### IN THE CO URT OF CR IMINAL APPEALS OF T ENN ESSEE
AT NASHVILL E

Ass ig ne d o n B rie fs May 16, 2 01 2 a t Kn ox vi ll e

STATE OF TENNESS EE v . EDDIE L . READUS

A p p e a l f r o m t h e C i r c u i t C o u r t f o r B e d f o r d C o u n t y
N o

. 1 7 1 2 7 R o b e r t C r i g l e r , J u d g e

N o

. M 2 0 1 1

- 0 1 9 1 8

- C C A

- R 3

- C D

- F i l e d S e p t e m b e r 1 7
, 2 0 1 2

T h e d ef en d an t, E d d ie L

. R ead u s, w as co n v icted b y a B ed f o rd C o u n ty C ircu it C o u rt j u ry , in

co u n t o n e, o f sale o f less th an .5 g ram s o f co cain e an d

, in co u n t tw o , o f d eliv ery o f less th an .5 g ram s o f

co cain e, C lass C f

elo n ies, as w ell as, in co u n t th ree, o f p o ssessio n o f

.5 g ram s

o r m o re o f co cain e w ith in ten t to sell an d

, in co u n t f o u r, o f p o ssessio n o f .5 g ram s o r m o re

o f co cain e w it h i n t en t to d eliv er, C lass B f elo n ies. T h e trial co u rt m erg ed co u n t tw o in to

co u n t o n e an d co u n t f

o u r in to co u n t th ree a n d s e n t en ced th e d ef en d an t to f

if teen y ears o n th e tw o rem ain in g co n v ictio n s, to b e se r v ed co n secu tiv ely

. O n ap p eal, th e d ef en d an t ch allen g es th e su f

f icien cy o f th e co n v ictin g ev id en ce an d also arg u es th at th e d o ctrin es o f
d o u b le j eo p ard y , m

u ltip licity an d m erg er p rev en ted h im f ro m b ein g sen ten ced sep arately o n

co u n ts o n e an d th ree. A f ter rev iew , w e af

f irm th e j u d g m en ts o f

th e trial co u rt.

T e n n

. R

. A p p

. P

. 3 A p p e a l a s o f R i g h t ; J u d g m e n t s o f t h e C i r c u i t C o u r t A f f i r m e d

A LA N E

. G LE N N
, J

. , d e l i v e r e d t h e o p i n i o n o f t h e C o u r t

, i n w h i c h T H O M A S T

. W O O D A LL a n d

N O R M A M C G E E O G LE
, J J

. , j o i n e d

.

R o g e r C l a y P a r k e r , S h e l b y v i l l e , T e n n e s s e e , f o r t h e a p p e l l a n t

, E d d i e L

. R e a d u s

.

R o b e r t E

. C o o p e r , J r

. , A t t o r n e y G e n e r a l a n d R e p o r t e r ; N i c h o l a s W

. S p a n g l e r , A s s i s t a n t

A t t o r n e y G e n e r a l ; C h a r l e s C r a w f o r d

, D i s t r i c t A t t o r n e y G e n e r a l ; a n d M i c h a e l D

. R a n d l e s , A s s i s t a n t D i s t r i c t A t t o r n e y G e n e r a l

, f o r t h e a p p e l l e e , S t a t e o f T e n n e s s e e

.

O P I N I O N

F A C T S

O n S ep tem

b er 1 0

, 2 0 1 0

, a co n f

id en tial in f

o rm an t m ad e a co n tro lled d rug b u y o f crack

co cain e f ro m th e d ef

en d an t at th e h o m e o f B ren d a N ew m an in S h elb y v ille, T en n essee. A sa resu lt, th e d ef en d an t w as in d icted f

o r sellin g .5 g ram s o r m o re o f co cain e an d d eliv erin g .5 g ram s o r m o re o f co cain e. O f f icers arrested th e d e f

e n d a n t l ater th at d ay , f

in d in g in h is

p o ssessio n an am o u n t o f p o w d er co cain e, resu ltin g in h is also b ein g in d icted f o r p o ssessio n

o f .5 g ram s o r mo r e o f co cain e w ith in ten t to sell an d p o ssessio n o f .5 g ram s o r m o re o f

co cain e w ith in ten t to d eliv er.

