State of Tennessee v. Chris L. Robinson
The defendant, Chris L. Robinson, pleaded guilty to possession of more than 0.5 grams of cocaine with intent to sell, a Class B felony, in exchange for an eight-year sentence, leaving the trial court to determine whether he would serve the sentence concurrently with or consecutively to his six-year sentence in Davidson County Criminal Court case number 2009-I-508. The trial court ordered that the defendant serve the eight-year sentence consecutively to the six-year sentence. On appeal, the defendant argues that the imposition of consecutive sentences was inconsistent with the purposes and principles of the sentencing statutes. Following our review, we affirm the sentence of the trial court and remand solely for entry of an amended judgment reflecting that the defendant’s sentence in this case is to run consecutively to his sentence in case number 2009-I-508. |
Davidson | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Danny D. Holmes
The Defendant-Appellant, Danny D. Holmes, appeals the revocation of his probation. He pled guilty in the Circuit Court of Rutherford County to robbery and aggravated assault, both Class C felonies. Holmes received an effective sentence of six years in the Tennessee Department of Correction. Pursuant to the plea agreement, he was granted an alternative sentence of six years on probation. Holmes claims on appeal that the trial court abused its discretion by revoking his probation and imposing the original term of confinement. Upon review, we affirm the judgment of the trial court. |
Rutherford | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Jerry W. Alley, Jr.
The defendant, Jerry W. Alley, Jr., entered pleas of guilty in the Hardin County Circuit Court to one count of the initiation of a process intended to result in the manufacture of methamphetamine, see T.C.A. § 39-17-435 (2006); one count of simple possession of methamphetamine, see id. § 39-17-418(a); one count of possession of drug paraphernalia, see id. § 39-17-425(a)(1); and one count of child neglect, see id. § 39-15-401(a). The trial court imposed a total effective sentence of eight years to be served in confinement. On appeal, the defendant challenges the imposition of a fully incarcerative sentence. Finding no error, we affirm. |
Shelby | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Kristopher Smith
Defendant-Appellant Kristopher Smith was convicted by a Shelby County jury of aggravated kidnapping and rape, both Class B felonies. He was sentenced as a Range I, standard offender to an effective ten-year term of imprisonment in the Tennessee Department of Correction. In this appeal, Smith claims the trial court erred by: (1) failing to sustain his Batson challenge to the prosecution’s peremptory strikes of two African American males; (2) finding that “the prosecution’s explanation of its peremptory strike of a white male sufficiently sex neutral”; (3) finding that his prior aggravated robbery conviction was admissible for impeachment purposes; (4) denying his motion for judgment of acquittal and new trial; and (5) imposing an excessive sentence. Following our review, we affirm the judgments of the trial court. |
Shelby | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
James Daniels v. State of Tennessee
Petitioner, James Daniels, was convicted by a Cocke County jury of first degree murder and attempted second degree murder. He was sentenced to concurrent sentences of life in prison and twelve years, respectively. Petitioner’s convictions were affirmed on direct appeal and the supreme court denied permission to appeal. State v. James Wesley Daniels, No. E2006-01119-CCA-R3-CS, 2007 WL 2757636 (Tenn. Crim. App., at Knoxville, Sept. 24, 2007), perm. app. denied, (Tenn. Feb. 4, 2008). Subsequently, Petitioner sought post-conviction relief on the basis of ineffective assistance of counsel. After a hearing on the petition, the post-conviction court dismissed the petition for relief. Petitioner appeals. After a review, we determine that Petitioner has failed to present clear and convincing evidence that he received ineffective assistance of counsel. Accordingly, the judgment of the post-conviction court is affirmed. |
Cocke | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Anthony Dodson
The defendant, Anthony Dodson, was convicted of attempted first degree murder, a Class A felony, and sentenced to twenty-five years as a Range I, standard offender. The defendant now appeals, claiming insufficient evidence to support his conviction and that the sentence imposed by the trial judge was excessive. After reviewing the record, we find error in neither the defendant’s conviction nor his sentence, and we affirm the judgment of the trial court. |
Shelby | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Larry Alan Whited and William Henry Rutherford
