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

AT JACKSON

Ass ig ne d o n B rie fs Sep te m be r 7, 2 01 1

STATE OF TENNESS EE v . ERIC RI CARDO MIDDLE TON

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 8

- 4 4 2 D o n a l d H

. A l l e n , J u d g e

N o

. W 2 0 1 0

- 0 1 4 2 7

- C C A

- R 3

- C D

- F i l e d N o v e m b e r 1 4

, 2 0 1 1

T h e d ef en d an t, E ric R icard o M id d leto n

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

j u ry o f f irst d eg ree p rem ed itated mu r d e r ; seco n d d eg ree m u rd er, a C lass A f

elo n y ; an d

tam p erin g w ith th e ev id en ce, a C lass C f elo n y

. H e w as sen ten ced to an ef f ectiv e term o f lif

e

im p riso n m en t p l u s t w e n t y

- f iv e y ears. O n ap p eal, th e d ef en d an t arg u es th at: (1 ) th e trial

co u rt erred in allo w in g th e d o cto r w h o p erf o rm ed th e au to p sies o n th e v ictim s to testif y as

an ex p ert; (2 ) th e trial co u rt erred in d en y in g h is req u est f o r a j u ry in stru ctio n th at M ary

T h o m p so n

, th e co -d ef

en d an t, w as an a c c o mp l i c e as a m atter o f law ; (3 ) th e ev id en ce w as

in su f f icien t to su stain h is co n v ictio n s; an d (4 ) th e trial co u rt erred in im p o s i n g p artial

co n secu tiv e sen ten ces. 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

J E F F R E Y S

. B IV IN S

, J J

. , j o i n e d

.

G e o r g e M o r t o n G o o g e

, D i s t r i c t P u b l i c D e f e n d e r ; a n d G r e g o r y D

. G o o k i n

, A s s i s t a n t P u b l i c

D e f e n d e r

, 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 r i c R i c a r d o M i d d l e t o 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 l a r k B

. T h o r n t o n

, 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 S h a u n A

. B r o w 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

A s a resu lt o f th eir in v o lv em en t in th e h o m icid es o f B o b b y P erry an d A n d reca

M an n in g an d su b seq u en t attem p t to co n ceal th e h o m icid es, th e d ef en d an t an d co -d ef

en d an t,M ary C o rm ill T h o m p so n

, w ere in d icted o n tw o ch arg es o f f irst d eg ree p rem ed itated m u rd er

an d tam p erin g w ith th e ev id en ce. T h e d ef en d an t w as ad d itio n ally ch arg ed w ith ag g rav ated

arso n

. T h e d ef

en d an t’s an d co -d ef

en d an t’s trials w ere sev ered

. 1

S ta te’s P ro o f

A t th e d ef

en d an t’s trial, T h o m as Jack so n testif ied th at h e o w n ed a sin g l e

- f am ily

resid en ce at 1 0 Web b S treet in Jack so n

, T en n essee. In M arch 2 0 0 8

, Jack so n r e n ted th e

h o u se to M ary T h o m

p so n

, an d T h o m

p so n ’s sister also liv ed th ere w i t h h e r

. A f ire at th e

h o u se o n M arch 1 7

, 2 0 0 8

, cau sed ex ten siv e d am ag e

, “ t o t a l[ in g ] th e h o u se.” H e h ad last

b ee n a t t h e h o u se ab o u t a w eek p rio r to th e f ire at w h ich tim e M ary T h o m p so n w as th ere

w ith “a y o u n g m an

. A f rien d [ ] o f h ers.” O n c r o ss-ex am in atio n

, Jack so n stated th at h e

talk ed to T h o m

p so n aro u n d th e tim e o f th e f ire, an d sh e in f

o rm ed h im th at sh e w as g ettin g

read y to m o v e b ack to M ississip p i b ecau se sh e co u ld n o lo n g er af f o rd th e ren t o n th e h o u se.

M ary T h o m

p so n testif

ied th at, in M arch 2 0 0 8

, sh e w as liv in g in a ren tal h o u se at 1 0 2

Web b S treet w ith th e d ef en d an t; h er sister, T h elm ish a T h o m p so n ; an d h er tw o

- y e a r

- o l d

n iece, R icarla. T h e d ef

en d an t w as h er b o y f

rien d at th e tim e, an d th ey h ad d ated sin ce Ju ly

1 9 9 9

. M ary ad m itted th at sh e h ad b een c h a r g e d w ith f irst d eg ree m

u rd er, alo n g w ith th e

d ef en d an t, b u t d en ied th at sh e h ad b een p ro m ised a d eal in ex ch an g e f o r h er testim o n y

.

M ary testif

ied th at, o n M arch 1 4

, 2 0 0 8

, th e d ef en d an t h ad b een liv in g w ith h er f o r

ab o u t th ree w eek s, h av in g recen tly m o v ed f ro m M ississip p i w h ere th ey b o th w ere f ro m

. T h e

n ig h t o f th e 1 4 th

, sh e w as h o m e w ith th e d ef en d an t an d h er n iece. S h e an d th e d ef en d an t

h ad b o t h b e e n d r i n k in g P au l M asso n b ran d y

, an d th e d ef en d an t h ad d ru n k “a co u p le” o f

b eers as w ell. A ro u n d 1 0 :0 0 p .m

., B o b b y P erry sto p p e d b y t h e h o u se. M ary h ad k n o w n

P erry f o r ab o u t f iv e m o n th s an d h ad ren ted cars f ro m h im in th e p ast. P erry h ad to ld h er th at

h e w as g o in g to sto p b y

th at ev en in g to tak e h er an d h er n iece to g et so m eth in g to eat an d

rid e aro u n d u n til h er sister g o t o f f w o rk at 1 1 :3 0 p .m

. P erry cam e in to th e h o u se an d h elp ed

M ary g et h er n iece’s car seat an d to o k it o u t to h is car – a tan , late-m o d el C ad illac.

M ary testif

ied th at, as th ey w ere w alk in g to P erry ’s car, a “ y o u n g lad y ,” later

d ete r mi n e d t o b e M an n in g

, w h o w as w ith P erry

, ask ed to u se th e b ath ro o m

. M ary to o k

M an n in g in sid e an d sh o w ed h er to th e b ath ro o m

. T h e d ef en d an t w as i n t h e h o u se

T he d ef end ant was ul ti m at el y acqui tt ed o n t his cha rge. 1

Ma ry T hompson and her si st er

, T hel m is ha T hompson, ar e bot h le ngthy wit nes ses

. T her ef ore

, for 2

cl ar it y, we wil l re fe r to the se wom en by the ir fi rs t names at ti m es. We m ean no dis re spe ct to ei the r of the se

wit nes ses

.

-2-so m ew h ere. M ary w aited b y th e b ath ro o m d o o r u n til sh e h eard th e to ilet f lu sh

, an d th en sh e

w en t b a c k o u t t o th e car to j o in P erry

, th in k in g th at M an n in g “w as o n h er w ay o u t.”

H o w ev er, M a r y n e v e r saw M an n in g ex it th e b ath ro o m

. M ary sat in P erry ’s car talk in g to

h im f o r a f ew m in u tes b ef

o re sh e started to w o n d er w h at w as tak in g M an n in g so lo n g

. S h e

to ld P erry sh e w as g o in g to ch eck o n M an n in g

, an d P erry said

, “‘N o

. I’v e g o t it.’ L ik e th at

w as h is clo se f

rien d an d h e w o u ld ch eck o n h er.”

“A lm o st im

m ed iately ” af

ter P erry w alk ed in to th e h o u se, M ary h eard a l oud t hum p in g

so u n d an d saw th e b lin d s m o v in g in th e liv in g ro o m in th e f ro n t o f th e h o u se. M ary lef t h er

n i e ce in th e car an d ran in sid e to see w h at w as h ap p en in g

. M ary saw th e d ef e n d a n t

“tu sslin g ” w ith P erry

. S h e ex p lain ed th at P erry w as ly in g o n h is b ack o n th e f lo o r, an d th e

d ef en d an t h ad h is k n ee in P erry ’s n eck

. M ary saw b lo o d “all o v er th e area w h ere [ P erry ]

w as ly in g ” an d o n P erry ’s b o d y

.

M ary testif

ied t h a t s h e a sk ed th e d ef en d an t w h at w as g o in g o n an d w h at h e w as

d o in g

, an d th e d ef

en d an t said “[ t] h at it w as d o n e th ere. ‘We g o t to g et th is m ess u p .’” P erry

to ld M ary , “‘H elp m e b ab y ,’” an d th e d ef en d an t said

, “N o

. N o [ ] ” an d ask ed M ary to p ass

h im th e k itch en k n if

e th at w as o n th e f

lo o r o u t o f h is reach

. M ary k ick ed th e k n if e clo se to

P erry ’s f o o t an d p rep ared to ru n o u t o f th e h o u se. H o w ev er, th e d ef en d an t sto p p ed h er an d

to ld h e r t o b rin g h er n iece in sid e. M ary said th at sh e d id n o t see w h at h ap p en ed af ter sh e

k ick ed th e k n if

e, b u t sh e assu m ed th a t P e r r y h a d g o tten it b ecau se th e d ef en d an t to ld h er

later th at “P erry

h ad g o t th e k n if

e an d cu t h is in d ex f

in g er to th e b o n e.”

M ary testif

ied th at sh e b ro u g h t h er n iece in to th e h o u se in th e b ack b ed ro o m

. P erry

w as ly in g o n th e k itch en f lo o r an d “still k in d o f g asp in g a little b it.” T h e d ef en d an t to ld h er

th at h e n eed ed h e r t o h e l p h im

. S h e to ld h im th at sh e co u ld n o t, b u t th e d ef en d an t k ep t

“in sistin g [ an d ] th reaten in g

. . . lik e, y o u k n o w

, th e p o lice f ix in g to co m e g et m e b ecau se it’s

in m y h o u se.” T h e d ef

en d an t to o k M ary in to th e k itch en w h e r e P erry lay u n m o v in g an d

g asp in g “[ v ] ery f

ain tly .” T h e d ef

en d an t tried to g et h er to h elp h im p u ll P erry o u t th e d o o r,

b u t sh e ref

u sed b ecau se sh e d id n o t w an t to to u ch th e b o d y

.

M ary testif

ied th at th e d ef

en d an t th en to ld h er to w ait w ith h er n iece in th e b ed ro o m

. B ef o re g o in g to th e b ed r o o m

, h o w ev er, M ary sto p p ed to w ash h er h an d s in th e b ath ro o m

w h e r e s h e s a w M an n in g ly in g o n th e b ath ro o m f lo o r, b lo o d y

, an d w ith w h at “lo o k ed lik e

h o les in h er.” M ary ran o u t o f th e b ath ro o m an d ask ed th e d ef en d an t “‘Wh at d id [ y o u ] d o ?