A cco rd in g to th e S tate’s p ro o f at trial, D ep u t y T i m M iller, o f th e B ed f o rd C o u n ty
S h erif f ’s D ep artm en t an d 1 7 th Ju d icial D istrict D ru g T ask F o rce, receiv ed in f o rm atio n i n S ep tem b er 2 0 1 0 th at a lo t o f d ru g activ ity w as tak in g p lace at B ren d a N ew m an ’s resid en ce. In p articu lar, D ep u ty

M iller w as co n tacted b y a p aid co n f id en tial in f

o rm an t o n S ep tem

b er 1 0 w h o to ld h im sp ecif

ically th at th e d ef

en d an t w as sellin g crack co cain e o u t o f N ew m an ’s
resid en ce. D ep u ty M iller, alo n g w ith A g en t S h an e G eo rg e o f th e S h elb y v ille P o lice

D ep artm en t an d th e 1 7 th Ju d icial D i s t r i c t D ru g T ask F o rce, m et w ith th e in f o rm an t an d

arran g ed f

o r h er to co n d u ct a co n tro lled b u y f ro m th e d ef

en d an t. T h e o f

f icers search ed th e in f o rm an t b ef

o reh an d to en su re sh e d i d n o t h av e an y co n trab an d o n h er p erso n an d th en issu ed h er $ 1 0 0 w ith w h ich to p u rch ase th e d ru g s. T h e i n f o r m an t w as also o u tf

itted w ith

an electro n ic d ev ice to reco rd h er co n v ersatio n s.

A g en t G eo rg e d ro v e th e co n f id en tial in f

o rm an t to N ew m an ’s resid en ce, w ith D ep u ty
M iller f o llo w in g b eh in d th em

. Wh en th ey arriv ed in th e area, th e in f o rm an t p o in ted o u t th e d ef en d an t w alk in g aw ay f

ro m N ew m an ’s ap artm en t, to w ard a m ark et. H o w ev er, b y th e tim e th e o f f icers m o v ed in to th eir resp ectiv e su rv eillan ce p o sitio n s, th ey saw th e d ef en d an t

w alk in g b ack to w ard N ew m an ’s resid en ce an d en terin g th e ap artm en t.

O n ce th e d ef

en d an t w as in sid e N ew m an ’s ap ar t m en t, th e in f o rm an t ex ited A g en t
G eo rg e’s v eh icle an d w a lk ed to w ard N ew m an ’s ap artm en t. A s th e in f o rm an t n eared th e

ap artm en t, a m an w earin g a b ro w n o u tf it ap p ro ach ed h er an d th ey w en t in to th e ap artm en t

to g eth er. In sid e, th e in f o rm an t m ad e co n tact w ith th e d ef en d an t an d g av e h im $ 1 0 0 in

ex ch an g e f

o r a y e l lo w b ag co n tain in g “th e d o p e,” w h ich sh e p u t in h er b ra. A f ter b ein g in sid e o n ly “a relativ ely sh o rt p erio d o f tim e,” th e in f o r ma n t ex ited th e ap artm en t an d

retu rn ed to A g en t G eo rg e’s v eh icle, w h ere sh e g av e th e b ag o f “d o p e” to A g en t G eo rg e. D ep u ty M iller, A g en t G eo r g e , an d th e in f o rm an t th en m et in th e p ark in g lo t o f a n earb y ch u r c h

, w h ere A g en t G eo rg e h an d ed D ep u ty M iller a sm all y ello w b ag co n tain in g crack

co cain e th at th e in f

o rm an t h ad tu rn ed o v er to h im

. D ep u ty M iller secu r ed th e co n trab an d

an d sen t it to th e T en n essee B u reau o f In v estig atio n (“T B I”) C rim e L ab o rato ry f o r ch em ical

an aly sis w h ere it w as d eterm in ed to b e .4 g ram s o f crack co cain e. T h e o f f icers search ed an d
d eb rief ed th e in f

o rm an t w h o id en tif

ied th e d ef

en d an t as th e p erso n f

ro m w h o m sh e

p u rch ased th e crack co cain e.