The co-defendants, Larry Alan Whited and William Henry Rutherford, appeal their resentencing, which resulted in their receiving effective sentences of forty-five years and twenty-seven years, respectively. Both defendants argue on appeal that the trial court misapplied enhancement factors, weighed the only applicable enhancement factor too heavily, and failed to apply an appropriate factor in mitigation. Following our review, we conclude that the trial court committed no error by not applying any factors in mitigation but that its use of the defendants’ juvenile adjudications and violations of probation to enhance the sentences violates the principles announced in Blakely v. Washington, 542 U.S. 296 (2004). Accordingly, we modify the defendants’ respective sentences for second degree murder to twenty-one years, one year beyond the presumptive midpoint of twenty years, and their sentences for reckless endangerment to one year and six months, six months beyond the presumptive minimum sentence of one year. In addition, we modify Whited’s aggravated assault sentences to four years, one year beyond the presumptive minimum sentence of three years. This case is, therefore, remanded to the trial court for entry of modified sentences in accordance with this opinion. |
Sumner | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Darryl Dewayne Bonds
The Defendant, Darryl Dewayne Bonds, pleaded guilty to one count of reckless aggravated assault, a Class D felony. See Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-13-102(a)(2). Sentencing was left to the discretion of the trial court. After conducting a sentencing hearing, the trial court sentenced the Defendant as a Range I, standard offender, to four years to be served in the Department of Correction. In this appeal, the Defendant contends that the trial court erred in setting the length of his sentence and by denying alternative sentencing. After our review, we affirm the judgment of the trial court. |
Hamilton | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
Mack Transou v. State of Tennessee
The pro se petitioner, Mack Transou, appeals the trial court’s denial of his petition for writ of certiorari or, in the alternative, petition for writ of error. After reviewing the record, the parties’ briefs, and the applicable law, we affirm the judgment of the trial court. |
Madison | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Leon Booker
A Dyer County Circuit Court jury convicted the defendant, Leon Booker, of two counts of driving while his driver’s license was revoked, second or subsequent offense. See T.C.A. § 55-50-504. The trial court imposed concurrent sentences of 11 months and 29 days, to be served as six months’ incarceration followed by placement in a community corrections program. In this appeal, the defendant challenges the sufficiency of the convicting evidence. Finding no evidentiary insufficiency, we affirm. |
Dyer | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Brooke Lee Whitaker
Defendant, Brooke Lee Whitaker, was indicted for aggravated rape. Pursuant to a negotiated plea agreement, she was allowed to plead guilty to the lesser included offense of rape, with the trial court to determine the length of the sentence after a sentencing hearing. Defendant was sentenced to serve twelve years, and she appeals, arguing that the sentence is excessive. We affirm the judgment of the trial court. |
Bedford | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
Andrew Helton v. State of Tennessee
The petitioner, Andrew Helton, appeals the habeas corpus court’s order summarily dismissing his pro se petition for writ of habeas corpus. Following our review of the record, the parties’ briefs, and applicable law, we affirm the court’s judgment. |
Hickman | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Alvin Phillips
assault by the use or display of a deadly weapon. After a bench trial, Appellant was convicted of the charge. Appellant was later sentenced to four years as a Range I, standard offender. He was ordered to serve the sentence on supervised probation and attend domestic violence counseling. On appeal, he argues that the evidence was insufficient to sustain the conviction. After a review of the record, we determine that the evidence was sufficient to support the conviction. Accordingly, the judgment of the trial court is affirmed. |
Davidson | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Shirley Larhonda Gagne
A Campbell County jury convicted the Defendant, Shirley LaRhonda Gagne, of driving under the influence (“DUI”), third offense; driving on a suspended license, second offense; possession of drug paraphernalia; violation of the seatbelt law; and violation of the open container law. The trial court sentenced the Defendant to eleven months and twenty-nine days, with 130 days to be served in confinement and the remainder to be served on probation. On appeal, the Defendant contends that: (1) the trial court erred when it admitted into evidence testimony pertaining to a blood sample taken from her; and (2) the evidence is insufficient to support her conviction for DUI, third offense. After a thorough review of the record and applicable law, we affirm the trial court’s judgments. |