Wh y y o u d o th at? ’” T h e d ef en d an t w o u ld n o t an sw er, b u t sh e th o u g h t “h e said th at h e d id

it f o r u s.” S h e “h ad n o id ea” w h at th e d ef en d an t m ean t b y

th at statem en t.

M ary testif ied th at th e d ef

en d an t h ad m et P erry p rio r to th e in cid en t w h en th ey h ad

g o n e o u t to eat, b u t, to h er k n o w led g e, h e h ad n o t m et M an n in g

. S h e h ad n ev er d iscu ssed

-3-k illin g P erry o r M an n in g w ith th e d ef en d an t. M ary said th at th e reaso n P e r r y c a me b y to

p ick h er u p w ith M an n in g w as b ecau se P erry w an ted M ary to w atch h im an d M an n in g h av e

sex “to see h o w it w as d o n e.” S h e said th at sh e an d P erry w ere n o t d atin g b u t h ad o ral sex

o n ce. M ary

d id n o t tell th e d ef

en d an t ab o u t h er sex u al en co u n ter w ith P erry

.

M ary testif

ied th at sh e w aited in h er b ed ro o m w ith h er n iece u n til th e d ef en d an t cam e

an d g o t h er. T h e v ictim s’ b o d ies w ere n o lo n g er in th e h o u se. T h e d ef en d an t to ld h er th at

th ey “h ad to clean u p th at stu f f ,” an d th ey “clean ed f

o r a w h ile” in th e b ath ro o m an d k itch en

u sin g b leach an d M ean G reen to try to rem o v e th e b lo o d

.

M ary testif

ied th at h er sister, T h elm ish a, w as d u e h o m e f ro m w or k a r ound 1 1 :3 0 p .m

.,

an d th e d ef

en d an t lef

t th e h o u se f

o r ten t o f

if teen m in u tes. S h e said th at th e d ef en d an t

ev id en tly ran in to T h elm ish a w h ile h e w as aw ay b ecau se h e retu rn ed an d to ld M ary n o t to

let T h elm ish a in th e h o u se. Wh en T h elm ish a arriv ed

, M ary to ld h er th at sh e co u ld n o t co m e

in th e h o u se an d th at sh e n eed ed to tak e h er n iece, R icarla, w ith h er. T h elm ish a to ld M ary

“to g e t h e r s o me clo th es,” an d

, w h ile M ary w as d o in g so

, th e d ef en d an t to ld h er to sen d

T h elm ish a to g et m o re b leach

. Wh en T h elm ish a retu rn ed w ith th e b leach

, M ary g av e h er

a ch an g e o f clo th es f

o r h erself an d R icarla, an d th ey lef t. M ary saw th at T h elm ish a w as w ith

h er b o y f rien d

.

M ary testif ied th at, af

ter T h elm ish a lef

t, sh e an d th e d ef

en d an t h u rried ly

co n tin u ed

to try to clean th e h o u se. Wh en th ey w ere f in ish ed

, th e d ef

en d an t “said th at w e h ad to g o .”

T h e d ef en d an t h ad ap p aren tly m o v ed P erry ’s C ad illac an d p ark ed it n earb y

, an d th e tw o o f

th em w alk ed to th e car. T h ey g o t in to th e car an d d ro v e to an alley w h ere “a w h ite tru ck ,”

a F o rd E x cu rsio n th at also b elo n g ed to P erry

, w as lo cated

. M ary n o ticed th at th e b ack seat

o f t h e C a d illac ap p eared to h av e “[ a] w h o le b u n ch o f th in g s p iled u p o n [ it] ” th at h ad n o t

b een th ere earlier. M ary b eliev ed th at th e d ef en d an t h ad p laced “P erry o n th e b ack seat p iled

u p u n d er a lo t o f

stu f f .” T h e d ef

en d an t to ld h er th at M an n in g w as in th e tru n k

.

T h e d ef en d an t to ld M ary to d riv e th e E x cu rsio n

, w h ile h e f o llo w ed b eh in d h er in th e

C ad illac. S h e d id n o t k n o w w h ere th ey w ere g o in g at f irst, b u t th e d ef

en d an t sto p p ed

o u tsid e o f Jack so n an d to ld h er th ey w ere to d riv e to M ississip p i an d f o r h er to “‘[

j ] u st lead

th e w ay an d d o n ’t sp eed .’” T h ey d ro v e th ro u g h M em p h is to M ississip p i an d th en th e

d e f e n d a n t p u l led b esid e h er an d to ld h er th ey n eed ed to g et a sh o v el. T h ey w en t to a

Walm art in G reen w o o d

, w h ere M a r y w en t in alo n e an d b o u g h t a sh o v el. M ary id en tif ied

su rv eillan ce p h o to g rap h s f ro m Walm art o f

h er b u y in g th e sh o v el.

M ary testif

ied th at, w h en sh e lef

t th e sto re, th e d ef

en d an t to ld h er to f

o llo w h im “to

th is p lace called C o llin s,” a tru ck in g an d d etail co m p an y o w n ed b y R o b ert C o l l i n s, S r.,

w h o m b o th M ary an d th e d ef en d an t k n ew

. S h e p ark ed th e w h ite E x cu rsio n an d g o t in to th e

-4-C ad illac w ith th e d ef en d an t. T h e b u sin ess w as clo sed

, an d th e d ef en d an t to ld h er th at w as

w h ere h e w an ted to p ark th e tru ck f o r th e n ig h t.

M ary testif

ied th at th e d ef

en d an t d ro v e th em to an ab an d o n ed b u ild i n g o u tsid e th e

city lim its an d d ro p p ed M ary o f f

, tellin g h er “to stay th ere u n til h e g [ o t] b ack an d d o n ’t g o

n o w h ere an d d o n ’t m o v e.” A f ter ab o u t an h o u r, th e d ef en d an t retu rn ed to th e b u ild in g

,

p ick ed h er u p

, an d d ro v e th em to a h o tel in th e C ad illac. S h e n o ted th at th e “stu f f ” w as n o

lo n g er in th e b ack seat o f

th e car.

M ary testif

ied th at th e d ef

en d an t g o t th em a ro o m

at th e h o tel an d tried “to ex p lain

th in g s.” T h e d ef

en d an t to ld h er, “‘I k n o w I F ’d u p

, b u t y o u ain ’t g o t n o th in g to w o rry ab o u t.

E v ery th in g is g o o d .’” H e d id n o t p ro v id e an y ex p lan atio n f o r w h y h e k illed P erry an d

M an n in g

. T h ey stay ed at th e h o tel f o r a f ew h o u rs, u n til aro u n d 9 :0 0 a.m

., w h en th ey d ro v e

b ack to C o llin s’ b u sin ess. T h e d ef en d an t o f f e r e d to sell C o llin s th e C ad illac an d th e

E x cu rsio n

, b u t C o llin s d id n o t b u y eith er v eh icle. M ary n o ted th at th ere w as v isib le b lo o d

o n th e b ack seat o f

th e C ad illac.

M ar y t e stif

ied th at C o llin s g av e th em a ch eck f o r so m e g as m o n ey

, an d th ey lef t

C o llin s’ b u sin ess w ith M ary d riv in g th e E x cu rsio n an d th e d ef en d an t d riv in g th e C ad illac.

M ary d ro v e th e E x cu rsio n to a g as statio n an d p ark ed at a f u el p u m p

, w h ile th e d ef

en d an t

p ark ed th e C ad illac b esid e th e b u ild in g

. M ary w en t in to p ay f o r th e g as, an d th e clerk m u st

h a v e “au to m atically tu rn ed th e p u m p o n an d it started p u m

p in g to o m

u ch g as, b u t [ s h e ]

d id n ’t k n o w u n til [ sh e] g o t b ack o u t to th e v eh icle.” M ary to ld th e clerk th at sh e d id n o t

h av e en o u g h m o n ey an d w as “try in g to create a scen e” in h o p es th e clerk w o u ld call th e

p o lice to g et h er aw ay

f ro m th e d ef en d an t.

M ary testif

ied th at th e clerk to ld h er th at sh e n eed ed to k eep M ar y ’s licen se u n til

M ary retu rn ed w ith m o n ey

to p ay f o r th e f u el, b u t th e d ef

en d an t cam e in to th e sto re “k in d

o f lik e sh o v in g [ h er] in th e b ack lik e, ‘Wh at th e -- y o u d o in g ? L et’s g o

. Wh at is g o in g o n ? ’

A n d th e lad y said

, ‘S h e w en t o v er in h er g as,’ an d h e ask ed h er, ‘H o w m u ch ? ’ H e h ad th e

m o n ey to p ay f

o r th e g as.” M ary said th at th e d ef en d an t g av e h er th e m o n ey to p ay f o r th e

g a s, b u t sh e still ref

u sed to p ay b ecau se sh e “really w an ted th em j u st to call th e p o l i c e

. ”

M ary f i n a l l y g av e th e clerk a sig n atu re an d p ro m ised to co m e b ack an d p ay

. S h e an d th e

d ef en d an t th en lef

t th e g as statio n

.

M ary testif

ied th at sh e h ad n o t called th e p o lice o n h er o w n b ecau se sh e d id n o t h av e

a cell p h o n e, an d th e cell p h o n e h er sister h ad g iv en th em w as in th e d ef en d an t’s p o ssessio n

. M ary n ev er h ad th e cell p h o n e u n less th e d ef en d an t w as also p resen t. M ary ad m itted th at

sh e d id n o t tell an y o n e in Walm art ab o u t w h at h a d h a p p en ed b u t said sh e d id n o t d o so

b ecau se sh e “w as scared .” S h e said th at sh e d id n o t tell C o llin s ab o u t w h at h ad h ap p en ed

-5-b ecau se th e d ef en d an t w as stan d in g b esid e h er, alth o u g h s h e d id try to g estu re b eh in d th e

d ef en d an t’s b ack “lik e d o n ’t b o th er th o se v eh icles.” S h e d id n o t see an y o n e at th e h o tel

w h o m sh e co u ld tell b ecau se th e d ef en d an t w as th e o n e w h o “ch eck ed in an d g o t th e ro o m .”

