counsel, that his plea was not knowingly and voluntarily entered, and that he was arrested and confined without being properly indicted. Upon review, we affirm the judgments of the trial court. |
Knox | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. John Mark Hall
The Defendant, John Mark Hall, appeals his Knox County jury conviction of domestic assault, for which he received a sentence of eleven months and twenty-nine days on unsupervised probation after service of 192 hours in jail. On appeal, the Defendant contends that the State committed prosecutorial misconduct during closing arguments, that the sufficiency and weight of the evidence was lacking, and that the trial court erred by failing to rule on his renewed motion for judgment of acquittal pursuant to Tennessee Rule of Criminal Procedure 29. Discerning no error, we affirm. |
Court of Criminal Appeals | ||
State of Tennessee v. Michael Malik Tashaw Brown
The Defendant, Michael Malik Tashaw Brown, was convicted by a Madison County Circuit Court jury of filing a false police report, possession of marijuana, and leaving the scene of an accident. On appeal, he argues that the trial court erred in admitting irrelevant and prejudicial evidence about a shotgun found in his vehicle, and that the State failed to establish that he possessed illegal marijuana rather than legal hemp. Based on our review, we affirm the judgments of the trial court. |
Madison | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Andrew Steven Bryant
The Defendant, Andrew Steven Bryant, appeals from the Jefferson County Circuit Court’s |
Jefferson | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
Gregory Bonds v. State of Tennessee
The Petitioner, Gregory Bonds, entered a guilty plea to seven offenses, for which he received a concurrent twelve-year term of imprisonment. The Petitioner subsequently filed a pro-se petition seeking post-conviction relief from his convictions, alleging that trial counsel was ineffective for allowing him to enter an agreement with the State for an illegal sentence. The Petitioner alleged that his sentence was illegal because the employing a firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony offense was ordered to be served concurrently with other offenses in direct contravention of the law. The post-conviction court summarily dismissed the petition for failure to state a colorable claim for relief. On appeal, the Petitioner argues: (1) the post-conviction court erred in failing to hold an evidentiary hearing for his claim of ineffective assistance of counsel; and (2) that he did not knowingly, voluntarily, or intelligently enter the plea agreement. Upon review, we affirm the judgment of the post-conviction court. |
Tipton | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
Dwight Randall Walton v. State of Tennessee
In 2012, a Sullivan County jury convicted the Petitioner, Dwight Randall Walton, of four |
Sullivan | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
Victor Trezevant v. State of Tennessee
Petitioner, Victor Trezevant, was convicted by a Shelby County jury of first degree felony murder committed during the perpetration of an attempted aggravated robbery, for which he received a life sentence. He subsequently filed a petition for post-conviction relief, which the post-conviction court denied after a hearing. On appeal, Petitioner contends that the post-conviction court erred when it denied relief on his claims of ineffective assistance of trial and appellate counsel. Following a thorough review, we affirm. |
Shelby | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
Jerrico Lamont Hawthorne v. State of Tennessee
Petitioner, Jerrico Lamont Hawthorne, appeals from the denial of his petition for postconviction |
Hamilton | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
Lavonte Douglas v. State of Tennessee
In 2020, a Hardeman County jury convicted the Petitioner, Lavonte Douglas, of first degree felony murder and attempted aggravated robbery, and the trial court sentenced him to an effective sentence of life. The Petitioner appealed, and this court affirmed his conviction and sentence. State v. Douglas, No. W2020-01012-CCA-R3-CD, 2021 WL 4480904, at *1 (Tenn. Crim. App. Sept. 30, 2020), perm. app. denied (Tenn. Feb. 28, 2023). The Petitioner filed a timely petition for post-conviction relief, amended by counsel, alleging that he received the ineffective assistance of counsel because his trial counsel failed to: object to hearsay statements; request in writing a curative jury instruction; and give a closing argument. He further contended that the cumulative effect of these errors entitled him to post-conviction relief. The post-conviction court denied his petition after a hearing. After review, we affirm the post-conviction court’s judgment. |
Hardeman | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. WIlliam Dejesus Fernandez
Defendant, William Dejesus Fernandez, was convicted by a Warren County jury of attempted first degree murder where the victim suffered serious bodily injury, employment of a firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony, and two counts of aggravated assault. He received an effective sentence of twenty-seven years’ incarceration. Defendant appeals, arguing that the evidence was insufficient to support his convictions. Upon review of the entire record, the briefs of the parties, and the applicable law, we affirm the judgments of the trial court but remand for entry of a corrected judgment for count two consistent with this opinion. |
Warren | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Jeffrey W. Dean
The Defendant, Jeffrey W. Dean, was convicted in the Robertson County Circuit Court of aggravated burglary and possession of a firearm after having been convicted of a prior violent felony and received an effective sentence of twenty years in confinement. On appeal, he claims that the evidence is insufficient to support his convictions and that his effective sentence is excessive. Based upon the oral arguments, the record, and the parties’ briefs, we affirm the judgments of the trial court. |