-2-D ep u ty M i ller m ad e th e d ecisio n to arrest th e d ef en d an t. T h eref

o re, h e an d A g en t
G eo rg e retu rn ed to N ew m a n’ s a ddr e s s a

nd c onduc t e d s ur

ve illan ce f

o r ap p ro x im ately an h o u r

an d a h alf

, n o tin g th ere w as “a to n o f f o o t tr a f f i c” to an d f

ro m N ew m an ’s resid en ce. T h e

o f f icers en tered N ew m an ’s ap artm en t an d arreste d t h e d ef en d an t. Wh en A g en t G eo rg e search ed th e d ef

en d an t, h e reco v ered a b ag o f p o w d er co cain e, a sm all am o u n t o f m arij u an a,

an d tw o cell p h o n es. H e also reco v ered $ 4 1 1 cash

, $ 1 0 0 o f w h ich w as co n f irm ed as th e

cu rren cy th e in f

o rm an t u sed in m ak in g th e co n tro lled d ru g b u y

. T h e co cain e w as p ack ag ed

an d p u t in to ev id en ce an d sen t to th e T B I f o r testin g , w h ere it w as d eterm in ed to b e p o w d er

co cain e in th e w eig h t o f 1 .5 g ram s. T h e d ef en d an t w as M iran d ized

, w aiv ed h is rig h ts, an d
d en ied sellin g an y

d ru g s.

F o llo w in g th e co n clu sio n o f th e p ro o f

, th e j u ry co n v icted th e d ef en d an t as ch arg ed

,
ex cep t in co u n ts o n e an d tw o it f o u n d th at th e am o u n t h e so ld an d d eliv ered w as less th an .5 g ram s, n o t m o re th an .5 g ram s. T h e d ef en d an t’s co n v ictio n in co u n t tw o w as m erg ed in to

co u n t o n e, an d h is co n v ictio n in co u n t f o u r w as m erg ed in to co u n t th ree.

O n a later d ate, th e trial co u rt co n d u cted a sen ten cin g h earin g

. T h e p resen ten ce rep o rt

w as ad m itted at th e h earin g in w h ich it w as d etailed th at th e f o rty -th ree-y ear-o ld d ef

en d an t
h ad f o rty p rio r f

elo n y an d m isd em ean o r co n v ictio n s, i n clu d in g n in e d ru g -related

co n v i c t i o n s, n in e th ef

t o r p ro p erty -related co n v ictio n s, sev en assau lt co n v ictio n s, an d six

w eap o n s co n v ictio n s. It w as also n o te d i n t h e r ep o rt th at th e d ef en d an t h ad n u m ero u s

p ro b atio n rev o catio n s, d ro p p ed o u t o f h ig h sch o o l in th e ten th g rad e, h ad reg u larly u sed
d ru g s sin ce th e ag e o f

n in eteen , an d h ad u n v erif iab le an d u n stab le em

p lo y m en t h isto ry

.

In reac h i n g th e d ef

en d an t’s sen ten ce, th e trial co u rt f o u n d th at th e d ef

en d an t h ad a lo n g h isto ry

o f crim in al co n v ictio n s an d crim in al co n d u ct an d p laced g reat w eig h t o n th at
f acto r. T h e co u rt o b serv ed th at th e d ef en d an t’s em

p lo y m en t h isto ry w as “n il.” With reg ard

to co u n t o n e, th e co u rt n o ted th at th e o n ly p o ssib le sen ten ce f o r a career o f

f en d er o n a C lass
C f elo n y w as f

if teen y ears at six ty p ercen t. T h e co u rt im p o sed a R an g e II sen ten ce o f f if teen

y ears o n th e C lass B f

elo n y in co u n t th ree. T h e co u rt o rd ered th at th e sen ten ces b e serv ed

co n secu tiv ely

, f

in d in g th e d ef

en d an t to b e an o f

f en d er w h o se reco rd o f crim in al activ ity w as

ex ten siv e.

