Security Fire Protection v. Joe B. Huddleston
W2002-01175-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Alan E. Highers
Trial Court Judge: Walter L. Evans
Security Fire Protection Company challenged the Commissioner of Revenue's assessment of sales and use taxes arising from an audit of Security Fire's transactions with out-of-state customers from January 1, 1990, through March 31, 1993. The Shelby County Chancery Court granted the Commissioner's motion for summary judgment, holding 1) material purchased in Tennessee under a certificate of resale were not resold for purposes of the sales tax exemption; 2) material purchased by Security Fire out of Tennessee, stored and partially fabricated in Tennessee, and utilized by Security Fire in performance of contracts out of Tennessee was subject to Tennessee use tax; and 3) no credit was due for taxes paid out-of-state. We affirm the judgment of the trial court.

W2002-02092-COA-R3-CV
W2002-02092-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge W. Frank Crawford
Trial Court Judge: George R. Ellis

Marie B. Jennings v. Sewell-Allen, Inc., D/B/A Megamarket,
W2002-01663-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Alan E. Highers
Trial Court Judge: George H. Brown

W2003-00361-COA-R3-CV
W2003-00361-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge W. Frank Crawford
Trial Court Judge: Jon Kerry Blackwood

CH-01-1306-3
CH-01-1306-3
Trial Court Judge: D. J. Alissandratos

CH-01-2271-2
CH-01-2271-2
Trial Court Judge: Floyd Peete, Jr.

Condy Wilson vs. Charlsa Wilson
E2002-01636-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Herschel P. Franks
Trial Court Judge: Conrad E. Troutman, Jr.
In this divorce case, the husband's issues on appeal are the distribution of marital property and the allocation of marital assets and debts made by the Trial Court. We affirm.

State of Tennessee v. Casey C. Boylan
E2002-01848-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Robert W. Wedemeyer
Trial Court Judge: Judge Lillie Ann Sells

A Cumberland County jury convicted the Defendant for possession of a handgun while under the influence, a Class A misdemeanor. On appeal, the Defendant challenges the sufficiency of the convicting evidence. Because we conclude that the evidence is sufficient, we affirm the judgment of the trial court.

State of Tennessee v. Robert F. Smythers
E2001-02806-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Robert W. Wedemeyer
Trial Court Judge: Judge R. Steven Bebb

The Defendant was indicted for first degree premeditated murder and a Monroe County jury convicted him of the lesser-included offense of second degree murder. The trial court sentenced him to twenty years' incarceration. In this appeal as of right, the Defendant argues (1) that he was denied his right to a speedy trial; (2) that the trial court erred by refusing to allow the defense to question police officers about the victim's reputation for violence; (3) that the trial court erred by excluding from evidence an audiotape of a pretrial statement by witness Casey Miller; and (4) that the trial court erred in instructing the jury regarding first degree murder and second degree murder. After a careful review of the jury instructions in this case, which fail to define "knowingly," we reverse the judgment of the trial court and remand for a new trial.

Randall Carver v. State of Tennessee
M2002-02891-CCA-R3-CO
Authoring Judge: Judge Alan E. Glenn
Trial Court Judge: Judge Jane W. Wheatcraft
On February 9, 2002, the petitioner pled guilty to aggravated assault and attempted especially aggravated kidnapping and was sentenced, respectively, to concurrent six- and eight-year sentences.  On October 22, 2002, he filed a pro se “Petition for Writ of Error Coram Nobis and/or Writ of Habeas Corpus,” seeking relief because of newly discovered evidence that, at the time of his pleas of guilty, the victim “was under numerous felony charges,” which “information was flagrantly kept from the defense,” and because he pled guilty to aggravated assault which is not a lesser-included offense of attempt to commit first degree murder, for which he was indicted. Additionally, he argues on appeal that the post-conviction court erred in dismissing his petition without appointing counsel or conducting an evidentiary hearing. Following our review, we affirm the post-conviction court’s dismissal of the petition.

State of Tennessee v. Douglas R. Beecham
M2002-01859-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Norma McGee Ogle
Trial Court Judge: Judge Robert E. Burch

After pleading guilty in the Cheatham County Circuit Court to felony possession of a firearm, the appellant, Douglas R. Beecham, was placed on probation. Immediately after the institution of probation, the appellant submitted a falsified urine sample to his probation officer to use in a drug screen. Based upon the falsified sample, the trial court revoked the appellant's probation and ordered the appellant to serve a portion of his sentence in confinement and the balance on probation. On appeal, the appellant complains that the trial court erred in revoking his probation. Upon review of the record and the parties' briefs, we affirm the judgment of the trial court.