M ary testif

ied th at s h e d ro v e th e E x cu rsio n aw ay f ro m th e g as statio n

, an d th e

d ef en d an t d ro v e th e C ad illac. T h ey d ro v e “[ d ] o w n th is b ack ro ad d o w n th at co u ld lead to

th e n ex t to w n o v er.” T h e d ef en d an t h ad M ary p u ll o v er an d to ld h er h e w as g o in g to d riv e

th e C ad illac in to th e lak e; h o w ev er, th e car g o t stu ck o n a h ill an d th e d ef en d an t w as n o t ab le

to g et it o u t

. T h e d e f

e n d a n t g o t in to th e E x cu rsio n w ith M ary an d h ad h er d riv e to a g as

statio n so th ey co u ld g et so m e g aso lin e in a j u g

. A f ter g ettin g th e g as, th ey retu rn ed to th e

C ad illac, w h ich th e d ef

en d an t th en set o n f

ire. T h ey tried to leav e in th e E x cu rsio n

, b u t it

h ad b eco m e stu ck in th e m u d

. H o w ev er, th e d e f

e n d a n t w as ab le to d ig th e E x cu rsio n o u t

w ith th e sh o v el.

M ary testif

ied th at th ey d r o v e t o a t railer p ark n o t f ar f ro m th e “f

ire site.” T h e

d ef en d an t to ld h er th at th ey “w ere g o in g to ch ill” th ere f o r aw h ile, an d “h e w as g o in g to try

to g et th at tru ck so ld b ef o re [ th ey ] lef

t M ississip p i.” T h e d ef

en d an t’s au n t ’ s h u s b an d let

th em in to a trailer, an d th e d ef en d an t’s au n t arriv ed a f

ew m in u tes later. T h ey stay ed th ere

“f o r h o u rs.” T h e d ef

en d an t talk ed to h is au n t’s h u sb an d an d th en lef t w ith h im

, w h ile M ary

rem ain ed at th e trailer w ith th e d ef en d an t’s au n t. M ary

to ld th e d ef

en d an t’s au n t th at “h er

n ep h ew h ad d id so m eth in g b ad ,” b u t sh e co u ld n o t tell h er w h at th e d ef en d an t h ad d o n e.

M ary testif

i e d t h a t th e d ef

en d an t retu rn ed ab o u t th irty m in u tes later, an d th ey

rem ain ed at th e d ef

en d an t’s au n t’s trailer u n til d ark w h en th ey lef t in th e E x cu rsio n

. A s th ey

p assed th ro u g h G ren ad a, M ississip p i, o n th e w ay b ack to Jack so n

, T en n essee, th ey “ran in to

th is g u y f ro m M em p h is th at [ M ary ’s] sister k n ew ,” n am ed C .J. M ary to ld th e d ef en d an t th at

sh e w an ted to rid e w ith C .J., w h ich sh e d id w ith th e d ef en d an t f o llo w in g th em

. D u rin g th e

trip

, M ary to ld C .J. th at “th ere’s a lo t g o in g o n an d [ sh e w as] really try in g to g et aw ay so h e

k in d o f lik e sp ed o f

f an d tried to leav e [ th e d ef en d an t] b eh in d .” S h e d id n o t tell C .J. ex actly

w h at h ad h ap p en ed , an d th e d ef en d an t w as ab le to stay

clo se b eh in d th em

.

M ary t e s t i f

i e d th at, w h en th ey arriv ed in M em p h is, sh e called T h elm ish a o n C .J.’s

p h o n e to h av e h er m eet th em

, an d C

. J

. to o k h er to a sto re n ear h is h o u se. M ean w h ile, th e

d ef en d an t also talk ed to T h elm ish a an d m et th em at th e sto re w h ere h e clean ed th e “d o o rs

an d stu f f ” o f th e E x cu rsio n

. M ary an d th e d e f en d an t g o t in to th e car w ith T h elm ish a;

T h elm ish a’s b o y f

rien d

, C h risto p h er; an d M ary ’s n iece, R icarla. T h ey retu rn ed to Jack so n

, leav in g th e E x cu rsio n at th e sto re.

M ary testif

ied th at C h risto p h er an d T h elm ish a d ro p p ed h er an d th e d ef en d an t o f f at

th e Web b S treet h o u s e a r o u n d 1 0 :0 0 o r 1 1 :0 0 p .m

. o n S atu rd ay n ig h t, an d th ey sp en t th e

-6-n ig h t th ere. S h e said th at th e d ef en d an t “still d id n ’t q u ite w an t T h elm ish a in th e h o u se so

sh e sp en t th e n ig h t w ith h er b o y f rien d .” T h e n ex t d ay

, S u n d a y

, a n e ig h b o r cam e to h er

h o u se, an d M ary o v erh eard th e d ef en d an t talk in g to th e n eig h b o r ab o u t B o b b y P erry

. A s f ar

as sh e k n ew

, th e d ef

en d an t d id n o t tell th e n eig h b o r an y th in g ab o u t w h at h ad h ap p en ed w ith

B o b b y P erry

.

M ary testif ied th at, o n M o n d ay , sh e called a f rien d an d ask ed f

o r a rid e to th e sto re

to p ick u p so m e p ack in g b o x es. S h e h ad b een h av in g tro u b le p ay in g h er ren t an d h ad

th o u g h t a b o u t m o v in g “b ef o re an y th in g ev en h ap p en in g .” T h e d ef en d an t to ld h er th at h e

w as g o in g to th e sto re w ith th em

, b u t M ary h ad a s k e d h e r f r ien d to “b rin g p eo p le so it

w o u ld n ’t b e ro o m f

o r h im to g et in ,” so th e d ef en d an t stay ed at th e h o u se. Wh ile th ey w ere

d riv in g

, th e d ef

en d an t k ep t callin g h er f

rien d ’s cell p h o n e try in g to g et M ary to co m e b ack

to th e h o u se. H e th en c a lled an o th er tim e an d to ld th em th at M ary ’s h o u se w as o n f ire.

M ary d id n o t b eliev e th e d ef

en d an t.

M ary testif ied th at w h ile sh e w as at h er f rien d ’s h o u se, sh e receiv ed an o th er p h o n e

call w h ich led h er to call th e f ire d ep artm en t to in q u ire w h eth er th ere h ad b een a f ire. M ary

w as in f o rm ed th at th ere h ad b een a f ire at 1 0 Web b S treet an d th at th e h o u se w as “h eav ily

d a ma g e d .” T h elm ish a h ad also b een called at w o rk ab o u t th e f ire. T h elm ish a p ick e d u p

M ary

, an d th ey sp en t th e n ig h t at T h elm ish a’s b o y f rien d ’s h o u se. T h e d ef

en d an t called h er

th at n ig h t, b u t sh e d id n o t tell h im w h ere sh e w as stay in g

.

M ary testif

ied th at th e d ef

en d an t’s ex p lan atio n f

o r k illin g P erry w as th at “h e h ad to

d o it.” S h e th o u g h t th at M an n in g w as k illed “j u st b ecau se sh e w as th ere.” Th e d ef en d an t

t o ld h er th at h e set th e h o u se o n f ire b ecau se “[ h ] e co u ld n ’t leav e n o ev id e n c e

. ” T h e

d ef en d an t n ev er to ld h er w h at h e d id w ith th e v ictim s’ b o d ies; sh e “j u st k n [ e] w w h en h e

cam e b ack th ey w eren ’t in th e C ad illac.” M ary recalled th at th e d ef en d an t to ld h er th at h is

“alib i” w as “[ t] h at h e w as g o in g to say th at [ P erry ] tried to rap e h im in h is b u tt an d h e k illed

h im .”

M ary testif

ied th at sh e h ad k n o w n P erry f o r f o u r o r f iv e m o n th s an d th at th e o n ly

sig n if ican t p ro b lem th ey h ad o ccu rred so m etim e in F eb ru ar y w h e n sh e allo w ed th e

d ef en d an t to d riv e a car sh e h ad ren ted f ro m P erry

, an d P erry “to ld [ h er] h e d id n ’t w an t [ th e

d ef en d an t] d riv in g h is car.” H o w ev er, sh e allo w ed th e d ef en d an t to ag ain d riv e th e car, an d

P erry saw h im

. P erry co n f ro n ted h er, an d th ey g o t in to a d isp u te o v er th e w eek ly ren tal rate

M ary h ad b een p ay in g

. M ary called th e p o l i c e

, a n d P erry h ad th e car to w ed aw ay

. A f ter

th eir d isag reeme n t, M ary an d P erry h ad n o f u rth er p ro b lem s, an d P erry o r “h is rig h t-h an d

m an ” co n tin u ed to d riv e h er p laces w h en n eed ed

.

M ary testif

ied th at sh e d id n o t k n o w th at th e d ef en d an t w as g o in g to k ill th e v ictim s.

-7-S h e w as n o t su re w h eth er th e d ef en d an t k n ew th at th e reaso n sh e w as g o in g o u t w ith P erry

an d M an n in g o n th e n ig h t th ey w ere k illed w as so sh e co u ld w atch th em h a v e sex

. M ary

said th at, alth o u g h sh e n ev er to ld th e d ef en d an t ab o u t sh e an d P erry ’s sex u al en co u n ter, sh e

b eliev ed th at h e k n e w a b o u t it b ecau se th e d ef en d an t h ad said th at h e d id n o t w an t P erry

co m in g b y th e h o u se an d d id n o t w an t h er in P erry ’s v eh i c l e

. M ary said th at sh e an d th e

d ef en d an t h ad d ated o f

f an d o n sin ce Ju ly

1 9 9 9 , b u t sh e h ad n o t seen h im in th e tw o y ears

p rio r to h is m o v in g in w ith h er o n Web b S treet. A t th e tim e o f th e in c i d e n t

, t h e y w ere

“[ t] ry in g to w o rk

it o u t[ .] ”

O n cro ss-ex am in atio n

, M ary d en ied th at sh e an d P erry w ere d atin g ev en th o u g h sh e

tes t i f ied at th e p relim in ary h earin g th at P erry cam e b y h er h o u se ev ery S u n d ay an d sh e

co o k ed d in n er. M ary ack n o w led g ed th at sh e testif ied at th e p relim in ary h earin g th at P erry

lik ed h er an d f

lirted w ith h er. S h e stated th at P erry h ad g iv en h er m o n ey an d h elp ed p ay h er

u tility b ill o n ce. M ary d en ied b ein g an g ry at P erry f o r rep o ssessin g h er ren tal car o r m ak in g

th e statem en t, “H e w ill g et h is.” M ary ack n o w led g ed th at w h en sh e w en t in to th e g as statio n

in G reen w o o d , M ississip p i, sh e g av e th e sto re clerk a f alse n am e an d d id n o t ask th e clerk

f o r h elp

. M ary w as co n f

ro n ted w ith v ario u s in co n sisten cies b etw een h er testim o n y o n d irect

an d h er statem en ts to th e au th o rities o r at th e p relim in ary h earin g

, p articu larly w ith reg ard

to w h eth er sh e h ad p o ssessio n o f T h elmi s h a ’ s cell p h o n e w h en n o t in th e d ef en d an t’s

p resen ce an d w ith reg ard to h o w lo n g th e d e f e n d a n t w as aw ay f

ro m th eir h o tel ro o m in

G reen w o o d

, M ississip p i. O n red irect, M ary ex p lain ed th at sh e g av e th e g as statio n clerk a

f alse n am e b ecau se th e d ef en d an t “d id n ’t w an t an y

b o d y to k n o w th at [ th ey ] h ad b ee n to

M ississip p i.”