A N A L Y S IS

O n ap p eal, th e d ef

en d an t ch allen g es th e su f f icien cy o f th e co n v ictin g ev id en ce an d
also arg u es th a t th e d o ctrin es o f m u ltip licity

, d o u b le j eo p ard y an d m erg er p rev en ted h im
f ro m b ein g sen ten ced sep arately o n co u n ts o n e an d th ree.

-3-I. S u f f icien cy o f

th e E v id en ce

T h e d ef en d an t ch allen g es th e su f

f icien cy o f th e co n v ictin g ev id en ce, arg u in g th at th e

ev id en ce ag ain st h im w as “h ig h ly circu m stan tial” an d th at “th e lik elih o o d ex isted th at th e in f o rm an t

. . . ma y h a v e b een in p o ssessio n o f th e co cain e p resen ted in co u rt at trial an d
attrib u ted to [ h im ] .”

Wh en th e su f

f icien cy o f th e co n v ictin g ev id en ce is ch allen g ed

, th e relev an t q u estio n

o f th e rev iew in g co u rt is “w h eth er, af ter v iew in g th e ev id en ce in th e lig h t m o st f av o rab le to th e p ro secu tio n , a n

y rati o n a l t r i er o f f

act co u ld h av e f

o u n d th e essen tial elem en ts o f th e crim e b ey o n d a reaso n ab le d o u b t.” Jack so n v

. V irg in ia, 4 4 3 U .S

. 3 0 7

, 3 1 9 (1 9 7 9 ); see also

T en n . R . A p p . P . 1 3 (e) (“F in d in g s o f g u ilt in crim in al actio n s w h eth er b y th e trial co u rt o r j u ry sh all b e set asid e if th e ev id en ce is in su f f icien t to su p p o rt th e f

in d in g s b y th e trier o f f

act

o f g u ilt b ey o n d a reaso n ab l e d o u b t.”); S tate v

. E v an s, 8 3 8 S .W.2 d 1 8 5

, 1 9 0 -9 2 (T en n

. 1 9 9 2 ); S tate v

. A n d erso n , 8 3 5 S .W.2 d 6 0 0

, 6 0 4 (T en n

. C r i m. A p p

. 1 9 9 2 ). T h e sam e
stan d ard ap p lies w h eth er th e f in d in g o f g u ilt is p red icated u p o n d i r e c t ev id en ce, circu m stan tial ev id en c e , o r a co m b in atio n o f d irect an d circu m stan tial ev id en ce. S tate v

. M atth ew s, 8 0 5 S .W.2 d 7 7 6 , 7 7 9 (T en n . C rim . A p p . 1 9 9 0 ).

A crim in al o f

f en se m ay b e estab lish ed en tirely b y circu m stan tial ev id en ce. S tate v

. M aj o rs, 3 1 8 S .W.3 d 8 5 0

, 8 5 7 (T en n

. 2 0 1 0 ). It is f o r th e j u ry to d eterm in e th e w eig h t to b e

g iv en th e circu m stan tial ev id en ce an d th e ex ten t to w h ich th e circu m stan ces are co n sisten t

w ith th e g u ilt o f th e d ef

en d an t an d in co n sisten t w ith h is in n o cen ce. S tate v

. Jam es, 3 1 5
S .W.3 d 4 4 0

, 4 5 6 (T en n

. 2 0 1 0 ). In ad d itio n , th e S tate d o es n o t h av e th e d u t y t o e x c lu d e

ev ery o t h er reaso n ab le h y p o th esis ex cep t th at o f th e d ef en d an t’s g u ilt in o rd er to o b tain a

co n v ictio n b ased so lely o n circu m stan tial ev id en ce. S ee S tate v

. D o ran tes, 3 3 1 S .W.3 d 3 7 0

, 3 8 0 -8 1 (T en n

. 2 0 1 1 ) (ad o p tin g th e f ed eral stan d ard o f rev iew f o r c a s e s i n w h ich th e

ev id en ce is en tirely

circu m stan tial).