Campbell | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
Assasdot Starling v. State of Tennessee
The Petitioner, Assadot Starling, pled guilty in the Davidson County Criminal Court to possession of .5 grams or more of cocaine in a drug free zone with the intent to sell or deliver. He received a sentence of eight years in the Tennessee Department of Correction. Thereafter, he filed a petition for post-conviction relief, alleging that his counsel was ineffective and that his pleas were not knowingly and voluntarily entered. The postconviction court denied the petition, and the Petitioner appeals. Upon review, we affirm the judgment of the post-conviction court. |
Davidson | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Carl Lee Bright
The Defendant, Carl Lee Bright, was convicted by a Monroe County Criminal Court jury of driving under the influence (DUI), fourth offense, a Class E felony, and was sentenced as a Range I, standard offender to two years’ confinement. See T.C.A. § 55-10-401 (Supp. 2009) (amended 2010). On appeal, the Defendant contends that the trial court erred by (1) denying his motion to dismiss the case due to insufficient evidence, (2) denying his motion to suppress evidence, (3) denying his motion to dismiss the indictment or remand for a preliminary examination because his Sixth Amendment right to counsel had been violated, and (4) imposing confinement for the maximum allowable sentence. We affirm the judgment of the trial court. |
Monroe | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Jesse Grant Craven, Tommy Davenport & Greg Pope
In this interlocutory appeal, the Appellants, Jesse Grant Craven, Tommy Davenport, and Greg Pope, appeal the Warren County Circuit Court’s order denying them relief from the prosecutor’s denial of each of their respective applications for pretrial diversion. After a thorough review of the record and relevant authorities, we conclude that the trial court properly affirmed the prosecutor’s denial of pretrial diversion. Accordingly, we affirm the judgments of the trial court. |
Warren | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
Charles Wade McGaha v. State of Tennessee
A Cocke County jury convicted the Petitioner, Charles Wade McGaha, of first degree murder and aggravated assault. The Petitioner filed a petition for post-conviction relief, which appointed counsel amended to allege the petitioner received the ineffective assistance of counsel. After a hearing, the post-conviction court denied relief, and the Petitioner now appeals. After a thorough review of the record and applicable law, we affirm the judgment of the post-conviction court. |
Cocke | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Lawrence E. Ralph
A Warren County Circuit Court jury convicted the defendant, Lawrence E. Ralph, of violation of the seatbelt law, see T.C.A. § 55-9-603, and operating a vehicle in violation of restrictive condition #01 (driving without corrective lenses), see id. § 55-50-331. The trial court imposed concurrent sentences of 30 days and 11 months and 29 days, respectively, suspended to intensive probation following the service of 120 days in jail. Additionally, the trial court imposed fines totaling $1,010 and ordered the defendant to perform 40 hours of community service as a condition of his probation. The defendant appeals pro se, making various arguments concerning the propriety of his trial in circuit court and the trial court’s sentencing. Because the defendant filed his notice of appeal prior to his motion for new trial and failed to prepare an adequate record on appeal, we determine that his issues are waived and affirm the judgments of the trial court. |
Warren | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Darius Jones
The defendant, Darius Jones, was convicted of one count of first degree felony murder, four counts of aggravated robbery, three counts of attempted especially aggravated robbery, two counts of attempted aggravated robbery, and one count of aggravated burglary. He was sentenced to consecutive sentences of life with the possibility of parole for the felony murder conviction, ten years for each of the aggravated robbery and attempted especially aggravated robbery convictions, and four years for each of the attempted aggravated robbery and the aggravated burglary convictions, for an effective sentence of life plus eighty-one years. On direct appeal, this court affirmed all of the defendant’s convictions and his life sentence for the felony murder conviction but remanded for resentencing on the remaining convictions in light of Blakely v. Washington, 542 U.S. 296 (2004). This court also ordered that the trial court revisit the issue of consecutive sentencing and place its specific findings on the record. After being resentenced to life plus fifty-four years, the defendant appealed again, arguing that the trial court erred in imposing consecutive sentences. On direct appeal of the resentencing, this court observed that the trial court failed to place its findings regarding consecutive sentencing in the record, and we remanded the matter a second time. After conducting a sentencing hearing on remand, the trial court again imposed consecutive sentences, which the defendant challenges on appeal. After review, we affirm the judgment of the trial court ordering consecutive sentencing in this case. |
