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

AT JACKSON

Ass ig ne d o n B rie fs Decem be r 7, 2 01 0

STATE OF TENNESS EE v . EDDIE H . PITT MAN

D i r e c t 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 M a d i s o n C o u n t y

N o

. 0 9

- 1 5 2 R o g e r A

. P a g e , J u d g e

N o

. W 2 0 0 9

- 0 2 3 1 6

- C C A

- R 3

- C D

- F i l e d M a r c h 1 0

, 2 0 1 1



### T h e d ef en d an t, E d d ie H

. P ittm an

, w as co n v icted b y a M ad iso n C o u n ty C ircu it C o u r t j u r y

o f th ef t o f p ro p erty v alu ed b etw een $ 5 0 0 -$ 1 0 0 0

, a C lass E f elo n y

, an d w as sen ten ced as a

career o f f en d er to six y ears in th e D ep artm en t o f C o rrectio n

. O n ap p eal, h e ch allen g es th e

su f f icien cy o f th e ev id en ce reg ard in g th e v alu e o f th e sto len g o o d s. A f ter rev iew

, w e af

f irm

th e j u d g m en t 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 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

J O H N E V E R E T T W ILL IA M S

, J J

. , j o i n e d

.

J

. C o l i n M o r r i s

, J a c k s o n

, T e n n e s s e e ( a t t r i a l ) ; a n d P a u l E

. M e y e r s

, A s s i s t a n t P u b l i c D e f e n d e r

( o n a p p e a l )

, f

o r t h e a p p e l l a n t

, E d d i e H

. P i t t m a n

.

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 ; C a m e r o n L

. H y d 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 ; J a m e s G

. ( J e r r y ) W o o d a l l

, 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 J a m e s W

. T h o m p s o n

,

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

T h is case is t h e resu lt o f th e d ef en d an t’s tak in g m erch an d ise f ro m a K o h l’s

d ep artm e n t sto re f

o r w h ich h e w as in d icted o n o n e co u n t o f th ef t o f p ro p erty v alu ed o v er

$ 1 0 0 0

.

A t trial, D an iel B ro ck

, lo ss p rev en tio n su p erv iso r f o r a K o h l’s d ep a r t me n t s t o re in

Jack so n

, T en n essee, test if ied th at o n N o v em

b er 2 1

, 2 0 0 8

, h e in itiated a f lo o r su rv eillan ce

### o f a p o ssib le sh o p lif tin g case. T h ereaf

ter, h e w en t to h is o f

f ice an d o b serv ed th e p o ssib le

sh o p lif ter o n th e v id eo su rv eillan ce sy stem

. In to tal, B ro ck o b serv ed th e d ef en d an t f o r th irty

to th irty -f iv e m in u tes. H e w atch ed as th e d ef en d an t rap id ly selected sev eral f rag ran ce item s

an d th en p ro ceed ed to th e me n ’ s d e p artm en t w h ere h e u n p ack ag ed th e item s an d p laced

th em o n h is b o d y

. A lo n g w ith th e item s o f m en ’s an d w o m en ’s f

rag ran ces, th e d ef

en d an t

w as o b serv ed co n cealin g f o u r p airs o f

b lack g lo v es an d a w atch o n h is b o d y

.

B ro ck testif

ied th at h e retu rn ed to th e sto re f lo o r an d w aited to see if

th e d ef en d an t

attem p ted to b y

p ass th e cash reg isters. Wh en th e d ef en d an t attem

p ted to ex it th e sto re

w ith o u t p ay in g

, B ro ck id en tif ied h im self an d v erb all y req u ested th at th e d ef en d an t retu rn

to th e sto re. T h e d ef

en d an t ref

u sed to co m

p ly

, an d th e tw o m en “en d ed u p stru g g lin g f irst

in sid e an d th en o u tsid e o f th e sto re” u n til m em b ers o f th e Jack so n P o lice D ep artm en t

arriv ed

. B ro ck reco v ered “[ a] n u m b er” o f sto len item s f

ro m th e d ef

en d an t o u tsid e, an d th en

h e, th e d e f

e n d a n t

, a n d tw o o f

f icers w en t b ack in sid e th e sto re. T h e item s f o u n d o n th e

d ef en d an t’s p erso n in clu d ed th e f rag ran ces, th e g l o v e s

, a b o x cu tter, an d a h an d w ritten

sh o p p in g list th at m atch ed th e ex act item s sto len

. T h e d ef en d an t ad m itted to B ro ck an d th e

o f f icers th at h e h ad co m e to th e sto re to steal th o se sp ecif ic item s so h e co u ld sell th em f o r

m o n ey to su p p o rt h is h ero in h ab it.