C h risto p h e r S e e testif

ied th at h e k n ew M ary T h o m p so n an d h ad d ated h er sister,

T h elm ish a. O n M arch 1 4

, 2 0 0 8

, S ee an d T h elm ish a w o rk ed at th e sam e j o b

, an d h e d ro v e

h er h o m e to 1 0 Web b S treet af ter th ey b o th g o t o f

f w o rk at 1 1 :3 0 p .m

. Wh en th ey arriv ed

at th e h o u se, h e an d T h elm ish a w alk ed to th e f ro n t d o o r, an d M ary “crack ed th e d o o r o p en

a little b it

. . . [ an d ] w h isp ered so m eth in g to T h elm ish a.” S ee w as n o t allo w ed to g o in sid e

an d w aited f

o r ten to f if teen m in u tes u n til T h elm ish a cam e b ack o u t.

S ee testif ied th at T h elm ish a “w as lo o k in g k in d o f f u n n y ” w h en sh e ex ited th e h o u se

an d ask ed h im to tak e h er to b u y so m e b leach

. T h e sto re w as n earb y

, an d th ey arriv ed b ack

at th e h o u se w ith in f

iv e m in u tes. A f

ter T h elmi s h a to o k th e b leach in to th e h o u se, th ey

s t a r t e d t o leav e f

o r S ee’s h o u se. A s th ey w ere leav in g

, h e saw th e d ef en d an t d riv in g a

C ad illac, an d th e d ef

en d an t “f lag g [ ed ] [ th em ] d o w n .” T h elm ish a g o t o u t o f th e car an d

talk ed to th e d ef

en d an t. T h e ev en in g o f th e n ex t d ay

, S ee an d T h elm ish a d ro v e to M em p h is

an d p ick ed u p M ary an d th e d ef en d an t an d b ro u g h t th em b ack to Jack so n

. M ar y w as “at

so m e g u y ’s h o u se,” an d th e d ef en d an t w as at a g as statio n in a w h ite E x cu rsio n

. O n cro ssex am in atio n

, S ee testif

ied th at M ary an d T h elm ish a “co m m u n icat[ ed ] th ro u g h o u t th e d ay ”

-8-o n S atu rd ay b y telep h o n e.

S terlin g M elto n testif

ied th at th e m o rn in g o f M arch 1 5

, 2 0 0 8

, h e w as h u n tin g in

H o lm es C o u n ty

, M ississip p i, w h en h e f o u n d tw o b o d ies i n a f

ield n ear th e Y azo o R iv er.

A f ter seein g th e b o d i es, h e ran to h is tru ck an d called h is f ath er, w h o in tu rn called th e

sh erif f ’s d ep artm en t. H e rem ain ed at th e scen e f o r tw o o r th ree h o u rs af

ter law en f

o rcem en t

arriv ed

. M elto n d escrib ed th e lo catio n w h ere h e f o u n d th e b o d ies as v ery rem o te f arm lan d

,

w ith th e n earest h o u se ap p ro x im ately th ree m iles aw ay

.

T h elm ish a T h o m

p so n testif

ied th at, o n M arch 1 4

, 2 0 0 8

, h e r b o y f rien d at th e tim e,

C h risto p h er S ee, d ro v e h er h o m e to 1 0 Web b S treet af ter th ey g o t o f f w o rk at 1 1 :3 0 p .m

. S h e w as p lan n in g to p ick u p so m e clo th es at h er h o u se an d th en g o to S ee’s h o u se. Wh en

sh e g o t h o m e, M ary o p en ed th e d o o r, an d T h e l mi sh a saw th at sh e w as “sh ak in g ” an d

R icarla, h er n iece, w as cry in g o n th e co u ch

. M ary “b arely let [ T h elm ish a] p ast th e liv i n g

ro o m ,” b u t T h elm ish a saw b lo o d an d th at “ev ery th in g [ w as] m essed u p [ .] ” M ary ask ed h er

if sh e h ad seen th e d ef

en d an t.

T h elm ish a testif

ied th at sh e p ick ed u p h er n iece an d so m e o f h er clo th es, w h ich sh e

k ep t in a “to te” in th e liv in g ro o m b esid e th e d o o r. A s sh e w as leav in g

, M ary ask ed h er to

g o b u y so m e b leach

. S ee to o k h er to th e sto re, an d sh e retu rn ed to th e h o u se an d h an d ed th e

b leach to M ary . S h e d id n o t g o b ack in sid e th e h o u se. T h elm ish a g o t b ack in to S ee’s car

w ith h er n iece, an d

, as th ey w ere d riv in g aw ay

, sh e saw th e d ef en d an t d riv in g P erry ’s tan

C ad illac. T h e d ef

en d an t “f lash [ ed ] th e lig h ts” to g et th em to sto p

. T h e l mi s h a g o t o u t o f

S ee’s car an d h ad a b rief co n v ersatio n w ith th e d ef en d an t, d u rin g w h ich th e d ef en d an t to ld

h er th at h e h ad “m essed u p ” an d ask ed w h eth er M ary h ad to ld h er w h at h ad h ap p en ed

. S h e

to ld h im w h at M ary h ad to ld h er, an d th e d ef en d an t d id n o t resp o n d

. T h e d ef en d an t “d id n ’t

tell [ h er] ev ery

th in g , j u st th at h e h ad m essed u p . T h at’s all h e k ep t say in g .”

T h elm ish a testif

ied th at sh e an d S ee started d riv in g ag ain

, b u t th e d ef en d an t g o t

b eh in d th em an d f

lash ed h is lig h ts. T h ey sto p p ed ag ain , an d sh e g o t o u t an d talk ed to th e

d ef en d an t. T h e d ef

en d an t w as in “a p an ic m o o d ” an d ag ain to ld h er th a t h e h ad “m essed

u p .” H e d id n o t g iv e h er an y d etails, an d sh e d id n o t ask

. T h elm ish a co u ld tell th at th e

d ef en d a n t “ w a s p an ick in g

. H is ey es [ w ere] b u g g ed

. H e lo o k ed lik e h e w as in a state o f

sh o ck .”

T h elm ish a testif

ied th at, b o th tim es sh e s a

w th e d ef en d an t, sh e n o ticed th at th ere “w as

so m eth in g b ig o n th e b ack seat [ o f th e C ad illac] an d it w as lik e a lo t o f stu f f o n to p o f it.”

S h e also n o ticed th at th e d ef en d an t h ad b lo o d o n h is sh irt an d f ace, an d h is sh irt ap p eared

to b e rip p ed

. A f

ter sp eak in g w ith th e d ef en d an t th e seco n d tim e, T h elm ish a saw th e

d ef en d an t p ark P erry ’s C ad illac an d w alk to w ard th e Web b S treet h o u se. S h e an d S ee lef t

-9-an d d ro v e to S ee’s h o u se, w h ere th ey rem ain ed f

o r th e rest o f

th e n ig h t.

T h elm ish a testif

ied th at th e n ex t d ay

, w h ich w as S atu rd ay

, M ary called an d ask ed h er

to p ick h er u p i n M e mp h is at C .J.’s h o u se. S ee d ro v e h er an d R icarla th ere. A f ter th ey

p ick ed u p M ary

, th e d ef

en d an t called T h elm ish a’s p h o n e an d ask ed th at th ey p ick h im u p

at a g as statio n

. T h e d ef

en d an t w as in a w h ite E x cu rsio n sh e h ad n ev er seen b ef o re, an d h e

lef t it “[ b ] ack ed in at th e g as statio n .” T h e d e f en d an t g o t in to S ee’s car, an d th ey d ro v e

b ack to Jack so n . S ee to o k M ary an d th e d ef

en d an t to th e Web b S treet h o u se.

T h elm ish a testif

ied th at sh e w en t b ack to th e Web b S treet h o u se aro u n d n o o n th e n ex t

d ay

, w h i c h w a s S u n d ay

, an d sp o k e to th e d ef en d an t. T h e d ef

en d an t to ld h er th at h e an d

P erry h ad “g o t[ ten ] in to a f ig h t an d th at w as it.” H e said th at h e to o k an o b j ect o f f th e w all

“an d clo ck ed [ P erry ] u p sid e th e h ead .” T h e d ef en d an t d id n o t say an y

th in g ab o u t a w eap o n

o th er th an “[ w ] h at w as o f f th e w all.” S h e k n ew th at P erry w as d ead

, b u t th e d ef en d an t d id

n o t tell h er w h at h e d id w ith th e b o d y o r an y th in g ab o u t A n d reca M an n in g

. T h elm ish a d id

n o t k n o w th at M an n in g h a d b e e n a t th e h o u se, an d T h elm ish a h ad n o t g o n e in to th e

b ath ro o m o n F rid ay

n ig h t.

T h elm ish a testif

ied th at sh e lef

t th e Web b S treet h o u se S u n d ay ev en in g an d d id n o t

retu rn u n til th e n ex t d ay af ter sh e r e c e i v ed sev eral m essag es an d m issed calls at w o rk

in f o rm in g h er th at “th e h o u se h ad g o t o n f ire.” T h elm ish a lef

t w o rk im m ed iately an d w en t

to 1 0 Web b S treet to f

in d “[ a] b u rn ed h o u se

. ” T h e l mi s h a recalled th at, w h en sh e w as

in terv iew ed b y p o lice, sh e to ld th e p o lice th at th e d ef en d an t h ad said

, “I d id th is f o r y o u r

sister.” S h e th o u g h t th at th e d ef en d an t m ean t th at it w as “[ b ] ecau se o f M a r y a n d B o b b y

P erry ’s relatio n sh ip .”

O n cro ss-ex am in atio n

, T h elm ish a stated th at M ary an d P erry w ere d atin g an d th at

sh e, M ary

, an d R icarla “w en t o v er to h is h o u s e s o me t i me[ s] .” T h elm ish a said th at, at th e

tim e o f th e in cid en t, th e d ef en d an t h ad liv ed w ith h er an d M ary at th e Web b S treet h o u se f o r

less th an a m o n th

. S h e said th at M ary an d P erry ’s relat i o n s h ip “w as m ad e clear [ to th e

d ef en d an t] b ecau se M r. B o b b y P erry w as still co m in g o v er to [ t h e ] h o u se an d it w as

accep ted an d h e k n ew th at it w as a w ay th at, y o u k n o w

, m o n ey w as co m in g u p in th e h o u se

b ecau se [ T h elm ish a] w as th e o n ly o n e w o rk in g .” S h e ack n o w led g ed th at sh e h ad to ld th e

p o lice th at sh e n ev er h ad a co n v ersatio n w ith th e d ef en d an t ab o u t h o w h e f

elt ab o u t M ary

an d P erry ’s relatio n sh ip

. T h elm ish a said th a t sh e th o u g h t M ary w as try in g to en d h er

relatio n sh ip w ith P erry

.

