State of Tennessee v. George Wells
M2022-01561-CCA-R3-CD
The Defendant, George Wells, pleaded guilty to reckless homicide with an agreed-upon sentencing range of two to five years. Following a hearing, the trial court denied the Defendant’s request for diversion or any other form of alternative sentencing and imposed a five-year incarcerative sentence. The Defendant appeals the trial court’s sentencing decision, challenging the length, manner of service, and denial of judicial diversion. After review, we determine that the trial court abused its discretion by failing to consider and weigh all of the relevant judicial diversion factors and by utilizing an improper factor. Based upon our de novo review of the judicial diversion factors, the trial court’s judgment is reversed, and the Defendant’s request for judicial diversion is granted. The matter is remanded to the trial court for the imposition of a term and the conditions of judicial diversion.
Authoring Judge: Judge Kyle A. Hixson
Originating Judge:Judge Cheryl A. Blackburn |
Davidson County | Court of Criminal Appeals | 12/05/23 | |
State of Tennessee v. David Elias Hernandez Sanchez
M2023-00180-CCA-R3-CD
The defendant, David Elias Hernandez Sanchez, appeals the Montgomery County Circuit Court’s denial of his bid for judicial diversion of the four-year sentence imposed for his guilty-pleaded conviction of aggravated assault. Discerning no error, we affirm.
Authoring Judge: Judge James Curwood Witt, Jr.
Originating Judge:Judge Robert Bateman |
Montgomery County | Court of Criminal Appeals | 12/05/23 | |
State of Tennessee v. Dominique Michael Byrd
E2023-00274-CCA-R3-CD
A Knox County jury found the Defendant, Dominique Michael Byrd, guilty of theft of property and vandalism, and the trial court sentenced him to serve an effective sentence of eleven months and twenty-nine days. On appeal, the Defendant argues only that the evidence is legally insufficient to show that he is the person who committed the crimes. On our review, we respectfully disagree and affirm the trial court’s judgments.
Authoring Judge: Judge Tom Greenholtz
Originating Judge:Judge Steven Wayne Sword |
Knox County | Court of Criminal Appeals | 12/04/23 | |
State of Tennessee v. Webster Malone
M2023-00058-CCA-R3-CD
A Rutherford County jury convicted the Defendant, Webster Malone, of two counts of selling less than .5 grams of cocaine. The trial court denied his request for community corrections and sentenced him to an effective sentence of fifteen years of incarceration. On appeal, the Defendant contends that the evidence is insufficient to sustain his convictions and that the trial court erred when it sentenced him. After review, we affirm the trial court’s judgments.
Authoring Judge: Judge Robert W. Wedemeyer
Originating Judge:Judge James A. Turner |
Rutherford County | Court of Criminal Appeals | 12/01/23 | |
State of Tennessee v. Duane R. Doxtater
E2023-00261-CCA-R3-CD
The Defendant, Duane R. Doxtater, appeals the trial court’s revocation of his effective tenyear
Authoring Judge: Judge James F. Goodwin, Jr.
Originating Judge:Judge Kyle A. Hixson |
Sullivan County | Court of Criminal Appeals | 12/01/23 | |
State of Tennessee v. Christopher Guy
W2023-00177-CCA-R3-CD
The Defendant, Christopher Guy, appeals the trial court’s revocation of his effective sixyear
Authoring Judge: Judge Kyle A. Hixson
Originating Judge:Judge Paula L. Skahan |
Shelby County | Court of Criminal Appeals | 11/29/23 | |
State of Tennessee v. John Butler - CONCURRING
W2023-00566-CCA-R3-CD
I concur in the majority’s conclusion that the trial court acted within its discretion in revoking the Defendant’s judicial diversion probation and imposing a three-year sentence. I part ways with my fellow panel members in my reasoning for this conclusion.
Authoring Judge: Judge Robert H. Montgomery, Jr.
Originating Judge:Judge Paula Skahan |
Shelby County | Court of Criminal Appeals | 11/28/23 | |
State of Tennessee v. David Lyndel Cochran
E2023-00142-CCA-R3-CD
Defendant, David Lyndel Cochran, stands convicted of one count each of aggravated rape and aggravated kidnapping. He appeals, arguing the evidence was insufficient to sustain his convictions and that the trial court erred in allowing a sexual assault nurse examiner to offer expert testimony. After review, we affirm the judgments of the trial court.
