APPELLATE COURT OPINIONS

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State of Tennessee v. Dwaquille Raheem Jabal

M2020-01093-CCA-R3-CD

The defendant, Dwaquille Raheem Jabal, appeals the dismissal of his motion for sentence modification, arguing that he continued to serve his sentence beyond the date he was supposed to be placed on probation and that “[i]t would be inequitable for [him] not to be credited with the probation date that he was given.” Upon our review of the record and the applicable law, we affirm the judgment of the trial court.

Authoring Judge: Judge J. Ross Dyer
Originating Judge:Judge Stella L. Hargrove
Maury County Court of Criminal Appeals 07/28/21
Ernesto Perez Aguirre v. State of Tennessee

M2019-02209-CCA-R3-PC

Ernesto Perez Aguirre, Petitioner, appeals from the dismissal of his petition for post-conviction relief in which he alleged that his guilty plea was unknowingly and involuntarily entered. After a thorough review, we affirm the judgment of the post-conviction court.

Authoring Judge: Judge Timothy L. Easter
Originating Judge:Judge James G. Martin, III
Williamson County Court of Criminal Appeals 07/28/21
Darrell Wayne Bumpas v. State of Tennessee

M2020-00948-CCA-R3-PC

Petitioner, Darrell Wayne Bumpas, appeals the denial of his post-conviction petition, arguing that the post-conviction court erred in concluding that he received effective assistance of counsel. Following our review of the entire record and the briefs of the parties, we affirm the judgment of the post-conviction court.

Authoring Judge: Judge Jill Bartee Ayers
Originating Judge:Judge Steve R. Dozier
Davidson County Court of Criminal Appeals 07/27/21
State of Tennessee v. Matthew Thomas Dotson

E2019-01614-CCA-R3-CD

Matthew Thomas Dotson (“Defendant”) appeals his Roane County convictions for first degree felony murder in the perpetration of aggravated child abuse, first degree felony murder in the perpetration of aggravated child neglect, aggravated child abuse, and aggravated child neglect, for which he received an effective sentence of life without parole. Defendant contends that: (1) the trial court erred in denying his motion to suppress his May 3, 2012, statements to law enforcement; (2) the State improperly elicited testimony from a witness regarding Defendant’s prior drug usage and the trial court abused its discretion by denying Defendant’s request for a mistrial following such testimony; (3) the trial court abused its discretion by admitting photographs of the victim into evidence; and (4) the evidence was insufficient to support his convictions. Following a thorough review, we affirm the judgments of the trial court but remand for entry of amended judgments reflecting proper merger of offenses as outlined below and for the imposition of sentences in Counts 4 and 5.

Authoring Judge: Judge Robert L. Holloway, Jr.
Originating Judge:Judge Michael S. Pemberton
Roane County Court of Criminal Appeals 07/27/21
Sterling Lamarr Cooper v. Shawn Phillips, Warden

E2020-01568-CCA-R3-HC

The Petitioner, Sterling Lamarr Cooper, appeals the summary dismissal of his petition for writ of habeas corpus. Discerning no error, we affirm the judgment of the habeas corpus court.

Authoring Judge: Judge Camille R. McMullen
Originating Judge:Judge Jeffery Hill Wicks
Morgan County Court of Criminal Appeals 07/27/21
State of Tennessee v. Quinton Cage

M2020-00360-CCA-R3-CD

The petitioner, Quinton Cage, appeals the Montgomery County Circuit Court’s summary dismissal of his motion to correct an illegal sentence, filed pursuant to Tennessee Rule of Criminal Procedure 36.1. Also before us is the petitioner’s motion, filed pursuant to Tennessee Rule of Appellate Procedure 14, to consider post-judgment facts. Because the petitioner’s claim of a double jeopardy violation is not cognizable in a Rule 36.1 motion, we affirm the trial court’s summary dismissal of the motion to correct an illegal sentence. Furthermore, because the post-judgment facts posited by the petitioner do not relate to actions that occurred after the judgment in this case, we deny the petitioner’s motion to consider post-judgment facts.

Authoring Judge: Judge James Curwood Witt, Jr.
Originating Judge:Judge Jill B. Ayers
Montgomery County Court of Criminal Appeals 07/27/21
State of Tennessee v. Sharod Winford Moore

M2020-00879-CCA-R3-CD

The Defendant, Sharod Winford Moore, was convicted by a jury of first degree premeditated murder and sentenced to life imprisonment. In the first direct appeal, this court found that the evidence was sufficient to sustain the conviction but that the Defendant waived all other issues for failure to file a timely motion for new trial. The Defendant was subsequently granted a delayed appeal. He now argues that (1) the trial court erred in allowing the State to present unfairly prejudicial evidence of his alleged gang membership, (2) the State engaged in prosecutorial misconduct by making inflammatory and prejudicial remarks about his alleged gang membership in closing argument, (3) the trial court erred in not allowing evidence of the victim’s propensity for intoxication and violence, and (4) the trial court erred in determining that a State’s intellectually disabled witness was competent to testify. We affirm the conviction.

Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge John Everett Williams
Originating Judge:Judge M. Wyatt Burk
Marshall County Court of Criminal Appeals 07/26/21
State of Tennessee v. Maurice "Ricky" Blocker

W2020-00543-CCA-R3-PC

Petitioner, Maurice “Ricky” Blocker, appeals the denial of his post-conviction petition, arguing that the post-conviction court erred in finding effective assistance of counsel at both trial and on appeal. Following our review of the entire record and the briefs of the parties, we affirm the judgment of the post-conviction court.

Authoring Judge: Judge Jill Bartee Ayers
Originating Judge:Judge W. Mark Ward
Shelby County Court of Criminal Appeals 07/26/21
State of Tennessee v. Terry Newsom

W2020-00695-CCA-R3-CD

A Madison County jury convicted the Defendant, Terry Newsom, of evading arrest, reckless endangerment, and driving with a suspended license. The trial court imposed an effective three-year sentence to be served in the Tennessee Department of Correction and ordered the Defendant to pay the fines imposed by the jury. On appeal, the Defendant argues that the evidence was insufficient to support his conviction for reckless endangerment, that the trial court erred when it sentenced him, and that the fines were improperly imposed. After a thorough review of the record and applicable law, we affirm the trial court’s judgments.

Authoring Judge: Judge Robert W. Wedemeyer
Originating Judge:Judge Roy B. Morgan, Jr.
Madison County Court of Criminal Appeals 07/26/21
Terrence Lewis v. State of Tennessee

W2020-00653-CCA-R3-PC

Terrence Lewis, Petitioner, appeals after the trial court denied post-conviction relief and dismissed his post-conviction petition in which he alleged that he received ineffective assistance of counsel at trial. Because Petitioner failed to prove his allegations by clear and convincing evidence, we affirm the judgment of the post-conviction court.

Authoring Judge: Judge Timothy L. Easter
Originating Judge:Judge Chris Craft
Shelby County Court of Criminal Appeals 07/26/21
State of Tennessee v. Torijon Coplin

W2019-01593-CCA-R3-CD

A jury convicted the Defendant, Torijon Coplin, of aggravated assault and tampering with evidence, and he received an effective sentence of four years suspended to supervised probation after eleven months and twenty-nine days of service. On appeal, the Defendant challenges the sufficiency of the evidence supporting his convictions and argues the trial court erred in charging the jury as to criminal responsibility. Because the criminal responsibility charge did not include the natural and probable consequences requirement and because the error was not harmless beyond a reasonable doubt as to the tampering with evidence conviction, we reverse the conviction for tampering with evidence and remand for further proceedings. The judgments are otherwise affirmed.

Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge John Everett Williams
Originating Judge:Judge Roy B. Morgan, Jr.
Madison County Court of Criminal Appeals 07/26/21
State of Tennessee v. Torijon Coplin - Concur in Part/Dissent in Part

W2019-01593-CCA-R3-CD

J. ROSS DYER, J., concurring in part and dissenting in part. While I agree with the majority’s conclusion that the criminal responsibility instruction in the instant matter was deficient, I respectfully dissent from the majority’s conclusion that the proof presented at trial is not sufficient to support a determination that the error was harmless beyond a reasonable doubt.

Authoring Judge: Judge J. Ross Dyer
Originating Judge:Judge Roy B. Morgan, Jr.
Madison County Court of Criminal Appeals 07/26/21
State of Tennessee v. Angela Kilgore

M2020-00121-CCA-R3-CD

The Defendant, Angela Kilgore, was convicted by a jury of first degree premeditated murder, first degree felony murder, especially aggravated robbery, aggravated arson, and theft of property valued $2,500 or more but less than $10,000. After merging the felony murder conviction into the premeditated murder conviction, the trial court sentenced the Defendant to an effective term of life plus eighty years in the Department of Correction. On appeal, the Defendant argues that the trial court erred by overruling her motion to suppress the results of the search of her pickup truck, the evidence was insufficient to sustain her convictions for first degree murder, aggravated arson and especially aggravated robbery, her dual convictions for especially aggravated robbery and theft violate principles of double jeopardy, and the trial court erred in ordering consecutive sentences. We affirm the judgments of the trial court but remand for a corrected judgment in count six to reflect that the theft conviction merges into the conviction for especially aggravated robbery.

Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge John Everett Williams
Originating Judge:Senior Judge Don R. Ash
Marion County Court of Criminal Appeals 07/23/21
State of Tennessee v. Tracy Lynn Harris

W2020-01564-CCA-R3-CD

Pro-se petitioner, Tracy Lynn Harris, appeals from the Carroll County Circuit Court’s summary dismissal of his motion to correct an illegal sentence pursuant to Tennessee Rule of Criminal Procedure 36.1. Following our review of the entire record and the briefs of the parties, we affirm the judgment of the trial court.

Authoring Judge: Judge Jill Bartee Ayers
Originating Judge:Judge Donald E. Parish
Carroll County Court of Criminal Appeals 07/23/21
State of Tennessee v. Jimmy Lee Pearce, Jr.

W2020-00552-CCA-R3-CD

Defendant, Jimmy Lee Pearce, Jr., appeals the trial court’s denial of his “Petition for Pretrial Jail Credits.” On appeal, he claims that the trial court erred by failing to enter amended judgments to include credits noted in the trial court’s amended revocation order. Following our review of the entire record and the briefs of the parties, we affirm the judgment of the trial court.

Authoring Judge: Judge Jill Bartee Ayers
Originating Judge:Judge J. Weber McCraw
Fayette County Court of Criminal Appeals 07/22/21
State of Tennessee v. Justin Case Jenkins

W2020-00577-CCA-R3-CD

The defendant, Justin Case Jenkins, appeals the Madison County Circuit Court’s imposition of an effective 16-year sentence and $9,820.35 in restitution for his guiltypleaded convictions of burglary, theft, vandalism, identity theft, felony evading arrest, and various driving offenses. We affirm the imposition of consecutive sentences but, because the trial court failed to comply with the statutory requirements in ordering restitution, we reverse the restitution orders and remand for a new restitution hearing.

Authoring Judge: Judge James Curwood Witt, Jr.
Originating Judge:Judge Donald H. Allen
Madison County Court of Criminal Appeals 07/22/21
State of Tennessee v. Shannon Bruce Foster

E2020-00304-CCA-R3-CD

The Defendant, Shannon Bruce Foster, was convicted by a Knox County Criminal Court jury of second degree murder, a Class A felony. See T.C.A. § 39-13-210 (2018). The Defendant was sentenced to seventeen years’ incarceration. On appeal, he contends that (1) the evidence is insufficient to support his conviction, (2) the trial court erred by instructing the jury that he had the duty to retreat before engaging in self-defense, and (3) the trial court erred by admitting a photograph depicting the victim with his young children. We affirm the judgment of the trial court.

Authoring Judge: Judge Robert H. Montgomery, Jr.
Originating Judge:Judge Bobby R. McGee
Knox County Court of Criminal Appeals 07/22/21
State of Tennessee v. Vincent Rodolphus Helser

M2020-00557-CCA-R3-CD

The Defendant-Appellant, Vincent Rodolphus Helser, pleaded guilty to one count of violation of the sexual offender registry in case number 2018-CR-129 and one count of sale of methamphetamine over 0.5 grams in case number 2018-CR-205. The Defendant received a two-year probationary sentence in case number 2018-CR-129 and an effective nine-year sentence, to be served on supervised probation after 180 days in confinement, in case number 2018-CR-205. On appeal, the Defendant asserts that the trial court erred in revoking his probation and ordering the remainder of his sentence to be served in confinement. Upon review, we affirm the judgment of the trial court.  

Authoring Judge: Judge Camille R. McMullen
Originating Judge:Judge Gary McKenzie
DeKalb County Court of Criminal Appeals 07/22/21
State of Tennessee v. Cindy B. Hinton

M2020-00812-CCA-R3-CD

The Defendant, Cindy B. Hinton, appeals her convictions for vehicular homicide by intoxication and vehicular homicide by reckless driving. The Defendant argues that the evidence was insufficient relative to the Defendant’s intoxication and that the court erred by imposing a sentence of eleven years in confinement. After a thorough review of the record and applicable law, we affirm.

