State of Tennessee v. Darrell Presnell
E2000-02544-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Gary R Wade
Trial Court Judge: Judge Ben W. Hooper, II

The defendant, Darrell Presnell, who was indicted for especially aggravated robbery, was convicted of the lesser included offense of aggravated robbery. The trial court imposed a sentence of ten years. In this appeal of right, the defendant contends that (1) there was a fatal variance between the presentment and the proof at trial; (2) the trial court erred by instructing the jury on aggravated robbery as a lesser included offense; and (3) the trial court erred by not instructing the jury on the lesser included offense of robbery. Because the trial court failed to instruct on the lesser offense of robbery, the judgment must be reversed and the case must be remanded for a new trial.

Kevin Taylor v. State of Tennessee
M2000-01414-CCA-R3-PC
Authoring Judge: Judge Jerry L. Smith
Trial Court Judge: Judge Seth W. Norman

A jury found the petitioner guilty of felony murder and attempted especially aggravated robbery. For these offenses he received sentences of life and ten years respectively, which were set to run concurrently. The petitioner unsuccessfully pursued a direct appeal. See State v. Kevin Taylor, No. 01C01-9707-CR-00263, 1998 WL 849324 at *1 (Tenn. Crim. App. at Nashville, Dec. 9, 1998). Following his unsuccessful direct appeal, the petitioner then filed for post-conviction relief. He was subsequently appointed counsel, and this attorney filed a "Supplemental Petition for Post-Conviction Relief" alleging ineffective assistance of counsel and the deprivation of the petitioner's right to due process. Following an evidentiary hearing on these matters, the trial court found that the petition did not merit relief. The petitioner now appeals this denial maintaining that his trial counsel provided ineffective assistance by failing to subpoena and introduce alleged telephone records; to interview and/or call certain potential witnesses; and to properly investigate and cross-examine two State witnesses. After reviewing the record and applicable case law, we find that these claims lack merit and, therefore, affirm the trial court's judgment.

Parks Properties, et al vs. Maury County, et al
M1997-00235-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge William C. Koch, Jr.
Trial Court Judge: William B. Cain
Parks Properties and Columbia Warehouses, Inc. have filed a petition pursuant to Tenn. R. App. P. 39 requesting a rehearing of this court's August, 17, 2001 opinion. We requested and have now received an answer to this petition on behalf of Maury County and Judy Langsdon. Parks Properties and Columbia Warehouses insist that our conclusion that they lacked a protectable property interest in constructing the two warehouses without installing the automatic required sprinkler systems is based on our "misunderstanding that the warehouses would have contained tobacco or other combustible products." They assert that "there was never any evidence before the trial court that the warehouses would be used to store tobacco or other combustible products." This argument misses the point. The lynchpin of our opinion is that the record contains no evidence (1) that the Parks family ever told any county official that tobacco and other combustible materials would not be stored in these warehouses and (2) that the Parks family never sought a waiver of the automatic sprinkler requirements under Section 402.4.1 exception

Joe Jones v. Mary McMurray, et al
M2000-01959-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge David Michael Swiney
Trial Court Judge: Russell Heldman
In this malicious prosecution action, Joe T. Jones ("Plaintiff") appeals the Trial Court's grant of summary judgment to the defendants after concluding there was no genuine issue of material fact supporting Plaintiff's allegation of fraud surrounding entry of a judgment against Plaintiff in the underlying lawsuit. We affirm the judgment of the Trial Court.

State of Tennessee v. Mila Love
W1999-01957-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge John Everett Williams
Trial Court Judge: Judge Jon Kerry Blackwood

The defendant appeals her convictions for first degree felony murder and alleges four errors for our review: (1) insufficient evidence; (2) failing to take judicial notice of the definition of the word "gank;" (3) failing to determine the order of the verdicts; and (4) failing to instruct on the lesser-included offenses of felony murder. After review, we hold that sufficient evidence exists to support the defendant's convictions for first degree felony murder and that the trial court did not err in declining to take judicial notice of the definition of the word "gank." We further hold that the trial court did not err in failing to determine the order of the verdicts and there was no implied acquittal of the felony murder convictions. Finally, we hold, pursuant to the recent Tennessee Supreme Court opinion of State v. Ely, ___ S.W.3d ___ (Tenn. 2001), that the offense of first degree felony murder does have lesser-included offenses of second degree murder, reckless homicide, criminally negligent homicide, and facilitation of felony murder. Therefore, because the trial court failed to instruct on the lesser-included offense of facilitation of felony murder, we reverse the defendant's convictions and remand for a new trial.