A ll q u estio n s in v o lv in g th e cred ib ility o f w itn esses, th e w eig h t an d v alu e to b e g iv en th e ev id en ce, an d all f

actu al issu es are reso lv ed b y th e trier o f f act. S ee S tate v

. P ap p as, 7 5 4
S .W.2 d 6 2 0

, 6 2 3 (T en n

. C rim

. A p p

. 1 9 8 7 ). “A g u ilty v erd ict b y th e j u ry , ap p ro v ed b y th e trial j u d g e, accred its th e testim o n y o f t h e w itn esses f o r th e S tate an d reso lv es all co n f licts
in f av o r o f th e th eo ry o f th e S tate.” S tate v

. G race, 4 9 3 S .W.2 d 4 7 4

, 4 7 6 (T en n

. 1 9 7 3 ). O u r

su p rem e co u rt stated th e ratio n ale f o r th is ru le:

T h is w ell-settled ru le rests o n a so u n d f o u n d atio n

. T h e trial j u d g e an d
th e j u ry see th e w itn esses f ace to f ace, h ear th eir testim o n y an d o b serv e th eir
d em ean o r o n th e stan d

. T h u s th e trial j u d g e an d j u r y are th e p rim ary in stru m en tality

o f j u stice to d eterm in e th e w eig h t an d cred ib ility to b e g iv en

-4-to th e testim o n y o f w itn esses. In th e tr ial f o ru m alo n e is th ere h u m an
atm o sp h ere an d th e to tality o f th e ev id en ce can n o t b e rep ro d u ced w ith a

w ritten reco rd in th is C o u rt.

B o lin v

. S tate, 2 1 9 T en n

. 4

, 1 1

, 4 0 5 S

. W

. 2 d 7 6 8

, 7 7 1 (1 9 6 6 ) (citin g C arro ll v

. S tate, 2 1 2

T en n

. 4 6 4

, 3 7 0 S .W.2 d 5 2 3 (1 9 6 3 )). “A j u ry co n v ictio n rem o v es th e p resu m p tio n o f
in n o cen ce w ith w h ich a d ef en d an t is in itially clo ak ed an d rep laces it w i t h o n e o f g u ilt, so th at o n ap p eal a co n v icted d ef en d an t h as th e b u rd en o f d em o n stratin g th at th e ev id en ce is
in su f f icien t.” S tate v . T u g g le, 6 3 9 S .W.2 d 9 1 3 , 9 1 4 (T en n . 1 9 8 2 ).

T o su stain th e d ef

en d an t’s co n v ictio n f

o r sale o f less th an .5 g r a ms o f c o c ain e, th e S tate h ad to sh o w th at th e d ef en d an t so ld said am o u n t o f co cain e an d th at h e acted
k n o w in g ly

. T en n

. C o d e A n n

. § 3 9 -1 7 -4 1 7 (a)(3 ), (c)(2 )(A ). T o su stain th e d ef en d an t’s

co n v ictio n f

o r p o ssessio n o f .5 g ram s o r m o re o f co cain e w ith th e in ten t to sell, th e S tate h ad

to sh o w th at th e d ef

en d an t k n o w in g ly p o ssessed .5 g ram s o r m o re o f co cain e w ith th e in ten t

to s e ll it. Id

. § 3 9 -1 7 -4 1 7 (a)(4 ), (c)(1 ). T en n essee C o d e A n n o tated sectio n 3 9 -1 7 -4 1 9

p ro v id es in p ertin en t p art: “It m ay b e in f erred f ro m th e am o u n t o f a co n tro lled su b stan ce o r

su b stan ces p o ssessed b y an o f f en d er, alo n g w ith o th er relev an t f acts su rro u n d in g th e arrest, th at th e co n tro lled su b stan ce o r su b stan ces w er e p o s s essed w ith th e p u rp o se o f sellin g o r

o th erw ise d isp en sin g .”