T h elm ish a testif

ied th at, if S ee testif

ied th at h e w alk ed w ith h er to th e f ro n t d o o r o f

th e Web b S treet h o u se th e n ig h t o f th e in cid en t, th at w as in co rrect. S h e ack n o w led g ed th at

th e d ef en d an t w as n o t at th e h o u s e w h e n sh e arriv ed th at n ig h t af ter g ettin g o f

f w o rk

.

-10-T h elm ish a ad m itted th at sh e d id n o t call th e p o lice af ter seein g b lo o d in sid e th e resid en ce

o r af ter th e d ef

en d an t to ld h er th at h e h ad “m essed u p .”

O n red irect ex am in atio n , T h elm ish a testif ied th at sh e d id n o t co n tact th e p o lice th e

n ig h t o f th e k i l l i n g s o r o v er th e w eek en d b ecau se sh e “really d id n ’t k n o w th e situ atio n o f

w h at h ad h ap p en ed o r w h at co u ld h av e h ap p en ed an d [ sh e] really j u st d id n ’t w an t to k n o w

th e d etails.”

D y w a n a B ro u g h to n

, a crim e scen e in v estig ato r w ith th e M ississip p i B u reau o f

In v estig atio n (“M B I”), te s t i f i ed th at sh e w as called to a scen e in H o lm es C o u n ty

, M ississip p i, th e m o rn in g o f M arch 1 6

, 2 0 0 8

. Wh en sh e arriv ed

, sh e saw tw o b o d ies ly in g

in a seclu d ed “ h ig h

, g rassy area.” T h e v ictim s w ere ap p ro x im ately six teen f eet ap art.

Br ought on vi de ot ap ed an d p h o to g rap h ed th e area an d co llected ev id en ce, in clu d in g a br a ndy

b o t t l e, a ten n is sh o e th at m atch ed o n e w o rn b y th e m ale v ictim

, a “lo o p earri n g ” t h a t

m atch ed o n e w o rn b y th e f em ale v ictim

, an d a b lack -h an d led k n if e w ith a b ro k en b lad e. S h e

tu rn ed th e item s o v er f

o r p ro cessin g

. T h e f

em ale v ictim h ad “an in

j u ry to th e th ro at area an d

n u m ero u s slash es o n h er h ead

, f ace, c h e s t an d b reast.” T h e m ale v ictim “h ad n u m ero u s

in j u ries. C u ttin g in

j u ries to h is b ack

, sto m ach

, h ead

. In j u ries o n th e k n ees an d arm s as

w ell.”

K risto p h er Win g ert, also a crim e scen e in v est i g a to r w ith th e M B I, testif ied th at h e

ex am in ed a b u rn ed C ad illac th at h ad b een to w ed to a lo t in G reen w o o d

, M ississip p i. H e

lo cated p artial f

rag m en ts o f b u rn ed clo th in g o n th e b ack seat o f th e car b u t n o ted th at th e car

w as “to o h eav ily co n su m ed ” f o r h im to reco v er an y D N A o r f in g erp rin t ev id en ce. Win g ert

also p ro cessed a w h ite F o rd E x cu rsio n th at h ad b een f o u n d i n M em

p h is. H e lif

ted

f in g erp rin ts f

ro m sev eral areas o f th e in terio r an d ex terio r o f th e v eh icle an d co llected o th er

item s to b e tested

, all o f w h ich h e su b m i t t e d t o th e crim e lab

. H e also f o u n d sev en areas

in sid e th e v eh icle th at tested p o sitiv e f o r th e p resen ce o f b lo o d an d su b m itted sw ab s o f th o se

areas to th e crim e lab as w ell.

S erg ean t T im

P y les, an in v estig ato r w ith th e M B I, testif ied th at th e v ictim s’ b o d ies

w ere d isco v ered in a “v ery ru ral

. . . f ield

. . . o f

f o f th e lev y o f th e Y azo o [ R ] iv er,” an d h e

req u ested th e crim e scen e u n it to p ro cess th e scen e. S erg ean t P y les o b serv ed th at th e m ale

v ictim h ad an “o b v io u s

. . . p u n ctu re w o u n d to th e ch est,” an d th e f em a l e v i c t i m “h ad an

o b v io u s slash w o u n d to h er th ro at an d also p u n ctu re w o u n d s o n h er b o d y .” S erg ean t P y les

w o rk ed w ith o th er o f

f icers in try in g to id en tif

y th e v ictim s an d w as ev en tu ally ab le to trace

th e V IN n u m

b er f ro m a b u rn ed -o u t C ad illac reco v ered n ear th e riv er to B o b b y an d Y o lan d a

P erry

. H e co n tacted th e Jack so n

, T en n essee, P o lice D ep artm en t to f in d o u t w h eth er it h ad

an y w arran ts o r sto len rep o rts o n th e car. T h e Jack so n P o lice D ep artm en t sen t h im d riv er’s

licen s e p h o t o g rap h s o f B o b b y P erry an d A n d reca M an n in g

, w h ich h e u sed to id en tif y th e

-11-b o d ies.

S erg ean t P y les testif

ied th at h e w en t to an ad d r e s s o f th e d ef en d an t’s relativ e in a

trailer p ark an d “f

o u n d a sh o v el lean in g u p ag ain st a tree.” H e ex p lain ed th at “[ t] h e sh o v el

ap p eared to b e b ran d n ew an d it h ad a stain o n th e h an d le th at ap p eared to b e b lo o d .” H e

su b m itted th e sh o v el to th e crim e l a b

. S e rg ean t P y les said th at h e p articip ated in

in terv iew in g M ary T h o mp s o n o n M arch 1 7

, 2 0 0 8

, at th e H o lm es C o u n ty S h erif f ’s

D ep artm en t.

O n cro ss-ex am in atio n

, S er g e a n t P y les ad m itted th at M ary in itially claim ed to h av e

n o k n o w led g e o f w h at h ad h ap p en ed

. A f ter th e o f f icers to ld M ary th at th ey k n ew sh e w as

ly in g

, M ary g av e a d if

f eren t v ersio n o f th e ev en ts

– a v e r s i o n mo r e d am ag in g to th e

d ef en d an t an d h erself

.

K en S p en cer, C h ief In v estig ato r f o r th e L ef

lo re C o u n t y

, M ississip p i, S h erif f ’s

D ep artm en t, testif

ied th at h e receiv ed a call o n M arch 1 6 , 2 0 0 8 , th at a b u rn ed v eh icle h ad

b een d isco v ered in a f

ield

. H e w en t to th e lo catio n an d to o k p h o to g rap h s o f th e area. H e

d escrib ed th e “b u rn site” as “ru ral . . . [ f ] arm lan d an d cro p lan d .”

P a u l Wilk erso n

, Jr., th e sectio n ch ief o f th e L aten t P rin t S ectio n o f th e M issis s i p p i

C rim e L ab o rato ry in Jac k s o n

, M ississip p i, ex am in ed a n u m b er o f item s o f ev id en ce

r e c o v ered in th e p ro x im ity o f th e v ictim s’ b o d ies an d in th e w h ite F o rd E x cu rsio n f o r

co mp a r iso n ag ain st k n o w n p rin ts o f th e v ictim s, th e d ef en d an t, o r M ary T h o m

p so n

. H e

eith er f o u n d n o laten t f

in g erp rin ts, n o n e w ith en o u g h d etail f o r id en tif icatio n

, o r n o n e th at

m atch ed an y

o f th e f o u r su b j ects.

L y n ee B u rleig h

, a f

o r e n sic scien tist train ee at th e M ississip p i C rim e L ab o rato ry

, testif ied th at sh e w as a m ed ical ex am in er assistan t in 2 0 0 8

. O n M arch 1 9

, 2 0 0 8

, sh e

receiv ed tw o tu b es o f b lo o d tak en f ro m th e v ictim s an d lo g g ed th em in to th e ev id en ce v au lt.

S h e also receiv ed o th er b io lo g ical ev id en ce, su ch as f in g ern ail scrap in g s, p u lled scalp h air,

an d k n o w n f

in g er an d p a l m p rin ts, f

ro m B o b b y P erry

, as w ell as clo th in g f ro m A n d reca

M an n in g

.

J o s e p h H ef

lin

, a f o ren sic sero lo g ist an d D N A an aly st w ith th e M ississip p i C r i me

L ab o rato ry

, testif

ied th at h e ex am in ed a sh o v el su b m itted to h im f o r an aly sis an d d eterm in ed

th at th e d ark -co lo red stain s at th e en d o f th e h an d le tested p o sitiv e f o r b lo o d

. H e also tested

sev eral sw ab s tak en f

ro m th e in sid e o f t h e w h i t e F o rd E x cu rsio n

, an d th ey tested p o sitiv e

f o r b lo o d

. H ef

lin receiv ed b u ccal sw ab s th at h ad b een tak en f ro m th e d ef

en d an t an d M ary

T h o m p so n an d p reserv ed th em f o r f u rth er D N A testin g

, alo n g w ith an y ev id en ce th at h ad

tested p o sitiv e f

o r b lo o d

. T h e p r e s e r v e d i tem s w ere sen t to O rch id C ellm ark

, a p riv ate

-12-lab o rato ry , f o r D N A testin g d u e to a h ig h b ack lo g o f item s at th e crim e lab

.

L eslia D av is, a f

o ren sic b io lo g ist in th e b io scien ce d iv isio n o f th e M ississip p i C rim e

L ab o rato ry

, testif

ied th at sh e receiv ed , f

ro m L y n ee B u rleig h

, a tu b e o f b lo o d an d a sex u al

assau lt k it tak en f

ro m a v ictim lab eled “Jan e D o e.” A b lo o d stain card created f ro m th e tu b e

o f b lo o d w as sen t to O rch id C ellm ark f o r D N A an aly sis. S h e testif ied th a t i t w a s n o t

u n u su al f o r a sex u al assau lt k i t t o b e t a k e n d u rin g an au to p sy an d th at sh e p erf o rm ed

p relim in ary

testin g o n it f

o r b lo o d an d sem in al f

lu id

.