State of Tennessee v. James L. Breeden
E2000-02794-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Joseph M. Tipton
Trial Court Judge: Judge D. Kelly Thomas, Jr.

The defendant, James L. Breeden, appeals from the one-year sentence to confinement imposed by the trial court for his driving a car in violation of an order under the Habitual Motor Vehicle Offender (HMVO) Act that barred him from driving. He contends that the trial court erred by not imposing a sentence of split confinement with inpatient substance abuse evaluation and treatment. We affirm the trial court.

State of Tennessee v. Steve Hilliard
E2000-02819-CCA-R9-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Robert W. Wedemeyer
Trial Court Judge: Judge Douglas A. Meyer

The defendant was indicted for one count of extortion and one count of theft of property over $1000, both Class D felonies. The defendant requested pretrial diversion, which the prosecutor denied. The defendant then filed a writ of certiorari to the trial court alleging an abuse of prosecutorial discretion. The trial court affirmed the prosecutor's decision. The defendant now appeals, arguing that the trial court erred in ruling that the prosecutor did not abuse his discretion in denying pretrial diversion. Finding no error, we affirm the judgment of the trial court.

State of Tennessee v. Galen Dean Eidson
M2000-02390-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge David G. Hayes
Trial Court Judge: Judge Jane W. Wheatcraft

The appellant, Galen Dean Eidson, was indicted by a Sumner County Grand Jury for second degree murder. Pursuant to the terms of a plea agreement, Eidson pled guilty to the reduced offense of reckless homicide. Following a sentencing hearing, the trial court sentenced Eidson to four years confinement in the Department of Correction. On appeal, Eidson raises the following sentencing issues for our review: (1) Whether the length of the sentence imposed by the trial court was excessive; and (2) whether the trial court erred in sentencing him to total confinement in the Department of Correction. Upon de novo review, we find that a total confinement sentence of four years is justified in this case. Accordingly, the judgment of the Sumner County Criminal Court is affirmed.

Jonathan Davis v. State of Tennessee
M2000-01158-CCA-R3-PC
Authoring Judge: Judge Norma McGee Ogle
Trial Court Judge: Judge Robert L. Jones

The petitioner, Jonathan Davis, was convicted in the Maury County Circuit Court of two counts of felony murder and one count of attempted aggravated robbery. He received consecutive sentences of life imprisonment for the felony murder convictions and three years imprisonment for the attempted aggravated robbery conviction. On direct appeal, this court affirmed the petitioner's convictions and sentences. See William Edward Watkins, No. 01C01-9701-CC-00004, 1997 WL 766462 (Tenn. Crim. App. at Nashville, December 12, 1997), perm.to appeal denied, (Tenn. 1998). Subsequently, the petitioner filed a petition for post-conviction relief alleging the ineffective assistance of both trial and appellate counsel. On appeal, the petitioner contests the post-conviction court's denial of his petition for relief. Upon review of the record and the parties' briefs, we affirm the judgment of the post-conviction court.

State of Tennessee v. Edwin Milton Socall
M1999-02727-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge David G. Hayes
Trial Court Judge: Judge Robert W. Wedemeyer

The appellant, Edwin Milton Socall, was indicted by a Montgomery County Grand Jury for driving under the influence (DUI), reckless driving, violation of the implied consent law, and driving on a revoked license (DORL). Following a bench trial, Socall was found guilty of first offense DUI and second offense DORL. He was sentenced to eleven months, twenty-nine days, with all but thirty days suspended, for DUI, and eleven months, twenty-nine days, all suspended, for DORL, second offense. At the bench trial, Socall was represented by retained counsel; however, no court reporter was employed to transcribe the proceedings.