Shelby | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Kenneth Dunlap
The defendant entered pleas of guilty in the Madison County Circuit Court to five counts of aggravated burglary, see T.C.A. § 39-14-403(a) (2006); two counts of theft of property valued at $1,000 or more but less than $10,000, see id. § 39-14-103, -105(3); three counts of theft of property valued at more than $500 but less than $1,000, see id. § 39-14-103, -105(2); one count of vandalism of property valued at more than $500 but less than $10,000, see id. § 39-14-408(a); one count of vandalism of property valued at $500 or less, see id. § 39-14-408, -105(2); and tampering with evidence, see id. § 39-16-503(a)(1). The trial court imposed a total effective entence of 15 years to be served in the Department of Correction. In this appeal, the defendant contends that the trial court erred by ordering consecutive sentencing. Discerning no error, we affirm. |
Madison | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Cauley McCliton Cross
The Defendant-Appellant, Cauley Cross, was convicted by a Marshall County jury of two counts of aggravated sexual battery, a Class B felony, and three counts of exhibition of obscene materials to a minor, a Class A misdemeanor. He was sentenced as a child predator to concurrent terms of ten years for both aggravated sexual battery convictions. For the misdemeanor offenses, Cross was sentenced to eleven months and twenty-nine days in the county jail, to be served concurrently, for an effective sentence of ten years. On appeal, he claims: (1) his convictions were not supported by sufficient evidence; (2) his sentences for aggravated sexual battery were excessive; and (3) his convictions for aggravated sexual battery should be merged. Upon review, we affirm the judgments of the trial court. |
Marshall | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Emanuel Hamilton
The Defendant, Emanuel Hamilton, appeals the Davidson County Criminal Court’s order revoking his probation for possession with the intent to deliver one-half gram or more of cocaine, a Class B felony, and sale of less than one-half gram of cocaine, a Class C felony, and ordering the remainder of his effective eleven-year sentence to be served in confinement. He contends that he should have been returned to probation. We affirm the judgment of the trial court. |
Davidson | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Darrell Anthony Jones
Appellant, Darrell Anthony Jones, was charged in two separate indictments by the Davidson County Grand Jury for one count of possession of cocaine with intent to sell or deliver, two counts of possession of marijuana with intent to sell or deliver, one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, one count of criminal impersonation, and one count of driving on a suspended, revoked, or canceled driver’s license. Appellant pled guilty to one count of felony possession of cocaine and one count of felony possession of marijuana, for a total effective sentence of four years. The remaining counts were dismissed. Pursuant to the plea agreement, the sentences were suspended, and Appellant was placed on four years of supervised probation. A probation violation warrant was filed. After a hearing, the trial court determined that Appellant had violated the terms of his probation and imposed a sentence of one year to serve, after which Appellant was to be reinstated to probation for three years. Appellant contends on appeal that the evidence did not support the finding that he violated the terms of his probation. After a thorough review of the record, we conclude that the trial court properly revoked Appellant’s probation. Accordingly, the judgment of the trial court is affirmed. |
Davidson | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Jeremy Michael Holmes
The Defendant, Jeremy Michael Holmes, pled guilty as a career offender 1 to voluntary manslaughter, a Class C felony, with an agreed sentence of 6 years at 60 percent, leaving the manner of service to the discretion of the trial court. Following a sentencing hearing, the trial court denied alternative sentencing and ordered the Defendant to serve his sentence in confinement. In this appeal as of right, the Defendant contends that the trial court erred in denying all forms of alternative sentencing. Following our review, we affirm the judgment of the trial court. |
Davidson | Court of Criminal Appeals |