P eg g y R o d rig u ez, a D N A an aly st f o r O rch id C ellm ark , testif ied th at sh e receiv ed a

sh ip m en t o f ev id en ce f

ro m th e M ississip p i C rim e L ab o rato ry an d to o k ref eren ce sam

p les to

p rep are th e item s f

o r testin g

.

A im ee R o g ers, a D N A an aly st f o r O rch id C ellm ark

, an aly zed th e ev id en ce receiv ed

b y R o d rig u ez an d d eterm in ed th at a sw ab o f b lo o d tak en f ro m th e f ro n t car d o o r seal o f th e

w h ite F o rd E x cu rsio n m atch ed th e d ef en d an t’s D N A p ro f

ile.

D e x ter H o w ard

, th e H o lm es C o u n ty

, M ississip p i, co ro n er, testif ied th at h e w en t t o

th e scen e w h ere th e b o d ies o f th e v ictim s w ere f o u n d b earin g stab w o u n d s an d laceratio n s.

H o w ard o rd ered th at th e b o d ies b e tak en to th e state crim e lab f o r au to p sy

.

D r. S tev en H ay

n e, testif y in g as an ex p ert in f

o ren sic p ath o lo g y

, stated th at h e

p erf o rm ed th e au to p sies o n b o th v ictim s. H is ex am in atio n o f B o b b y P erry sh o w ed th at, in

ad d itio n to m

u ltip le su p erf

icial ab rasio n s o f th e sk in

, th e v ictim receiv ed f if ty stab w o u n d s

an d n in e t e e n s lash w o u n d s. S o m e o f th e n o n -f atal slash w o u n d s w ere “co n sisten t w ith

d ef en siv e p o stu rin g in

j u ries.” T h ere w ere also tw o laceratio n s to th e b ack o f th e v ictim ’s

h ead . D r. H ay

n e o p in ed th at P erry

d ied f ro m tw o d if f eren t ty p es o f in j u ries: “clo sed h ead

in j u ries [ cau sed b y ] b lu n t f o rce trau m a” an d m

u ltip le stab w o u n d s. S ix o f th e stab w o u n d s

to P erry ’s sid es, b ack

, an d ab d o m en w ere leth al w o u n d s

, a n d th e h ead in j u ry itself w o u ld

h av e also b een f

atal. D r. H ay

n e estim ated th at P erry w o u ld h av e d ied w ith in tw en ty to th irty

m in u tes f ro m h is in

j u ries. H e o p in ed t h a t P e r r y co u ld h av e b een d ead f o r tw en ty -f

o u r to

th irty -six h o u rs “an d p o ssib ly ev en 4 8 h o u rs” b ef

o re h e w as f

o u n d

.

D r

. H ay n e testif ied th at h is ex am in atio n o f A n d reca M an n in g sh o w ed th at sh e h a d

“m u ltip le ab rasio n s o n d i f

f e r e n t sites o f th e b o d y .” S h e su f f ered th irteen stab w o u n d s,

in clu d in g th ree leth al o n es to h er ch est. S h e also su f f ered n in e slash w o u n d s, “tw o o f w h ich

w ere leth al o n th e f

ro n t su rf ace o f th e n eck an d a to tal o f 6 slash w o u n d s in v o lv in g th e d ig its

o f th e lef t h an d

. . . co n sisten t w ith d ef en siv e p o stu re in

j u ries.” D r. H ay

n e d eterm in ed th at

M an n in g d ied f

ro m a co m

b i n a t i o n o f s tab an d slash w o u n d s to th e n eck an d ch est. H e

o p in ed th at M an n in g w o u ld h av e b eco m e u n co n scio u s in less th an a m in u te f ro m h er in j u ries

-13-an d w o u ld h av e d ied in f iv e m in u tes o r less. H e said th at th e o n ly w ay M an n in g co u ld h av e

su rv iv ed h er in

j u ries w as if th ey “o ccu rred in th e em erg en cy ro o m o r tr a u ma o p eratin g

ro o m .”

C h ristin e R o b in so n testif

ied th at sh e w as w o rk in g at a S h ell g as statio n co n v en ien ce

sto re in G reen w o o d

, M ississip p i, o n S atu rd ay

, M arch 1 5

, 2 0 0 8

, w ith th ree o th er em p lo y ees

w h en a w o m an d riv in g “a b ig w h ite E x cu rsio n tru ck ” cam e in to th e sto re aro u n d 1 1 :4 5 a.m

. T h e w o m an p u m

p ed $ 5 1 w o rth o f g as b u t th en cam e in sid e an d said th at sh e d id n o t h av e

en o u g h m o n ey an d o n ly w an ted $ 1 5 w o rth o f g as. T h e w o m an u sed th e sto re’s p h o n e to call

so m eo n e at C o llin s T ru ck in g C o m p an y to b rin g h er m o n ey

, an d sh e also u sed o n e o f th e

em p lo y ee’s p h o n es to tex t so m eo n e to b rin g h er m o n ey

. “[ S ] h e w as th ere m ay b e 1 5 o r 2 0

m in u tes o r m o re.” A f

ter a w h ile, “[ a] little sh o rt g u y cam e f ro m b esid e th e b u ild in g an d h e

cam e in th e sto re an d th ey talk ed a f ew m in u tes an d th ey lef

t an d sh e said sh e w as g o in g to

b rin g th e m o n ey b ack .” B ef o re th e w o m an lef

t, R o b in so n w ro te d o w n th e tag n u m b er o f th e

tru ck an d ask ed th e w o m an to w rite d o w n h er n am e, w h i c h s h e w r o t e as “L ash o n d a

T o w n sen d .” H o w ev er, R o b in so n recalled th at w h en th e w o m an sen t a tex t m essag e, “sh e

t e x t e d as M ary .” R o b in so n called th e sh erif f ’s d ep artm en t an d rep o rted th e in cid en t

. R o b in so n later learn ed th at “th e little g u y b ro u g h t th e m o n ey

b ack .”

O n cro ss-ex am in atio n

, R o b in so n ack n o w led g ed th at th e w o m an d id n o t ask h er to

call th e p o lice, d o an y

th in g to m ak e a s c en e, o r seem af raid o f th e m an w h o cam e in th e

sto re. O n red irect, R o b in so n stated th at

, a t o n e p o i n t, th e m an an d w o m an w ere

“w h isp erin g ” in f

ro n t o f h er an d th e o th er sto re em p lo y ees an d th ey co u ld n o t h e ar th e

co n v ersatio n

.

P atricia Jo rd an , th e d ef

en d an t’s au n t, testif

ied th at sh e liv ed in a m o b ile h o m e p ark

in S id o n

, M ississip p i, o n S atu rd ay

, M arch 1 5

, 2 0 0 8

. O n th at d ate, sh e arriv ed h o m e an d saw

an u n f am iliar w h ite F o rd E x cu r s i o n p u llin g o u t o f h er d riv ew ay

. Wh en sh e w en t in sid e,

th ere w as an u n f

am iliar “f

em ale sittin g o n [ h er] co u ch ,” w h o id en tif ied h erself as th e

d ef en d an t’s g irlf

rien d

. T h e d ef

en d an t cam e in th e h o u se, an d th ey talk ed f o r a f ew m in u tes

b ef o re Jo r d a n w en t to h er ro o m to sleep

. T h e d ef en d an t d id n o t tell h er w h y h e an d h is

g irlf rien d w ere th ere.

Jo rd an testif

ied th at sh e slep t f

o r ab o u t th ree h o u rs, w h ile th e d ef en d an t an d h is

g irlf rien d w atch ed telev isio n in h er liv in g ro o m

. A t so m e p o in t af ter sh e g o t u p

, h er h u sb an d

to o k th e d ef

en d an t to th e sto re, an d sh e rem ain ed at th e h o u se w ith th e d ef en d an t’s

g irlf rien d

. Jo rd an n o ticed th at th e w h ite F o rd E x cu rsio n h ad a T en n essee licen se p late an d

“w as k i n d o f mu d d y .” T h e d ef en d an t b o rro w ed a p air o f p an ts f ro m Jo rd an ’s h u sb an d to

ch an g e in to

, an d th e d ef en d an t’s g irlf

rien d h ad o n a b lack sw e a t s u i t w ith “m u d o n th e

b o tto m o f h er p an t leg ” an d sh o es th at “w ere real m u d d y .” T h e d ef

en d an t an d h is g irlf

rien d

-14-lef

t in th e E x cu rsio n so m etim e af ter d ark

.

On c r os s

- e xa m i na tio n

, Jo rd an testif ied th at th e d ef

en d an t’s g irlf

rien d h ad a cel l phone

w ith h er th at k ep t rin g in g

, an d th at sh e talk ed o n it u n til th e b attery d ied

. S h e n ev er saw th e

d ef en d an t’s g irlf

rien d call th e p o lice o n h er cell p h o n e, an d sh e d id n o t ask Jo rd an to call th e

p o lice f o r h er. Jo rd an estim ated th at th e d ef en d an t an d h is g irlf

rien d w ere at h er h o u se f

o r

eig h t h o u rs, an d sh e d id n o t k n o w w h ere th ey w ere g o in g w h en th ey

lef t.

C ed ric S m ith

, P atricia Jo rd an ’s h u sb an d, t e s t i fi e d t ha t t he d ef en d an t an d h is g irlf

rien d

cam e to h is h o u se o n M arch 1 5

, 2 0 0 8

, aro u n d n o o n

. H e h ad o n ly recen tly m et th e d ef en d an t

an d h ad n ev er m et th e d ef en d an t’s g irlf

rien d

. S m ith “ran in to [ th e d ef en d an t] ” as h e w as

arriv in g h o m e an d th e d ef en d an t w as leav in g o n f

o o t. T h e d ef

en d an t to ld S m ith th at “th ey

h ad j u st g o t o f

f th e ro ad an d th ey w ere tired an d n eed ed to rest.” T h ey h ad arriv ed in a w h ite

E x cu rsio n

.

S m ith testif

ied th at h e in v ited th e d ef en d an t an d h is g irlf

rien d in to th e h o u se, an d h e

“d ran k a b eer an d w atch ed T V an d th ey to o k a n ap .” Wh en h is w if e g o t h o m e, “[ t] h ey g o t

acq u ain ted

. T h ey j u st reu n ited o r w h atev er.” S o m etim e later, S m ith to o k th e d ef en d an t to

a co n v en ien ce sto re to g et so m e f o o d , w h ile h is w if

e an d th e d ef

en d an t’s g irlf

rien d stay ed

h o m e. B ef

o re leav in g f

o r th e sto re, th e d ef

en d an t to ld S m ith th at “[ h ] e w as a little m u d d y

an d h e d id n ’t w an t to g o to [ th e sto re] w ith m u d o n h im

, so [ S m ith ] lo an ed h im a p a i r o f

sw eat p an ts an d

. . . a sh irt.” A ro u n d 6 :0 0 o r 7 :0 0 th at ev en in g

, af ter d ark

, th e d ef

en d an t an d

h is g irlf rien d lef t S m ith ’s h o u se in th e w h ite E x cu rsio n

. S m ith d id n o t k n o w w h e re th ey

w ere g o in g , an d th e d ef

en d an t w as still w earin g th e clo th in g S m ith h ad lo an ed h im

.