Following his conviction, Socall requested that he be found indigent for purposes of appeal and requested appointed appellate counsel. The trial court granted his request and appointed the public defender's office. Because the proceedings below were not transcribed, a statement of evidence pursuant to Tenn. R. App. P. 24(c) was prepared. On appeal, three issues are presented for our review: (1) Whether "the failure to preserve evidence through the use of a court reporter or tape recording" deprived Socall of an effective appeal; (2) whether the evidence was sufficient to support the convictions of first offense DUI and second offense DORL; and (3) whether the trial court erred by ordering Socall to serve thirty days in confinement. After review, we find issue (1) is without merit and issue (3) is waived. Moreover, we hold the evidence is sufficient to support Socall's convictions for DUI and DORL, second offense. Accordingly, the judgment is affirmed.

State of Tennessee v. Anthony Carpenter
W2000-01229-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Robert W. Wedemeyer
Trial Court Judge: Judge Chris B. Craft

The defendant, Anthony Carpenter, was convicted by a jury of second degree murder. In this appeal as of right, he asserts that the evidence was insufficient to support his conviction and that the trial court erred by sentencing him to twenty-three years incarceration. We find no error; thus, we affirm the judgment of the trial court.

Michael Shane Hyder v. Allen Bargery, Warden
W2000-01533-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Special Judge Cornelia A. Clark
Trial Court Judge: Judge Jon Kerry Blackwood

The state has appealed from the judgment of the Circuit Court of Hardeman County granting the petitioner habeas corpus relief and finding that his two consecutive three-year sentences had expired. The state asserts that the sentences have not expired and that the petitioner is not entitled to be released from prison. Because the state has not filed an adequate record, we affirm the judgment of the trial court.

State of Tennessee v. Richard Wools
W2000-01979-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Joe G. Riley
Trial Court Judge: Judge Mark Agee

Defendant appeals his conviction at a bench trial for the offense of cruelty to animals. The trial court sentenced him to eleven months and twenty-nine days with all but ten days suspended. He raises the following issues for our review: (1) whether the evidence was sufficient to support the conviction; (2) whether the trial court erroneously admitted evidence outside the facts alleged in the charging instrument; (3) whether the trial court erroneously allowed three witnesses to give opinion testimony; and (4) whether the trial court erred in failing to suspend the entire sentence. We affirm the judgment of the trial court.

State of Tennessee v. Jacqueline Hurt
W2000-02193-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Special Judge Cornelia A. Clark
Trial Court Judge: Judge W. Otis Higgs, Jr.

Pursuant to a plea agreement, the appellant, Jacqueline Hurt, entered open guilty pleas to two counts of attempted first degree murder, one count of especially aggravated robbery, and one count of especially aggravated kidnaping, all Class A felonies. She received an effective sentence of seventy-five years. The appellant contends that the trial court imposed an excessive sentence because it erred in applying one enhancement factor and because it imposed consecutive sentences. We affirm the judgment of the trial court.

State of Tennessee v. Timothy Tillery
E2000-01996-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Robert W. Wedemeyer
Trial Court Judge: Judge D. Kelly Thomas, Jr.

The Defendant, Timothy Tillery, appeals as of right from the revocation of his probation. On appeal, he argues (1) that the trial court erred by refusing to dismiss the probation revocation proceeding because his right to a speedy trial was violated and (2) that the trial court erred by revoking his probation. We find no error; thus, we affirm the judgment of the trial court.

State of Tennessee v. Timothy Tillery - Concurring
E2000-01996-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Joseph M. Tipton
Trial Court Judge: Judge D. Kelly Thomas, Jr.

I concur in the results reached in the majority opinion, but I disagree with its view of when the defendant’s speedy trial right began and with its view of the due process analysis, which indicates that the burden of proving the state’s improper intent is on the defendant. On the other hand, I do not believe that the record justifies our awarding the defendant the relief he seeks.

Joe Grant vs. Service Transport
W2000-02688-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Alan E. Highers
Trial Court Judge: Rita L. Stotts
This appeal arises from a negligence claim filed by the appellee against the appellant in the Circuit Court of Shelby County. The appellant filed a motion for summary judgment or, in the alternative, to dismiss for failure to state a claim. The trial court denied the appellant's motion. The appellant filed a motion for permission to file an interlocutory appeal. The appellee filed an order of voluntary dismissal before the appellant's motion for permission to file an interlocutory appeal could be heard. The appellant appeals, arguing that the order of voluntary dismissal deprived it of the right to seek appellate review of the trial court's denial of its motion for summary judgment or, in the alternative, to dismiss for failure to state a claim. For the reasons stated herein, we affirm the trial court's decision.