State of Tennessee v. Wesley D. Whittington
II-202-066-A
Authoring Judge: Judge Thomas T. Woodall
Trial Court Judge: Judge Timothy L. Easter

Defendant, Wesley D. Whittington, entered guilty pleas to the charges of possession of marijuana with the intent to sell or deliver, a Class E felony, and possession of drug paraphernalia, a Class A misdemeanor. Defendant and the State agreed to sentences of one year for the felony conviction and eleven months and twenty-nine days for the misdemeanor conviction, to be served concurrently. The negotiated plea agreement further stated that the trial court would determine the manner in which Defendant would serve his sentences. Following a sentencing hearing, the trial court ordered Defendant’s sentences to be served in confinement. Defendant appeals the trial court’s refusal to order alternative sentencing. After a careful review of the record, we affirm the judgments of the trial court.

Jerry Ray, Executor of The Estate of James Earl Ray v. State Of
W2002-01611-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Alan E. Highers
Trial Court Judge: Kay S. Robilio

Allen Oliver v. State of Tennessee
W2002-02085-CCA-R3-PC
Authoring Judge: Judge Joe G. Riley
Trial Court Judge: Judge Arthur T. Bennett

The petitioner, Allen Oliver, appeals the post-conviction court’s dismissal of his pro se petition for post-conviction relief as barred by the one-year statute of limitations. The petitioner pled guilty to various offenses pursuant to a plea agreement on July 2, 2001, and his petition for post-conviction relief was stamped filed in the clerk’s office on July 3, 2002. Because the judgment of conviction did not become final until thirty days after its entry, the petition for post-conviction relief was timely filed. Thus, we reverse and remand to the post-conviction court for further proceedings.

State of Tennessee v. Anthony Humphrey
W2002-00195-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Alan E. Glenn
Trial Court Judge: Judge Arthur T. Bennett

The defendant was convicted of voluntary manslaughter, attempted voluntary manslaughter, attempted aggravated robbery, and attempted especially aggravated robbery. He was sentenced to six years for the voluntary manslaughter conviction, four years for the attempted voluntary manslaughter conviction, six years for the attempted aggravated robbery conviction, and twelve years for the attempted especially aggravated robbery conviction. The attempted voluntary manslaughter conviction was ordered concurrent with the other three convictions which were ordered consecutive to one another, for an effective sentence of twenty-four years. On appeal, the defendant raises three issues for our review: (1) whether the evidence was sufficient to support his convictions; (2) whether the trial court committed plain error by allowing testimony concerning his gang affiliations; and (3) whether the trial court appropriately sentenced the defendant. Following our review, we affirm the judgments of the trial court.

State of Tennessee v. Robert Frost
W2001-00818-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Jerry L. Smith
Trial Court Judge: Judge Joseph H. Walker, III

A Tipton County jury convicted the defendant, Robert Frost, of bribery of a public servant. The trial court subsequently ordered the defendant to serve three years as a standard offender in community based alternative sentencing. The defendant now brings this direct appeal of his conviction, challenging (1) the trial court's decision to admit certain exhibits over his objection; (2) a certain portion of the trial court's instruction to the jury regarding his indicted offense; and (3) the sufficiency of the evidence to support his conviction. After a thorough review of the record, we find that none of the defendant's allegations merit relief and accordingly affirm the judgment of the trial court.

State of Tennessee v. Montrell Clements
W2002-01139-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Alan E. Glenn
Trial Court Judge: Judge John P. Colton, Jr.

The defendant, Montrell Clements, was convicted of aggravated rape and aggravated assault and sentenced to twenty-two years and six years, respectively, to be served concurrently. The defendant timely appealed, arguing that the evidence was insufficient to support his convictions. Following our review, we affirm the judgments of the trial court but remand for entry of a corrected judgment in No. 00-14457 to reflect the defendant's conviction offense, which was omitted from the judgment form.

State of Tennessee v. Chauncey Daugherty
W2002-01141-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Joe G. Riley
Trial Court Judge: Judge W. Fred Axley

A Shelby County jury convicted the defendant, Chauncey Daugherty, of driving under the influence, second offense. The trial court sentenced him to eleven months and twenty-nine days and ordered 180 days be served in the county workhouse followed by probation. On appeal, the defendant maintains the evidence was insufficient to support the conviction. We affirm the judgment of the trial court.