Authoring Judge: Judge Matthew J. Wilson
Originating Judge:Judge Steven Wayne Sword |
Knox County | Court of Criminal Appeals | 11/28/23 | |
State of Tennessee v. Kim Owen Alley
E2022-01523-CCA-R3-CD
The Hawkins County Grand Jury charged the Defendant, Kim Owen Alley,1 by
Authoring Judge: Judge Camille R. McMullen
Originating Judge:Judge Alex E. Pearson |
Hawkins County | Court of Criminal Appeals | 11/28/23 | |
State of Tennessee v. Gregory Ryan Webb
E2023-00464-CCA-R3-CD
A Cumberland County jury convicted Defendant, Gregory Ryan Webb, of one count of domestic assault, a Class A misdemeanor, and the trial court sentenced him to eleven months, twenty-nine days in the county jail at seventy-five percent service. On appeal, Defendant argues: (1) the trial court erred by denying his pretrial motion to dismiss based on the State’s failure to preserve body camera footage from the crime scene; (2) there was insufficient evidence to support his conviction; and (3) his sentence was excessive. After review, we affirm the judgment of the trial court.
Authoring Judge: Judge Matthew J. Wilson
Originating Judge:Judge Gary McKenzie |
Cumberland County | Court of Criminal Appeals | 11/28/23 | |
State of Tennessee v. John Butler
W2023-00566-CCA-R3-CD
The Appellant, John Butler, entered a guilty plea to three counts of aggravated assault and one count of reckless endangerment with a deadly weapon and was placed on judicial diversion with a probationary period of six years. The State subsequently alleged that the Appellant violated his probation, and, following a hearing, the trial court revoked the Appellant’s diversion and entered judgments of conviction imposing an effective sentence of three years to be served in confinement. In this appeal, the Appellant contends the trial court erred in revoking the Appellant’s diversion and in ordering confinement. Upon our review, we affirm the judgments of the trial court.
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Camille R. McMullen
Originating Judge:Judge Paula L. Skahan |
Shelby County | Court of Criminal Appeals | 11/28/23 | |
Detrick Turner v. State of Tennessee
W2022-01494-CCA-R3-PC
Petitioner, Detrick Turner, appeals the denial of his post-conviction petition, arguing that
Authoring Judge: Judge Jill Bartee Ayers
Originating Judge:Judge Lee V. Coffee |
Shelby County | Court of Criminal Appeals | 11/22/23 | |
State of Tennessee v. Albert Franklin Thompkins, Jr.
E2023-00209-CCA-R3-CD
A Knox County jury convicted the Defendant, Albert Franklin Thompkins, Jr., of two counts of aggravated sexual battery and two counts of rape of a child. The trial court sentenced the Defendant to an effective sentence of thirty-three years. On appeal, the Defendant argues that the evidence is legally insufficient to support his convictions. He also asserts that the trial court (1) violated “the spirit” of Batson v. Kentucky, 476 U.S. 79 (1986), when an African American juror was randomly selected and excused as an alternate juror at the end of trial; and (2) erred in failing to grant a mistrial and a motion for a new trial when defense witnesses failed to appear despite being subpoenaed to testify. Upon our review, we respectfully affirm the judgments of the trial court.
Authoring Judge: Judge Tom Greenholtz, J.
Originating Judge:Judge Hector I. Sanchez |
Knox County | Court of Criminal Appeals | 11/22/23 | |
State of Tennessee v. Rony Noe Ambrocio Cruz
E2023-00357-CCA-R3-CD
Defendant, Rony Noe Ambrocio Cruz, was convicted by a Cumberland County jury of
Authoring Judge: Judge Jill Bartee Ayers
Originating Judge:Judge Gary McKenzie |
Cumberland County | Court of Criminal Appeals | 11/22/23 | |
State of Tennessee v. Timothy Hutcherson
M2023-00116-CCA-R3-CD
The Defendant, Timothy Hutcherson, was convicted of second degree murder, attempted second degree murder, two counts of aggravated assault, two counts of possession of a firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony, and reckless endangerment and received an effective sentence of twenty-three years in confinement. On appeal, he contends that the evidence is insufficient to support his conviction of second degree murder, that the trial court erred by failing to suppress his statement to police, and that the trial court erred by allowing the jury to hear about his gang affiliation in violation of Tennessee Rule of Evidence 404(b). Based on our review, we affirm the judgments of the trial court but remand the case to the trial court for correction of the judgment in count nine.
Authoring Judge: Judge John W. Campbell, Sr.
Originating Judge:Judge William R. Goodman, III |
Montgomery County | Court of Criminal Appeals | 11/21/23 | |
State of Tennessee v. Stephen Novatne
M2023-00114-CCA-R3-CO
The Defendant, Stephen Novatne, pled guilty to possessing methamphetamine in a drug-free zone and agreed to serve a sentence of eight years. He later filed a motion asking the trial court to resentence him in accordance with the 2020 amendments to the Drug-Free Zone Act. The trial court declined to do so, finding that resentencing was not in the interests of justice, and the Defendant appealed. Because the Defendant does not have an appeal as of right from a denial of resentencing under the Drug-Free Zone Act, we respectfully dismiss the appeal.