B ro ck testif

ied th at h e retriev ed th e em p ty f rag ran ce b o x es f

o u n d in th e sto re th at

m atch ed th e item s f

o u n d o n th e d ef

en d a n t

. H e n o ted th at an em p ty w atch b o x w as f

o u n d

in th e sto re, alth o u g h h e d id n o t p erso n ally reco v er a w atch f ro m th e d ef

en d an t. B ro ck

calcu lated th e v alu e o f th e sto len item s, n o t in clu d in g th e w atch

, at $ 1 0 6 2 .4 9

. H e said th at

am o u n t to o k in to acco u n t th e d isco u n ted p rice o f th e f rag ran ces th at w ere p ack ag ed in g if t

sets. A t th e tim e o f th e in cid en t, th e p rice o f th e w atch w as $ 2 9 .9 9

. B ro ck later d eterm in ed

th at th e v alu e o f th e item s sto len

, n o t tak in g in to acco u n t an y red u ctio n s f o r item s p ack ag ed

in g if t sets, w as alm o st $ 1 2 0 0 an d th at estim ate also in clu d ed th e w atch

. A v id eo reco rd in g

o f th e su rv eillan ce f

o o tag e w as p lay ed f

o r th e j u ry

.

O n cro ss-ex am in atio n

, B ro ck stated th a t t h e Jack so n P o lice D ep artm en t w as n ev er

ask ed to assess a v alu e to th e sto len p ro p erty

, b u t h e d id n o t th in k th at w as p ertin en t b ecau se

th e v alu e w as estab lish ed b y w h at K o h l’s p aid f o r t h e i t e ms

. Wh en ask ed

, B ro ck d id n o t

k n o w if th e g lo v es w ere o n sale th e d ay o f th e in cid en t.

O n red irect ex am in atio n

, B ro ck testif ied th at th e sto len item s w ere a to tal lo ss to th e

sto re b ecau se th e p ack ag es w ere o p en ed an d co u ld n o lo n g er b e s o l d

, y et K o h l’s w as still

b i l l e d b y th e m an u f

actu rer f o r th e item s. O n recro ss ex am in atio n

, B ro ck ex p lain ed t h a t

w h en an item co m es in to th e sto re, th e p rice is in itially set b ased o n th e co st o f b rin g in g th e

item in

, i.e., th e “b ase p rice” o r “w h ite tick et p rice,” w h ich h e u sed t o d eterm in e v alu e.

H o w ev e r

, h e n o ted th at as tim e p asses an d seaso n s ch an g e, K o h l’s red u ces th e p rice o f

-2-

### p ro d u cts n o t so l d

, e v e n to th e p o in t th at so m e item s are ev en tu ally so ld at a lo ss. H e said

th at h e d id n o t tak e th e sales p rice o f an y item s in to acco u n t ev en th o u g h th ere w as th e

p o ssib ility

th at so m e o f

th e sto len item s m ig h t h av e b een lo cated o n sales tab les.

Jef f rey S m ith

, S u p erv iso r S p ecialist at K o h l’s D ep artm en t S to re, testif ied th at h e w as

su m m o n ed to th e lo ss p rev en tio n o f f i c e o n N o v em

b er 2 1

, 2 0 0 8

, b ecau se a th ef t w as in

p ro g ress. O n th e su rv eillan ce v id eo m o n ito r, S m ith o b serv ed th e d ef en d an t stealin g item s,

a n d t h e n h e assisted B ro ck in try in g to ap p reh en d th e d ef en d an t. S m ith said th at h e w a s

try in g to d irect th e resp o n d in g p o lice o f f icer to th e d ef

en d an t’s w h ereab o u ts w h en h e

receiv ed a p ag e to rep o rt to th e o th er en d o f th e sto re w h ere B ro ck an d th e d ef en d an t w ere

“scu f f lin g .” S m ith stated th at af ter th e p o lice o f

f icers h an d cu f

f ed th e d ef en d an t, th e o f

f icers

rem o v ed th e st o l e n merch an d ise f ro m th e d ef

en d an t’s p an ts an d so ck s. T h e o f f icers to o k

th e d ef en d an t in to cu sto d y

, an d a sto len w atch w as later f o u n d o n th e d ef

en d an t’s arm b y th e

p o lice o f f icers.