A im ee O x ley

, a crim e scen e an aly st an d laten t f in g erp rin t ex am in er f

o r th e Jack so n

, T en n essee, P o l i c e D ep artm en t, testif ied th at sh e w as d isp atch ed to 1 0 Web b S treet in

resp o n se to a h o u se h av in g b een set o n f ire an d a “p o ssib le h o m icid e.” Wh en sh e arriv ed

, O x ley n o ted th at th e liv in g ro o m

, k itch en

, an d h allw ay “w ere h eav ily d am ag ed w ith so o t an d

f ire,” an d sh e d eterm in ed th at th e f ire ap p eared to h av e b een started in th e b ath ro o m . S h e

o b serv ed th at “th ere w ere areas esp ecially in th e liv in g ro o m ev en w ith th e b u rn d am ag e th at

y o u co u ld tell th at th ere w ere p o rtio n s o f carp et th at h ad b een cu t u p .” S h e also d isco v ered

a m o p an d a b u ck et co n tain in g “ru sty co lo r” w ater in th e k itch en

. O x ley n o ted th at th e w ater

in th e b u ck et in d icated “th at th ere w as a clean u p o f th e resid en ce

. . . af ter th e h o m icid e h ad

o ccu rred .”

O x ley t e s t i f

i e d t h at sh e tested sev eral areas aro u n d th e h o u se w ith a p ro d u ct th at

reacts w ith b lo o d “ e v e n a f t e r [ t h e b lo o d h as] b een clean ed u p w ith b leach o r an y o th er

clean in g p ro d u ct.” A p p aren t b lo o d stain s o n th e b ack o f th e co u ch in th e liv in g ro o m tested

p o sitiv e f o r b lo o d

, as d id th e co u ch cu sh io n s, th e en try w ay f ro m th e f ro n t d o o r, an d m o st o f

-15-th e k itch en f lo o r. S h e to o k sam

p les f ro m th e f ab ric, lin o leu m

, an d w o o d t h a t s h o w ed th e

p resen ce o f b lo o d

. S h e d id n o t g et an y reactio n f ro m th e lu m in escin g ag en t in th e b ath ro o m

,

p resu m ab ly

b ecau se o f

th e ex ten siv e b u rn d am ag e in th e b ath ro o m

.

O x ley testif

ied th at sh e co llecte d s e v e r al item s f ro m aro u n d th e h o u se, in clu d in g

item s in th e k itch en trash can

. S h e ex p lain ed th at “[ t] h ere w ere b ro k en p ieces o f w o o d an d

b ro k en ceram ics an d clo th in g an d p ills an d th ere w as a cell p h o n e in th e k itch en trash .” S h e

also f o u n d an em

p ty g allo n j u g o f b leach

, em p ty b o ttles o f “M ean G reen S u p e r S t r e n g t h

clean er,” an d an em

p ty b o ttle o f L y so l in th e k itch en trash

. A lso lo cated in th e k itch en trash

w ere a w h ite m en ’s u n d ersh irt “w ith p o ssib le b lo o d ,” a u sed b an d -aid , a p lastic cu p “w ith

p o ssib le b lo o d ,” a p o t h o ld er, an d six ty -f o u r b lu e tab lets an d a p r e s c r i p tio n b o ttle “w ith

p o ssib le b lo o d .” A ll o f th e ev id en ce w as sen t 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

.

Li e ut e na nt Mi ke Tur

n er w ith th e Jack so n

, T en n essee, P o lice D ep artm en t t e s t i fi e d t ha t

h e w as an ev id en ce cu sto d ian an d crim e scen e tech n ician

, an d h e assisted O x ley in co llectin g

an d p ro cessin g ev id en ce at 1 0 Web b S t r e e t. L ieu ten an t T u rn er also to o k sw ab s f o r D N A

testin g o f p o ssib le b lo o d stain s aro u n d th e f ro n t d o o r. H e co llected sev eral k n iv es, in clu d in g

o n e “th at cam e f

ro m th e d ish d rain er in th e k itch en area.”

A g en t C ath y F erg u so n w ith th e C rim in al In v estig atio n D iv isio n o f th e T B I testif ied

th at sh e assisted A im ee O x ley an d L ieu ten an t T u rn er w ith th e co llectio n o f ev id en ce an d

p ro cessin g th e scen e at 1 0 Web b S treet o n M arch 1 8

, 2 0 0 8

. A g en t F erg u so n also

p h o to g rap h ed an d sk etch ed a d iag ram o f th e scen e.

A g en t M elan ie Jo h n so n w ith th e T B I D ru g Id en tif i c a t i o n S e ctio n testif

ied th at sh e

tested th irty -f

iv e b lu e tab lets as w ell as d eterio rated p artial tab lets an d f rag m en ts reco v ered

in th is case an d d eterm in ed t h a t t h ey co n tain ed H y d ro co d o n e, a S ch ed u le III co n tro lled

su b stan ce.

A g en t D o n n a N elso n

, a D N A f o ren sic an aly st w ith th e T B I, testif ied th at sh e tested

a b lo o d sam

p le tak en f

ro m B o b b y P erry

, b u t th e sam p le w as to o d eg rad ed f

o r h er to o b tain

a D N A p r o f

i l e

. H o w ev er, sh e w as ab le to o b tain a D N A p ro f ile f ro m th e b lo o d sam

p le

tak en f ro m A n d reca M an n in g

. A g en t N elso n tested a p resu m p tiv e b lo o d s tain o n a w h ite

tan k to p reco v ered f

ro m 1 0 Web b S treet an d d eterm in ed th at th e b lo o d w as M an n in g ’s.

A g en t N elso n testif

ied th at sh e g en erated a D N A p ro f ile f ro m th e b lo o d o n a b lu e

p lastic cu p f

ro m th e k itch en trash an d d eterm in ed th at it m atch ed th e D N A o f an u n id en tif ied

m ale. S h e later receiv ed th e resu lts o f D N A testin g d o n e b y O rch id C ellm ark th at g en erated

a p ro f i l e f ro m o th er sam

p les tak en f

ro m B o b b y P erry an d f

ro m th at d eterm in ed th at th e

-16-b lo o d o n th e p lastic cu p m atch ed P erry

.

A g en t N elso n testif

ied th at th e b lo o d f

o u n d o n th e H y d ro co d o n e tab lets an d

p rescrip tio n b o ttle cap b elo n g ed to th e d ef en d an t. A b ro k en p iece o f w o o d tak en f ro m th e

k itch en trash h ad b lo o d o n it f ro m w h ich

, alth o u g h th e sam p le w as d eg rad in g

, sh e w as ab le

to p artially m atch to B o b b y P e r r y ’ s D N A

. F ab ric tak en f ro m th e b ack o f th e liv in g ro o m

so f a co n tain ed a b lo o d stain A g en t N elso n d eterm in ed b elo n g ed to th e d ef en d an t. S w ab s o f

lin o leu m sam

p le s f r o m th e en try

w ay an d k n iv es f

ro m th e k itch en w ere n eg ativ e f o r th e

p resen ce o f

an y b lo o d

.

In v estig ato r D an ielle Jo n es w ith th e V io len t C rim es U n it o f th e Jack so n

, T en n essee,

P o lice D ep artm en t testif

ied th at sh e p h o to g rap h ed th e w h ite F o rd E x cu rsio n at a C itg o g as

statio n in M em

p h is. O n M arch 1 9

, 2 0 0 8

, In v estig ato r Jo n es trav eled to M ississip p i to

in terv iew M ary T h o m

p so n an d th e d ef

en d an t. S h e cam e in to co n tact w ith th e d ef en d an t o n

M arch 2 0 an d to o k p h o to g r a p h s o f h is h an d s. T h e d ef en d an t h ad a b an d ag e aro u n d th e

in d ex f in g er o n o n e h an d an d

, w h en h e rem o v ed th e b an d ag e, In v estig ato r Jo n es saw w h at

“ap p ear[ ed ] to b e a d eep cu t.”

D ef en d a n t’s P ro o f

O f f icer Ju stin H arris w ith th e Jack so n

, T en n e s s e e, P o lice D ep artm en t testif ied th at

h e w o rk ed as a p atro l o f

f icer in M arch 2 0 0 8

. O n M arch 5

, 2 0 0 8

, h e w as called to 1 0 Web b

S treet in resp o n se to a “ci v i l d i s p u t e

. . . o v er a v eh icle.” A f em ale resid en t o f th e h o u se

called in th e co m

p lain t. O f

f icer H arris learn ed th at th e car, b elo n g in g to B o b b y P erry

, w as

b ein g rep o ssessed an d “[ n ] o b o d y h ad an y p ap erw o rk at th e tim e say in g th at car b elo n g at 1 0

Web b S treet so w e allo w ed M r. P erry ’s to w tru ck d riv er to tak e th e car.”

O f f icer T erry B u ck ley w ith th e Jack so n

, T en n essee, P o lice D ep artm en t testif ied th at

h e w as also a p atro l o f

f icer in M arch 2 0 0 8 an d resp o n d ed to 1 0 Web b S treet in ref eren ce to

a d istu rb an ce in v o lv in g a v eh icle. B o b b y P erry w as th e o w n e r o f th e car an d w as

rep o ssessin g th e v eh icle. H o w ev er, O f f icer B u ck ley w as “to l d t h a t i t w as a ren tal

ag reem en t,” b u t th e ren ter co u ld n o t p ro d u ce an y p ap erw o rk f o r su ch

. T h e co m

p lain an t w as

o n e o f sev eral f

em ales o n th e scen e th at d ay

, an d th e o f f icers “j u st k ep t th e p eace betw een

th e tw o p arties.”

O f f icer B u ck ley testif

ied th at th ere w as a to w tru ck at th e scen e, an d th e ren ter o f th e

v e h i c l e “w as u p set th at th e car w as b ein g tak en aw ay f ro m h er [ an d ] stated th at sh e w a s

m ak in g p ay

m en ts o n th e v eh icle an d w as cu rren t o n th e p ay m en ts.” Wh en P erry arriv ed at

th e scen e, th e ren ter m ad e a lo u d , an g ry statem en t d irected to w ard P erry

.