Authoring Judge: Judge Tom Greenholtz
Originating Judge:Judge James A. Turner |
Rutherford County | Court of Criminal Appeals | 11/21/23 | |
Humberto Paulino Gomez v. State of Tennessee
E2022-00661-CCA-R3-PC
The petitioner, Humberto Paulino Gomez, appeals the denial of his petition for postconviction
Authoring Judge: Judge James Curwood Witt, Jr.
Originating Judge:Judge Alex E. Pearson |
Greene County | Court of Criminal Appeals | 11/20/23 | |
Martrice Thomas v. State of Tennessee
W2022-00887-CCA-R3-PC
A Shelby County jury convicted the Petitioner, Martrice Thomas, of first degree
Authoring Judge: Judge Robert W. Wedemeyer
Originating Judge:Judge Chris Craft |
Shelby County | Court of Criminal Appeals | 11/16/23 | |
State of Tennessee v. Leonard John Clemons
E2022-01290-CCA-R3-CD
Leonard John Clemons, Defendant, was convicted of attempted burglary, burglary,
Authoring Judge: Judge Timothy L. Easter
Originating Judge:Judge Kyle A. Hixson |
Knox County | Court of Criminal Appeals | 11/16/23 | |
State of Tennessee v. Tailor James Simpson
W2022-01806-CCA-R3-CD
Defendant, Tailor James Simpson, appeals the trial court’s order revoking his probationary
Authoring Judge: Judge Jill Bartee Ayers
Originating Judge:Judge Mark L. Hayes |
Dyer County | Court of Criminal Appeals | 11/15/23 | |
Marcus Anthony Robey v. State of Tennessee
M2022-01257-CCA-R3-PC
In 2013, the Petitioner, Marcus Anthony Robey, pleaded guilty to evading arrest and criminal impersonation in exchange for an effective sentence of eleven months and twenty-nine days. In a bifurcated proceeding, a jury convicted the Petitioner of aggravated robbery following which he pleaded guilty to possession of a weapon by a convicted felon. For these convictions he received concurrent thirty- and fifteen-year sentences, respectively. State v. Robey, No. M2015-00306-CCA-R3-CD, 2016 WL 4487954, at *1 (Tenn. Crim. App. Aug. 25, 2016), perm. app. denied (Tenn. 2016). Thereafter, the Petitioner filed a petition for post-conviction relief, claiming that he received the ineffective assistance of counsel, that the trial court lacked subject matter jurisdiction related to the indictment, and that the State withheld evidence resulting in prosecutorial misconduct. The post-conviction court denied his petition after a hearing. After review, we affirm the post-conviction court’s judgment.
Authoring Judge: Judge Robert W. Wedemeyer
Originating Judge:Judge Barry R. Tidwell |
Rutherford County | Court of Criminal Appeals | 11/15/23 | |
Jerry P. Haley v. Grady Perry, Warden
W2023-00223-CCA-R3-HC
The Petitioner, Jerry P. Haley, appeals from the Lauderdale County Circuit Court’s
Authoring Judge: Judge Robert H. Montgomery, Jr.
Originating Judge:Judge A. Blake Neill |
Lauderdale County | Court of Criminal Appeals | 11/14/23 | |
Joseph Jerome Griggs v. State of Tennessee
W2023-00100-CCA-R3-PC
The Petitioner, Joseph Jerome Griggs, appeals from the Hardeman County Circuit Court’s
Authoring Judge: Judge Robert H. Montgomery, Jr.
Originating Judge:Judge J. Weber McCraw |
Hardeman County | Court of Criminal Appeals | 11/13/23 | |
State of Tennessee v. Devoris Antoine Newson
W2020-00611-CCA-R3-CD
Pursuant to a plea agreement, the Defendant, acting pro se, entered guilty pleas to various
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Camille R. McMullen
Originating Judge:Judge Kyle C. Atkins |
Madison County | Court of Criminal Appeals | 11/13/23 | |
State of Tennessee v. Nicholas Thomas Beauvais
E2022-01163-CCA-R3-CD
Nicholas Thomas Beauvais, Defendant, pleaded guilty as a Range II offender to Class C felony voluntary manslaughter, reserving all sentencing issues for the trial court. Defendant claims that the trial court erred by sentencing him to nine years’ incarceration. We determine that the trial court acted within its discretion in sentencing Defendant and affirm the judgment.
Authoring Judge: Judge Robert L. Holloway
Originating Judge:Judge Sandra N.C. Donaghy |
Bradley County | Court of Criminal Appeals | 11/09/23 |