O f f icers A d am M assey an d Jame s A v ery w ith th e Jack so n P o lice D ep artm en t

resp o n d ed to th e K o h l’s D ep artm en t S to re th e ev en in g o f N o v em b er 2 1

, 2 0 0 8

. T h e o f

f icers

reco v ered th e sto len item s co n cealed o n th e d ef en d an t an d to o k h im in to cu sto d y

. Wh en th e

d e f e n d a n t w as b o o k ed at th e j ail, a w atch w as f o u n d o n h is p erso n an d h e ad m itt e d i t

b elo n g ed to K o h l’s.

A f ter 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 o f th ef

t o f p ro p erty

v alu ed b etw een $ 5 0 0 -$ 1 0 0 0

.

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 ev id en ce reg ard in g th e

v alu e o f th e g o o d s sto len

. I n c o n s i d e r i n g t h i s i s s u e

, w e a p p l y t h e r u l e t h a t w h e r e s u f f i c i e n c y

o f t h e c o n v i c t i n g e v i d e n c e i s c h a l l e n g e d

, t h e r e l e v a n t q u e s t i o n o f t h e r e v i e w i n g c o u r t i s

“ w h e t h e r

, a f

t e r v i e w i n g t h e e v i d e n c e i n t h e l i g h t m o s t f a v o r a b l e t o t h e p r o s e c u t i o n

, a n y

r a t i o n a l t r i e r o f f

a c t c o u l d h a v e f

o u n d t h e e s s e n t i a l e l e m e n t s o f t h e c r i m e b e y o n d a r e a s o n a b l e

d o u b t

. ” J a c k s o n v

. V i r g i n i a

, 4 4 3 U

. S

. 3 0 7

, 3 1 9 ( 1 9 7 9 ) ; s e e a l s o T e n n

. R

. A p p

. P

. 1 3 ( e )

( “ F i n d i n g s o f g u i l t i n c r i m i n a l a c t i o n s w h e t h e r b y t h e t r i a l c o u r t o r j u r y s h a l l b e s e t a s i d e i f

t h e e v i d e n c e i s i n s u f

f i c i e n t t o s u p p o r t t h e f

i n d i n g s b y t h e t r i e r o f f a c t o f g u i l t b e y o n d a

r e a s o n a b l e d o u b t

. ” ) ; S t a t e v

. E v a n s

, 8 3 8 S

. W

. 2 d 1 8 5

, 1 9 0

- 9 2 ( T e n n

. 1 9 9 2 ) ; S t a t e v

.

A n d e r s o n

, 8 3 5 S

. W

. 2 d 6 0 0

, 6 0 4 ( T e n n

. C r i m

. A p p

. 1 9 9 2 )

. A l l q u e s t i o n s i n v o l v i n g t h e

c r e d i b i l i t y o f w i t n e s s e s

, t h e w e i g h t a n d v a l u e t o b e g i v e n t h e e v i d e n c e

, a n d a l l f a c t u a l i s s u e s

a r e r e s o l v e d b y t h e t r i e r o f f a c t

. S e e S t a t e v

. P a p p a s

, 7 5 4 S

. W

. 2 d 6 2 0

, 6 2 3 ( T e n n

. C r i m

. A p p

.