With reg ard to th e d ef

en d an t’s co n v ictio n f

o r th e sale o f co cain e in an am o u n t less
th an .5 g ram s, in th e li g h t m o st f av o rab le to th e S tate, th e ev id en ce sh o w s th at th e p o lice
learn ed th at the de fe nda

nt was p articip atin g in d ru g activ ity in B ren d a N ew m an ’s ap artm en t.
T h e o f f icers m et w ith th e co n f

id en tial in f

o rm an t an d arran g ed f

o r h er to m ak e a co n tro lled
d ru g b u y f

ro m th e d ef

en d an t. A f

ter search in g th e in f

o rm an t as w ell as m ale o f f icers co u ld

w ith o u t b ein g in ap p ro p riate, th e o f f icers g av e h er $ 1 0 0 w i t h w h i c h to p u rch ase th e d ru g s

an d o b serv ed h er en ter th e targ et ap artm en t. In sid e, th e in f o rm an t g av e th e d e f

en d an t th e $ 1 0 0 in ex ch an g e f

o r a y ello w b ag co n tain in g “th e d o p e.” A cco rd in g to th e in f o rm an t, sh e

p u t th e b ag in h er b ra an d th en tu rn ed it o v er to th e p o lice u p o n th eir reco n v en in g o u tsid e. T h e in f o rm an t id en t i f

i e d th e d ef

en d an t as th e in d iv id u al f ro m w h o m sh e p u rch ased th e d ru g s. D ep u ty M iller an d A g en t G eo rg e later reco v ered th e $ 1 0 0 u sed in th e co n tro lled b u y f ro m th e d ef

en d an t. T B I F o ren sic S cien tist L au ra A d am s testif ied th at th e su b stan ce

p u rch ased b y

th e in f o rm an t w as crack co cain e in th e am o u n t o f .4 g ram s.

T h e d ef en d a n t d i s p u tes th e su f

f icien cy o f th e ev id en ce b ecau se “th e lik elih o o d

ex isted th at th e in f

o rm an t

. . . m ay h av e b een in p o ssessio n o f th e co cain e p resen ted in co u rt

at trial an d attrib u ted to [ h im ] .” H o w ev er, th e cred ib ility o f th e in f o rm an t’s testim o n y th at sh e p u rch ased th e d ru g s f ro m th e d ef

en d an t w as assessed b y th e j u ry as th e trier o f f act an d
is n o t f o r u s to seco n d -g u ess o n a p p eal. A d d itio n ally

, th e o f f icers’ reco v ery f

ro m th e

-5-d ef

en d an t’s p erso n o f th e ex act cu rren cy th at th e in f o rm an t u sed in m ak in g th e b u y su p p o rts th e j u ry ’s d eterm in atio n

.

With reg ard to th e d ef

en d an t ’ s c o n v i c t i o n f

o r p o ssessio n o f .5 g ram s o r m o re o f

co cain e w ith in ten t to sell, in th e lig h t m o st f av o rab le to th e S tate, th e ev id en ce sh o w s th at

w h en th e p o lice arrested th e d ef en d an t, th ey f

o u n d p o w d er co cain e, m arij u an a, tw o cell

p h o n es, an d $ 4 1 1 o n h is p erso n . T h e T B I f o ren sic scien tist d eterm in ed th at th e su b stan ce

reco v ered f

ro m th e d ef

en d an t w as co cain e in th e am o u n t o f 1 .5 g ram s

. A g e n t G eo rg e
tes t if ied th at 1 .5 g ram s o f p o w d er co cain e w as co n sid ered a larg e am o u n t. It w as a

reaso n ab le in f

eren ce f o r th e j u ry to m ak e g iv en th e su m o f p o w d er co cain e an d cash

reco v ered f

ro m th e d ef

en d an t th at th e d ef

en d an t in ten d ed to sell th e d ru g s. S ee, e.g ., S tate

v

. N elso n , 2 7 5 S .W.3 d 8 5 1

, 8 6 7 (T en n

. C rim

. A p p

. 2 0 0 8 ); S tate v

. M au rice C u rrie, N o

. W2 0 0 8 -0 1 0 9 0 -C C A -R 3 -C D

, 2 0 0 9 WL 2 9 9 8 9 1 6

, at * 5 (T en n

. C rim

. A p p

. S ep t. 2 1

, 2 0 0 9 );
S tate v

. William M artin F rey , Jr., N o . M 2 0 0 3 -0 1 9 9 6 -C C A -R 3 -C D

, 2 0 0 4 WL 2 2 6 6 7 9 9

, at

* 8 -9 (T en n . C rim . A p p . O ct. 6 , 2 0 0 4 ), p erm . ap p . d en ied (T en n . F eb . 2 8 , 2 0 0 5 ).