Authoring Judge: Judge D. Kelly Thomas, Jr.
Originating Judge:Judge Suzanne Lockert-Mash
Cheatham County Court of Criminal Appeals 07/21/21
Tabitha Gentry v. State of Tennessee

W2020-00637-CCA-R3-PC

A Shelby County jury convicted the Petitioner, Tabitha Gentry, of theft of property valued over $250,000 and aggravated burglary. The trial court imposed an effective sentence of twenty years. On appeal, this court affirmed the judgments. See State v. Tabitha Gentry, No. W2015-01745-CCA-R3-CD, 2016 WL 4264266, at *1 (Tenn. Crim. App., at Jackson, Aug. 12, 2016), perm. app. granted (Tenn. Dec. 14, 2016). On appeal to the Tennessee Supreme Court, the supreme court affirmed. State v. Gentry, 538 S.W.3d 413 (Tenn. 2017). The Petitioner timely filed a post-conviction petition, alleging that she received the ineffective assistance of counsel. After multiple hearings, the post-conviction court denied relief, concluding that the Petitioner had not proven that Counsel was deficient or that the Petitioner was prejudiced by Counsel’s representation. On appeal, the Petitioner maintains that she received the ineffective assistance of counsel. After review, we affirm the post-conviction court’s judgment.

Authoring Judge: Judge Robert W. Wedemeyer
Originating Judge:Judge James M. Lammey
Shelby County Court of Criminal Appeals 07/21/21
Marcus Thomas v. State of Tennessee

E2020-00751-CCA-R3-PC

The Petitioner, Marcus Thomas, appeals from the Knox County Criminal Court’s dismissal of his petition for post-conviction relief from his guilty pleaded conviction to attempted first degree murder. On appeal, the Petitioner contends that the post-conviction court erred by dismissing his petition and denying relief on his claims alleging that his guilty plea was involuntary and unknowing and that he received the ineffective assistance of trial counsel. We affirm in part and reverse in part the post-conviction court’s judgment and remand the case for further proceedings.

Authoring Judge: Judge Robert H. Montgomery, Jr.
Originating Judge:Judge G. Scott Green
Knox County Court of Criminal Appeals 07/21/21
Alphonzo Chalmers v. State of Tennessee

W2020-01210-CCA-R3-ECN

Petitioner, Alphonzo Chalmers, appeals the denial of his fourth petition for writ of error coram nobis in which he challenges his 1999 conviction for first degree premeditated murder. On appeal, Petitioner claims: that two pages of a “gunshot wound path report” detailing the victim’s injuries constituted newly discovered exculpatory evidence which was suppressed by the State contrary to Brady v. Maryland, 373 U.S. 83 (1963); that he is actually innocent of murder because the State relied on the “knowingly false” testimony of eyewitness Alan King and Detective Miguel Aguila; that the gunshot wound path report would have refuted the testimony of Mr. King who allegedly testified that the victim had been shot in the stomach; and that the coram nobis court abused its discretion in denying his petition for the writ. Following review of the record and applicable law, we affirm the judgment of the coram nobis court in accordance with Rule 20 of the Rules of the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals.

Authoring Judge: Judge Jill Bartee Ayers
Originating Judge:Judge Chris Craft
Shelby County Court of Criminal Appeals 07/20/21
State of Tennessee v. William Thomas Kelly

W2020-00733-CCA-R3-CD

The defendant, William Thomas Kelly, appeals his Tipton County Circuit Court Jury convictions of evading arrest, violating the open container law, violating the financial responsibility law, and driving on a revoked, cancelled, or suspended license, challenging the sufficiency of the convicting evidence. Discerning no reversible error, we affirm the judgments of the trial court. Because we discern possible clerical error in the judgment form for Count 2, we remand the case for the entry of any appropriate corrected judgment form for that count.

Authoring Judge: Judge James Curwood Witt, Jr.
Originating Judge:Judge Joseph H. Walker
Tipton County Court of Criminal Appeals 07/20/21
State of Tennessee v. Marterius O'Neal

W2019-02157-CCA-R3-CD

The defendant, Marterius O’Neal, appeals his Shelby County Criminal Court Jury convictions of first degree murder, attempted especially aggravated robbery, and attempted aggravated robbery, arguing that the trial court erred by denying his motion to suppress the pretrial statement he provided to the police, by severing his trial from that of his co-defendant, and by limiting his cross-examination of a State witness. Discerning no error, we affirm the judgments of the trial court.

Authoring Judge: Judge James Curwood Witt, Jr.
Originating Judge:Judge Paula Skahan
Shelby County Court of Criminal Appeals 07/20/21
State of Tennessee v. Roy Evans

E2020-01297-CCA-R3-CD

Roy Evans, Defendant, admitted to violating the conditions of probation and submitted the sentencing determination to the trial court. Following a hearing on the sentence, the trial court revoked probation and suspension of the sentence and ordered Defendant to commence the execution of the judgment as originally entered. Discerning no error, we affirm the judgment of the trial court.

Authoring Judge: Judge Robert L. Holloway, Jr.
Originating Judge:Judge Rex H. Ogle
Sevier County Court of Criminal Appeals 07/20/21