1 9 8 7 )

. “ A g u i l t y v e r d i c t b y t h e j u r y

, a p p r o v e d b y t h e t r i a l j u d g e

, a c c r e d i t s t h e t e s t i m o n y o f

t h e w i t n e s s e s f

o r t h e S t a t e a n d r e s o l v e s a l l c o n f l i c t s i n f a v o r o f t h e t h e o r y o f t h e S t a t e

. ” S t a t e

-3-v

. G r a c e

, 4 9 3 S

. W

. 2 d 4 7 4

, 4 7 6 ( T e n n

. 1 9 7 3 )

. O u r s u p r e m e c o u r t s t a t e d t h e r a t i o n a l e f o r t h i s

r u l e :

T h i s w e l l

- s e t t l e d r u l e r e s t s o n a s o u n d f o u n d a t i o n

. T h e t r i a l j u d g e a n d

t h e j u r y s e e t h e w i t n e s s e s f a c e t o f a c e

, h e a r t h e i r t e s t i m o n y a n d o b s e r v e t h e i r

d e m e a n o r o n t h e s t a n d

. T h u s t h e t r i a l j u d g e a n d j u r y a r e t h e p r i m a r y

i n s t r u m e n t a l i t y o f j u s t i c e t o d e t e r m i n e t h e w e i g h t a n d c r e d i b i l i t y t o b e g i v e n

t o t h e t e s t i m o n y o f w i t n e s s e s

. I n t h e t r i a l f o r u m a l o n e i s t h e r e h u m a n

a t m o s p h e r e a n d t h e t o t a l i t y o f t h e e v i d e n c e c a n n o t b e r e p r o d u c e d w i t h a

w r i t t e n r e c o r d i n t h i s C o u r t

.

B o l i n v

. S t a t e

, 2 1 9 T e n n

. 4

, 1 1

, 4 0 5 S

. W

. 2 d 7 6 8

, 7 7 1 ( 1 9 6 6 ) ( c i t i n g C a r r o l l v

. S t a t e

, 2 1 2

T e n n

. 4 6 4

, 3 7 0 S

. W

. 2 d 5 2 3 ( 1 9 6 3 ) )

. “ A j u r y c o n v i c t i o n r e m o v e s t h e p r e s u m p t i o n o f

i n n o c e n c e w i t h w h i c h a d e f e n d a n t i s i n i t i a l l y c l o a k e d a n d r e p l a c e s i t w i t h o n e o f g u i l t

, s o t h a t

o n a p p e a l a c o n v i c t e d d e f e n d a n t h a s t h e b u r d e n o f d e m o n s t r a t i n g t h a t t h e e v i d e n c e i s

i n s u f f i c i e n t

. ” S t a t e v

. T u g g l e

, 6 3 9 S

. W

. 2 d 9 1 3

, 9 1 4 ( T e n n

. 1 9 8 2 )

.

T o s u s t a i n t h e t h e f

t c o n v i c t i o n i n t h i s c a s e

, t h e S t a t e h a d t o p r o v e b e y o n d a r e a s o n a b l e

d o u b t t h a t t h e d e f

e n d a n t

, w i t h t h e i n t e n t t o d e p r i v e t h e o w n e r o f p r o p e r t y

, k n o w i n g l y

o b t a i n e d o r e x e r c i s e d c o n t r o l o v e r p r o p e r t y w i t h o u t t h e o w n e r ’ s e f f e c t i v e c o n s e n t a n d t h a t

t h e v a l u e o f t h e p r o p e r t y w a s b e t w e e n $ 5 0 0 a n d $ 1 0 0 0

. T e n n

. C o d e A n n

. § § 3 9

- 1 4

- 1 0 3

,

- 1 0 5 ( 2 ) ( 2 0 0 6 )

.

H e r e

, t h e d e f

e n d a n t d o e s n o t d i s p u t e t h a t h e s t o l e t h e i t e m s f r o m K o h l ’ s ; h e o n l y

c h a l l e n g e s t h e v a l u e o f t h e g o o d s s t o l e n

. T e n n e s s e e C o d e A n n o t a t e d s e c t i o n 3 9

- 1 1

- 1 0 6

d e f i n e s “ v a l u e ” a s “ ( i ) [ t ] h e f a i r m a r k e t v a l u e o f t h e p r o p e r t y o r s e r v i c e a t t h e t i m e a n d p l a c e

o f t h e o f f e n s e ; o r ( i i ) [ i ] f t h e f

a i r m a r k e t v a l u e o f t h e p r o p e r t y c a n n o t b e a s c e r t a i n e d