Robertson | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
Kelly Frye v. State of Tennessee
The Petitioner, through counsel, seeks an extraordinary appeal pursuant to Tennessee Rule of Appellate Procedure 10 from (1) the post-conviction court’s preliminary order entered on April 21, 2025; (2) the order denying a motion to strike or vacate that order entered on May 13, 2025; and (3) the order denying an interlocutory appeal entered on August 1, 2025. 1 The Petitioner argues that the post-conviction court’s dismissal of her ineffective assistance of counsel claim as being previously determined, and its subsequent denials of requests for rehearing and review, “so far departed from the accepted and usual course of judicial proceedings as to require immediate review.” Tenn. R. App. P. 10(a). The Petitioner also requests a stay of the post-conviction proceedings. Upon review of the application and its supporting documents, we conclude that the Petitioner has not demonstrated grounds for extraordinary relief under Rule 10. Accordingly, a response from the State is not required, and the application is DENIED. Tenn. R. App. P. 10(d). |
Sullivan | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Craig Rickard
Six years after his convictions for rape of a child and aggravated sexual battery, the Petitioner, Craig Rickard, filed a petition for a writ of certiorari in the trial court. In that petition, he asserted that the two convictions should have merged under principles of double jeopardy. The trial court summarily denied relief, and the Petitioner appealed. Upon review, we conclude that the Petitioner does not have an appeal as of right from the trial court’s denial of the petition. Accordingly, we respectfully dismiss the appeal. |
Cheatham | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Jeremiah Nance
The defendant, Jeremiah Nance, was convicted by a Dyer County Circuit Court jury of evading arrest in a motor vehicle with risk of death or injury for which he was sentenced to three years’ incarceration. On appeal, the defendant argues that: (1) the trial court erred in allowing testimony that the police were responding to a domestic call; (2) the trial court erred in not allowing the victim to assert her Fifth Amendment right not to testify; and (3) the trial court committed plain error in allowing the prosecutor to misstate the evidence during closing argument. After review, we affirm the judgment of the trial court. |
Dyer | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Kelly Ray Turnbow
The Defendant, Kelly Ray Turnbow, appeals from the Carroll County Circuit Court’s probation revocation of his three-year sentence. The Defendant contends that the trial court erred by (1) finding he violated the terms of his probation based on conduct not alleged in the probation violation warrant and (2) failing to articulate its reasoning to support the full revocation of his probation. We reverse the judgment of the trial court and remand this case for additional findings consistent with this opinion. |
Carroll | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
Christopher O. Curry, Jr. v. State of Tennessee
The Petitioner, Christopher O. Curry, Jr., pleaded guilty to possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, and the trial court sentenced him to twelve years in the Tennessee Department of Correction. More than a year after his judgment became final, the Petitioner filed a pro se post-conviction petition, alleging he had received the ineffective assistance of counsel. After a hearing, the post-conviction court dismissed the petition as untimely. On appeal, the Petitioner asserts that due process requires tolling of the statute of limitations. After review, we affirm the post-conviction court’s dismissal of the petition. |
Madison | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Desmond Johnson
The Defendant, Desmond Johnson, pled guilty in the Shelby County Criminal Court to aggravated assault, a Class C felony, in exchange for an agreed sentence of four years as a Range I offender, with the manner of service to be determined by the trial court. At the conclusion of the sentencing hearing, the trial court sentenced the Defendant to supervised probation. On appeal, the Defendant contends that the trial court erred by denying his request for judicial diversion. Because the Defendant failed to file a Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (“TBI”) certificate of eligibility for judicial diversion with the trial court, we conclude that the trial court was precluded from considering the Defendant’s request for judicial diversion. Accordingly, we affirm the judgment of the trial court. |
Shelby | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of TEnnessee v. Robert Joseph Atkins
A Knox County jury convicted the Defendant, Robert Joseph Atkins, of delivery of a |
Court of Criminal Appeals | ||
State of Tennessee v. Craig Kitt
The Defendant, Craig Kitt, has filed a motion seeking review of the trial court’s
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Williamson | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Joshua Terelle Gaines
The Defendant, Joshua Terelle Gaines, was convicted in the Davidson County Criminal Court of first degree felony murder, second degree murder, especially aggravated robbery, and being a felon in possession of a firearm after having been convicted of a felony drug offense and received an effective sentence of life plus five years in confinement. On appeal, the Defendant claims that the trial court erred by redacting his psychological expert’s report and by limiting the expert’s testimony. Based upon our review, we affirm the judgments of the trial court. |
Davidson | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Christian Workman
The Defendant, Christian Workman, appeals from the revocation of his probation, arguing the trial court improperly revoked his probation based upon his failure to pay court costs and supervision fees. The State concedes error, and after review, we agree. Accordingly, we reverse the judgment of the trial court and dismiss the revocation warrant. |
Carroll | Court of Criminal Appeals |