II. D o u b le J eo p a rd y

T h e d ef en d an t arg u es th at th e trial co u rt erred in sen ten cin g h im o n b o th co u n ts o n e

an d th ree b ecau se th e co n v ictio n s aro se o u t o f th e sam e series o f ev en ts an d w ere th u s a sin g le crim in al o f

f en se. A cco rd in g ly

, h e asserts th at “[ t] h e S tate is attem p tin g to in f

lict

p u n ish m en t o n [ h im ] f

o r sep arate ch a r g e s b a s ed o n th e sam e f acts” in v io latio n o f “th e

p rin cip [ les] o f m

u ltip licity

, d o u b le j eo p ard y an d m erg er.” We n o te th at th e d ef en d an t,

a l t h o u g h statin g th at th e trial co u rt im p o sed an “ex cessiv e” sen ten ce, clearly is n o t ch allen g in g th e sp ecif

ic sen ten ce im

p o sed b y th e trial co u rt b u t, in stead

, ch allen g in g th at h e

w a s s e n ten ced o n b o th co n v ictio n s rath er th an th em b ein g treated as o n e. A s su ch

, w e

co n f in e o u r rev iew t o th e d ef en d an t’s issu e in stead o f u n d ertak in g a ty p ical sen ten cin g

rev iew

.

T h e D o u b le Jeo p ard y C lau se o f th e U n ited S tates C o n stitu tio n states th at n o p erso n

s h a l l “b e su b

j ect f o r th e sam e o f

f en se to b e tw ice p u t in j eo p ard y o f lif e o r lim b [

. ] ” U

. S

. C o n st. am en d

. V

. A rticle I, sectio n 1 0 o f th e T en n essee C o n stitu tio n sim ilarly p r o v i d e s “[ t] h a t n o p erso n sh all, f

o r th e sam e o f

f en ce, b e tw ice p u t in j eo p ard y o f lif e o r lim b .” In
S tate v

. Watk in s, 3 6 2 S .W.3 d 5 3 0 (T en n

. 2 0 1 2 ), o u r su p rem e co u rt ab an d o n ed th e S tate v

. D en to n , 9 3 8 S .W.2 d 3 7 3 (T en n

. 1 9 9 6 ), f o u r-f acto r test p rev io u sly em

p lo y ed b y T en n essee

co u rts in d eterm in in g w h eth er d u al co n v ictio n s v io late th e p ro h ib itio n ag ain st d o u b le j eo p ard y

. In stead

, th e co u rt ad o p ted th e sam e elem en ts test en u n ciated b y th e U n ited S tates
S u p rem e C o u rt in B lo ck b u rg er v

. U n ited S tates, 2 8 4 U .S

. 2 9 9

, 3 0 4 ( 1 9 3 2 )

. U n d er th e B lo ck b u rg er test, th e th re s h o l d i n q u iry is w h eth er th e d ef en d an t’s co n v ictio n s aro se f ro m th e sam e act o r tran sg ressio n

. Watk in s, 3 6 2 S .W.3 d at 5 4 5

. If th e co n v ictio n s d o n o t arise

-6-f

ro m th e sam e act o r tran sg ressio n , th e state an d f ed eral p ro h ib itio n s ag ain st d o u b le j eo p ard y

are n o t im

p licated , an d th e in q u iry

en d s. Id

.

If

, h o w ev er, th e co n v ictio n s aro se f ro m th e sam e act o r tran sg ressio n , th e co u rt m u st th en d eterm in e w h eth er th e leg islatu re in ten d ed to a l l o w t h e o f f en ses to b e p u n ish ed

sep arately

. I d

. at 5 5 6

. Wh en th e leg islatu re h as n o t clearly ex p ressed its in ten t eith er to

p rev en t o r to p reclu d e th e d u al co n v ictio n s, th e co u rt m u st ex am in e th e statu tes to d eterm in e