, t h e c o s t

o f r e p l a c i n g t h e p r o p e r t y w i t h i n a r e a s o n a b l e t i m e a f t e r t h e o f

f e n s e [

. ] ” I d

. §

3 9

- 1 1

- 1 0 6 ( a ) ( 3 6 ) ( A )

. I f t h e v a l u e o f t h e p r o p e r t y c a n n o t b e a s c e r t a i n e d b y t h e

a f o r e m e n t i o n e d c r i t e r i a

, t h e p r o p e r t y i s d e e m e d t o h a v e a v a l u e o f l e s s t h a n f i f t y d o l l a r s

. I d

. § 3 9

- 1 1

- 1 0 6 ( a ) ( 3 6 ) ( C )

. T h e f a i r m a r k e t v a l u e o f

p r o p e r t y i s a q u e s t i o n o f f a c t f o r t h e j u r y

.

S e e S t a t e v

. H a m m

, 6 1 1 S

. W

. 2 d 8 2 6

, 8 2 8

- 2 9 ( T e n n

. 1 9 8 1 )

. “ T h e m a r k e t v a l u e o f t h e a r t i c l e

s t o l e n

, a n d n o t i t s o r i g i n a l c o s t

, i s t h e t r u e c r i t e r i o n w h e n i t i s n e c e s s a r y t o e s t a b l i s h t h e v a l u e

o f t h e p r o p e r t y i n o r d e r t o f i x t h e g r a d e o f t h e o f

f e n s e [

. ] ” I d

. a t 8 2 9

.

T h e r e c o r d s h o w s t h a t t h e j u r y w a s p r o p e r l y i n s t r u c t e d o n h o w t o a s s e s s t h e v a l u e o f

t h e s t o l e n p r o p e r t y

– t h a t t h e v a l u e o f t h e s t o l e n p r o p e r t y w a s t h e f a i r m a r k e t v a l u e a t t h e

t i m e o f t h e o f

f e n s e

. B r o c k t e s t i f

i e d t h a t h e d e t e r m i n e d t h e v a l u e o f t h e g o o d s b y u s i n g 

### th e

“b ase p rice” o r “w h ite tick et p rice,” w h i c h w a s t h e 

### co st to K o h l’s o f b rin g in g th e item in t o

t h e s t o r e

. U s i n g t h i s m e t h o d

, B r o c k d e t e r m i n e d t h a t t h e v a l u e o f t h e s t o l e n i t e m s w a s

-4-$ 1 0 9 2

. 4 8

, w h i c h t o o k i n t o a c c o u n t r e d u c t i o n s f o r i t e m s t h a t w e r e p a c k a g e d i n g i f t s e t s

. H e

c o n c l u d e d t h a t t h e v a l u e o f t h e s t o l e n i t e m s w a s a l m o s t $ 1 2 0 0 i f h e p r i c e d t h e i t e m s s t o l e n

f r o m g i f t s e t s i n d i v i d u a l l y w i t h o u t t a k i n g i n t o a c c o u n t a n y d i s c o u n t s f o r h a v i n g b e e n

p a c k a g e d i n a g i f

t s e t

. B r o c k d i d n o t t a k e i n t o a c c o u n t w h e t h e r a n y o f t h e s t o l e n i t e m s w e r e

o n s a l e i n t h e s t o r e t h e d a y o f t h e t h e f t

. T h e j u r y h e a r d B r o c k ’ s t e s t i m o n y c o n c e r n i n g h i s

m e t h o d o l o g y f

o r a s c e r t a i n i n g v a l u e a n d d e t e r m i n e d t h a t t h e f a i r m a r k e t v a l u e w a s m o r e t h a n

$ 5 0 0 b u t l e s s t h a n $ 1 0 0 0

. W e c o n c l u d e t h a t t h e j u r y h a d b e f o r e i t s u f f i c i e n t e v i d e n c e t o

r e a c h t h i s d e t e r m i n a t i o n

.

C O N C L U S I O N

B a s e d o n t h e f

o r e g o i n g a u t h o r i t i e s a n d r e a s o n i n g

, w e a f f i r m t h e j u d g m e n t o f t h e t r i a l

c o u r t

.

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

. G L E N N

, J U D G E

-5-