Randy Dale Story v. Chastity Dawn (Batts) Shelton
01-95-004-M
Trial Court Judge: A. Andrew Jackson

State of Tennessee v. Doyle W. Pugh
E2000-02488-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Robert W. Wedemeyer
Trial Court Judge: Judge Lillie Ann Sells

Pursuant to a plea agreement, the defendant pled guilty to two misdemeanor counts of fraudulent use of a credit card and was placed on judicial diversion. Thereafter, a warrant was filed in which the defendant's probation officer alleged that the defendant failed to report as directed and failed to pay fines and court costs in a timely manner. After a hearing on the warrant, the trial court revoked the defendant's judicial diversion and entered a judgment against the defendant, requiring him to serve eleven months and twenty-nine days on each count, with the sentences to run concurrently. The defendant now appeals, arguing that the trial court abused its discretion by sentencing the defendant to eleven months and twenty-nine days incarceration rather than eleven months and twenty-nine days probation. Finding no error, we affirm the judgment of the trial court.

Henry Witt, et ux vs. Tennessee Farmers Mutual Insurance
E2001-00401-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Herschel P. Franks
Trial Court Judge: Jerri S. Bryant
The trial court refused to grant plaintiffs relief from a judgment pursuant to Tenn. R. Civ. P. 59 or 60. Defendant has appealed. We affirm the trial court.

Clear Fork Mining Company vs. Willie Marlow, et al & Willie Marlow, et al vs. Carl Kinkg, et al
E2000-01196-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge Houston M. Goddard
Trial Court Judge: Billy Joe White
In the case presently on appeal Willie Marlow, et al., seek a court determination that he is the owner of certain real estate located in Campbell County. The trial court, on motion of Jim King, found the parties had reached an agreement as to the controversy in accordance with his insistence. The trial court thereupon entered a judgment in favor of Mr. King. Mr. Marlow appeals contending enforcement of the agreement violates the Statute of Frauds and such a resolution was barred by the six-year Statute of Limitations. We affirm

State of Tennessee v. Shane Wendell Yankee
E2000-01922-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Gary R Wade
Trial Court Judge: Judge James E. Beckner

The defendant, Shane Wendell Yankee, appeals the trial court's summary dismissal of his motion to correct an illegal judgment. The issues presented for review are whether the appeal is permissible under Rule 3 of the Tennessee Rules of Appellate Procedure and, if so, whether the denial of relief was proper. The judgment of the trial court is affirmed.

Kevin Sanders, et al vs. Lincoln County, et al
M2000-01386-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge William B. Cain
Trial Court Judge: Lee Russell
This case questions the defendants' decision to remove Gill Road and Endsley Road from the county road list, thereby exempting landowners on these roads from the stock gap removal policy of the county affecting public roads. Plaintiff claims such action violates constitutional equal protection rights. The jury returned a verdict in favor of the defendants. The plaintiffs assert that the jury's verdict is contrary to the weight of the evidence and that the trial court erred by submitting an incomplete and misleading verdict form to the jury. The trial court approved the jury verdict for the defendant and we affirm.

Raymond G. Prince, P.C. vs. Manfred Polk
M2000-01859-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge William B. Cain
Trial Court Judge: Barbara N. Haynes
This matter originated from a default judgment granted in general sessions court against Appellant/Defendant, Manfred Polk, for payment of attorney's fees. Appellant filed a Rule 60.02 Motion to Vacate the default judgment, which was denied; an appeal to the circuit court, which was dismissed for failure to set; followed by a Motion to Reinstate and Motion to Set, which were denied. Defendant now appeals the denial of the Motion to Reinstate and Motion to Set claiming a violation of due process and abuse of discretion on the part of the circuit court. We affirm the circuit court's dismissal of these motions.

State of Tennessee v. Paul R. Pearcy
W2000-02867-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Cornelia A. Clark
Trial Court Judge: Judge C. Creed McGinley

The defendant pled guilty to the Class E felony offense of possession of three and one-half pounds of marijuana with intent to manufacture, deliver or sell, and to the Class A misdemeanor of possession of unlawful drug paraphernalia. He now appeals his two-year sentence to the Department of Correction. The judgment of the trial court is affirmed.