W2002-02767-COA-R3-CV
W2002-02767-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge Holly M. Kirby
Trial Court Judge: Dewey C. Whitenton

State of Tennessee v. Stephen Daniel Grande, Sr.
W2001-00998-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Jerry L. Smith
Trial Court Judge: Judge Julian P. Guinn

The appellant, Stephen Daniel Grande, Sr., was convicted by a jury of the unlawful manufacturing of methamphetamine and of introducing contraband into a penal institution. He received two concurrent three year sentences to be served on community corrections following service of a year of incarceration. In this appeal the appellant raises seven issues including whether the evidence is sufficient to support the verdict. However, in his brief the appellant cites no relevant authority to support his arguments. Indeed, the brief of the appellant is little more than a written diatribe describing alleged unlawful activities on the part of the authorities in Henry County, Tennessee, and characterizing those alleged activities as unconstitutional. Under these circumstances we find that the appellant has waived review of the issues on appeal. Nevertheless, we have in the interests of justice, reviewed the primary issue of the sufficiency of the evidence. We hold that the evidence is more than sufficient to support the verdict of the jury. Accordingly, the judgments of the trial court are affirmed.

W2002-03045-COA-R3-JV
W2002-03045-COA-R3-JV
Authoring Judge: Judge Houston M. Goddard
Trial Court Judge: Christy R. Little

State of Tennessee v. Mary Lee Dillihunt
W2002-00843-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Alan E. Glenn
Trial Court Judge: Judge C. Creed Mcginley

The defendant was convicted of delivery of less than .5 grams of cocaine, a Class C felony, and sentenced to eight years as a Range II, multiple offender, to be served consecutively to a sentence for a prior conviction. In a timely appeal to this court, she raises the sole issue of whether the evidence was sufficient to support her conviction. Following our review, we affirm the judgment of the trial court.

State of Tennessee v. Howard Jefferson Atkins
W2001-02427-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Jerry L. Smith
Trial Court Judge: Judge Joseph H. Walker, III

Following a transfer of this case from juvenile court to circuit court for trial, a Tipton County jury convicted the defendant, sixteen-year old Howard Jefferson Atkins, of first-degree premeditated murder. The trial court subsequently ordered the defendant to serve a life sentence with the possibility of parole. The defendant now brings this direct appeal of his conviction, challenging: (1) whether the trial court properly denied his motion to suppress his pre-trial statements to police; (2) whether the state's peremptory strike of four female jurors violated Batson v. Kentucky, 476 U.S.79 (1986); (3) whether the state improperly extracted a promise from the jury during voir dire; (4) whether the trial court erred by allowing the victim's son to offer certain testimony regarding the victim's peaceable character; (5) whether the trial court erred by failing to give a curative instruction following the victim's son's testimony; (6) whether the trial court erred by allowing testimony describing the graphic nature of photos that the court ruled were inadmissible because of their overly prejudicial nature; (7) whether the trial court erred by allowing the medical examiner to testify that she had retained certain bones from the victim's body for forensic pathology; and (8) whether the evidence is sufficient to support the defendant's conviction for first degree murder. After reviewing the record and applicable law, we find that none of the defendant's allegations merit relief and accordingly affirm the judgment of the lower court.

State of Tennessee v. Jimmy Wayne Dudley
W2001-01381-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Joseph M. Tipton
Trial Court Judge: Judge Roy B. Morgan, Jr.

A Madison County grand jury indicted the defendant for aggravated assault. Subsequently a trial jury convicted the defendant as charged. By the time of the sentencing hearing, the parties had reached an agreement involving a pending probation revocation matter, a pending assault charge, and the instant conviction. With respect to the probation revocation, the trial court ordered the defendant to serve four years at 30% as a standard offender. On the assault conviction, the court ordered the defendant to serve eleven months and twenty-nine days at 75%. Finally, the defendant received an agreed upon four-and-one-half-year sentence to be served at 30% as a standard offender for the aggravated assault conviction at issue in this case.¹ The sentences were ordered run in such a manner that the defendant by agreement received an effective sentence of eight and one-half years. The defendant later filed a motion for new trial and an amended motion for new trial unsuccessfully raising five issues. Through this appeal the defendant continues to assert that 1) the evidence is insufficient to support his aggravated assault conviction; 2) the trial court erred in not allowing the defense to present evidence that the victim's bodily injury resulted from another incident, not the defendant's purported use of a deadly weapon; and 3) the trial court erred in admitting a photograph allegedly showing the victim's injuries and in admitting a shirt allegedly worn by the victim at the time of the offense as these items were not provided to the defense in pre-trial discovery. However, after reviewing the record and relevant authorities, we find that these contentions lack merit or have been waived. We, thus, affirm the lower court's denial of relief.

Roosevelt Malone v. State of Tennessee
E2002-00782-CCA-R3-PC
Authoring Judge: Judge Thomas T. Woodall
Trial Court Judge: Judge Mary Beth Leibowitz

Petitioner, Roosevelt Malone, appeals the post-conviction court's dismissal of his petition for post-conviction relief. Petitioner contends that the post-conviction court erred when it failed to conduct an evidentiary hearing and failed to grant Petitioner sufficient time to amend his petition. Upon review of this matter, we reverse the judgment of the post-conviction court and remand this case for proceedings consistent with this opinion.