w h eth er th e crim es co n stitu te th e sam e o f f e n s e. Id

. at 5 5 7

. “T h e co u rt m ak es th is
d eterm in atio n b y ex am in in g statu to ry elem en ts o f th e o f f en ses in th e ab stract, rath er th an th e

p articu lar f

acts o f th e c a se.” S tate v

. C ro ss, 3 6 2 S .W.3 d 5 1 2

, 5 2 0 (T en n

. 2 0 1 2 ) (citatio n s

o m itted ). “[ I] f each o f

f en se in clu d es an elem en t th at th e o th er d o es n o t, th e statu tes d o n o t d ef in e th e ‘sam e o f

f en se’ f o r d o u b le j eo p ard y p u rp o ses,” an d co u rts “w ill p resu m e th at th e L eg islatu re in ten d ed to p erm it m u ltip le p u n ish m en ts.” Watk in s, 3 6 2 S .W.3 d at 5 5 7

.

U p o n rev iew

, w e c o n clu d e th at th e d ef en d an t’s co n v ictio n s f

o r th e sale o f co cain e

an d p o ssessio n o f co cain e an d sen ten cin g o n th o se co n v ictio n s d o n o t v io late d o u b le j eo p ard y

. T h e in itial in q u iry o f th e B lo ck b u rg er test is w h eth er th e d ef en d an t’s co n v ictio n s

aro se f ro m th e sam e act o r tran sg ressio n

. D esp ite th e d ef en d an t’s b est ef

f o rts at m ak in g h is
sellin g an d p o ssessin g co cain e so u n d lik e th e sam e act, su ch is n o t th e case. T h e d ef en d an t

so ld .4 g r a ms o f crack co cain e to a co n f id en tial in f

o rm an t in sid e B ren d a N ew m an ’s
resid en ce. A f

terw ard s, th e o f

f icer s c o n d u c t ed su rv eillan ce o n N ew m an ’s resid en ce f o r a

p erio d o f ap p ro x im ately an h o u r an d a h alf b ef o re en terin g th e resid en ce to arrest th e d ef en d an t. A t th e tim e o f h is arrest, th e o f f icers f o u n d 1 .5 g ram s o f p o w d er co cain e o n h is

p erso n

. A lth o u g h c rack co cain e is a f o rm o f co cain e, acco rd in g to th e testim o n y at trial,
certain p ro cesses h av e to b e d o n e to p o w d er co cain e an d m aterials ad d ed to tu rn it in to crack

co cain e. T h eref

o re, e v e n if th e d ef

en d an t p erso n ally m ad e th e crack h e so ld to th e

co n f id en tia l i n f

o rm an t f ro m h is su p p ly o f p o w d er co cain e, an assu m p tio n o n w h ich th e

reco rd is silen t, b ecau se o f th e p ro cesses in v o lv ed

, it w as co m p letely d if

f eren t tran sg ressio n s f o r h im to sell th e crack co cain e an d p o ssess th e p o w d er co cain e f o r so m e later u se. A cco rd in g ly

, w e co n clu d e th at th e d o u b le j eo p ard y clau se w as n o t v io lated in th is case. S ee S tate v

. Jo se D

. H o lm es , N o

. 0 2 C 0 1 -9 4 1 1 -C R -0 0 2 5 1

, 1 9 9 5 WL 6 9 5 1 2 7

, at * 3 -4 (T en n

. C rim

. A p p

. N o v

. 2 2

, 1 9 9 5 ), p erm

. ap p

. d en ied (T en n

. A p r. 8

, 1 9 9 6 ); S tate v

. Walter Jo n es, N o

. 0 2 C 0 1 -9 3 0 7 -C R -0 0 1 5 5

, 1 9 9 4 WL 4 5 6 3 4 7

, at * 2 -3 (T en n

. C rim

. A p p

. A u g

. 2 4

, 1 9 9 4 ),

p erm . ap p . d en ied (T en n . Jan . 3 , 1 9 9 5 ).

-7-C O N C L U S IO N

B ased o n th e f

o reg o in g au th o rities an d reaso n in g , w e af f irm th e j u d g m en ts o f

th e trial co u rt.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ A L A N E

. G L E N N

, J U D G E

-8-