-17-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 e f

irst d eg ree

p rem ed itated m

u rd er o f B o b b y P erry

, th e seco n d d eg ree m u rd er o f A n d reca M an n in g

, an d

tam p erin g w ith th e ev id en ce. T h e d ef en d an t w as acq u itted o n th e ag g rav ated arso n ch arg e.

A N A L Y S IS

I. E x p ert W itn ess

T h e d ef en d an t arg u es th at th e trial co u rt erred in allo w in g D r. S tev en H ay n e to testif

y

as an ex p ert w itn ess in f

o ren sic p ath o lo g y . In a j u ry -o u t h earin g , th e S tate q u estio n ed D r.

H ay n e reg ard in g h is train in g an d ex p erien ce in f o ren sic p ath o lo g y

. D r. H ay n e testif ied th at

h e w as a licen sed m ed ical d o cto r an d h ad p racticed in f o ren sic p ath o lo g y f

o r t h i r ty -f

iv e

y e a rs. H e g rad u ated f

ro m B ro w n S ch o o l o f M ed icin e af ter co m p letin g m o st o f h i s

u n d erg rad u ate w o rk at N o rth D ak o ta S tate U n iv ersity

. H e d id n o t o b tain an u n d erg rad u ate

d eg ree b u t, af

ter tw o y ears o f m ed ical sch o o l, w as g ran ted a b accalau reate d eg ree in m ed ical

scien ce. H e co m

p leted h is resi d e n c y train in g in p ath o lo g y at L etterm an A rm y M ed ical

C en ter in S an F ran cisco an d th en w as ch ief o f p ath o lo g y in m ilitary h o sp itals in F o rt

L eav en w o rth , K an sas, an d F o rt C am p b ell, K en tu ck y

.

D r. H ay n e testif ied th at, af

ter leav in g th e m ilitary

, h e sp en t tw o y ears w o rk in g f o r

S h o al’s M ed ical L ab o rato ries an d th en w as m ed ical d irecto r o f R an k in M ed ical C en ter in

M ississip p i f

o r eig h teen o r n in eteen y ears w h ile also serv in g as m ed ical d irecto r f o r sev eral

sm all h o sp itals in th e area. H e w o rk ed in th e m ed ical ex am in er’s o f f i c e i n M i s s i s sip p i as

“actin g state m ed ical [ e] x am in er, d esig n ated state p ath o lo g ist an d ch ief state p ath o lo g ist.”

H e ad d itio n ally

w o rk ed “f

o r so m e 1 0 o r 1 2 y ears as a f o ren sic p ath o lo g ist f

o r so m e o f

th e

p arish es in L o u isian a.” D r. H ay n e th en w o rk ed f

o r tw elv e y ears as th e m ed ical d irecto r f o r

R en a L ab o ra t o r y a n d p resen tly w o rk ed as th e “M ed ical D irecto r o f C y b erN o stic an d th e

M ed ical D irecto r o f

th e P ro L ab o rato ry .” H e w as n o t, p resen tly , an em p lo y ee o f th e S tate

o f M ississip p i an d cu rren tly p erf o rm ed “p riv ate au to p sies, m ed ical au to p sies, n o t m ed ical

leg al au to p sies.” D r. H ay n e stated th at h e h ad p erf o rm ed ap p ro x im ately 3 5 ,0 0 0 au to p sies

in h is th irty

- f

iv e-y ear career. H e h ad testif ied as an ex p ert ap p ro x im ately 4 5 0 0 tim es in

v ario u s state, f

ed eral, an d m ilitary

co u rts.

O n cro ss-ex am in atio n , D r. H ay n e ack n o w led g ed th at th e M ississip p i P u b lic S af ety

C o m m issio n e r h a d r e cen tly rem o v ed h im as th e C h ief S tate P ath o lo g ist an d D esig n ated

P ath o lo g ist. H e ad m i t t e d th at h e av erag ed 1 0 0 0 au to p sies a y ear b u t th at th e N atio n al

A sso ciatio n o f M ed ical E x am in er s r e c o mm en d ed th at f o ren sic p ath o lo g ists o n ly p erf o rm

b e t w een 2 5 0 an d 3 2 5 au to p sies a y ear. H e claim ed

, h o w ev er, th at h e an d h is a t t o r n e y

su rv ey ed p ath o lo g ists aro u n d th e co u n try an d “ab o u t 6 5 p ercen t said th ey d id mo r e

. ” H e

ack n o w led g ed th at h e w as n o t certif ied b y th e A m erican B o ard o f P ath o lo g y in f o ren sic

-18-p ath o lo g y

, alth o u g h h e w as in an ato m ic an d clin ical p ath o lo g y

. B ecau se h e w as n o t certif ied

b y th e A m erican B o ard o f P ath o lo g y in f o ren sic p ath o lo g y

, h e w as n ev er o f f icially th e state

m ed ical ex am in er f

o r M ississip p i, as M ississip p i req u ired su ch certif icatio n

. H o w ev er, h e

said th at th e atto rn ey g en eral’s o f f ice h ad d eterm in ed th at h e “w as q u alif ied .” H e n o ted th at

h e w as certif

ied b y th e A m erican B o ard o f F o ren sic P a t h o lo g y

, b u t th at b o ard w as n o t

reco g n ized b y th e A m erican B o ard o f M ed ical S p ecialties. D r

. H ay n e co n f irm ed th at

law su its h ad b een f

iled ag ain st h im b y th e In n o cen ce P r o j e c t o n b eh alf o f ex o n erated

in m ates in w h o se cases h e h ad testif ied

. H e ack n o w led g ed th at, in 2 0 0 3

, h e testif ied in a

d ep o sitio n th at h e p erf

o rm ed ap p ro x im ately

1 5 0 0 au to p sies a y ear.

A f ter h earin g D r. H ay

n e’s testim o n y co n ce r n i n g h is q u alif icatio n s, th e trial co u rt

f o u n d th at h e w as q u alif

ied as an ex p ert in th e f

ield o f f o ren sic p ath o lo g y an d co u ld g iv e h is

o p in io n s co n cern in g th e cau se an d m an n er o f th e v ictim s’ d eath s.

A g ain

, th e d ef

en d an t arg u es th at th e trial co u rt erred in allo w in g D r. H ay n e to testif

y

as an ex p ert w itn ess in f o ren sic p ath o lo g y

. H e asserts th at b ecau se D r. H ay n e w as n o t

certif ied b y th e n atio n ally reco g n ized b o ard f o r f o ren sic p ath o lo g ists, p erf o rm ed mo re

au to p sies an n u ally th an th e m ax im u m reco m

m en d ed b y th e certif

y in g b o ard

, an d h ad b een

su ed b y ex o n erated in m ates, “[ t] h e cu mu l a t iv e ef f ect o f th e ch allen g es to D r. H ay n e’s

cred ib ility as a reliab le ex p ert w itn ess in th e f ield o f f o ren sic p ath o lo g y sh o u ld serv e as

g ro u n d s to g ran t [ h im ] a n ew trial.” H e d o es n o t ch allen g e an y o f D r. H ay n e’s co n clu sio n s

ab o u t th e cau se an d m an n er o f th e v ictim s’ d eath s.

T h e ad m issio n o f ex p ert testim o n y is g o v ern ed b y T en n essee R u le o f E v id en ce 7 0 2

,

w h ich p r o v i d es th at “[ i] f scien tif ic, tech n ical, o r o th er sp ecialized k n o w led g e w ill

su b stan tially assist th e trier o f f act to u n d erstan d th e ev id en ce o r to d eterm in e a f act in issu e,

a w itn ess q u alif

ied as an ex p ert b y k n o w led g e, sk ill, ex p erien ce, train in g

, o r ed u catio n m ay

testif y in th e f o rm o f an o p in io n o r o th erw ise.” T en n

. R

. E v i d

. 7 0 2

. “T h e w itn ess m ay

acq u ire th e n ecessary ex p ertise th ro u g h f o rm al ed u catio n o r lif

e ex p erien ces.” S tate v

. R eid

, 9 1 S .W.3 d 2 4 7

, 3 0 2 (T en n

. 2 0 0 2 ) (citin g N eil P

. C o h en et al., T en n essee L aw o f E v id en ce

§ 7 .0 2 [ 4 ] (4 th ed

. 2 0 0 0 )). “H o w ev er, th e w itn ess m u st h av e su ch su p erio r sk ill, ex p erien ce,

train in g

, ed u catio n

, o r k n o w led g e w ith in th e p articu lar area th at h is o r h er d eg ree o f

ex p ertise is b ey o n d th e sco p e o f co m m o n k n o w led g e an d ex p erien ce o f th e av erag e p erso n .”

Id

. T h e d eterm in in g f

acto r is “w h eth er th e w itn ess’s q u alif icatio n s au th o rize h im o r h er to

g iv e an in f

o rm ed o p in io n o n t h e s u b j ect at issu e.” S tate v

. S tev en s, 7 8 S .W.3 d 8 1 7

, 8 3 4

(T en n . 2 0 0 2 ) (em

p h asis o m itted ).

Q u estio n s reg ard in g th e ad m issib ility , q u alif icatio n s, relev an cy

an d co m p eten cy o f

ex p ert t e s tim o n y are lef t to th e d iscretio n o f th e trial co u rt. M cD an iel v

. C S X

T ran sp o rtatio n

, In c., 9 5 5 S .W.2 d 2 5 7 , 2 6 3 -6 4 (T en n . 1 9 9 7 ). A s su ch

, w e w ill n o t d istu rb

-19-th e trial co u rt’s ru lin g ab sen t a clear sh o w in g th at it ab u sed its d iscretio n in a d mi t t i n g t h e

testim o n y . Id .; S tev en s, 7 8 S .W.3 d at 8 3 2

.

We co n clu d e th at th e trial co u rt d id n o t ab u se its d iscretio n in allo w in g D r. H ay n e to

testif y as an ex p ert w itn ess in f o ren sic p ath o lo g y

. D r. H ay n e’s train in g a n d ex ten siv e

ex p erien ce in f

o ren sic p ath o lo g y

, i n c l u d in g th e p erf o rm an ce o f ap p ro x im ately 3 5 ,0 0 0

au to p sies, clearly sh o w a d eg ree o f ex p ertise b ey o n d th e sco p e o f co m m o n k n o w led g e an d

ex p erien ce o f th e av erag e p erso n

. T h e d ef en se th o ro u g h ly cro ss-ex am in ed D r

. H a y n e in

f ro n t o f th e j u ry

, an d th e j u ry w as in stru cted

, “[ I] t is u p to y o u to d ecid e w h eth er y o u b eliev e

t h is testim o n y an d ch o o se to rely u p o n it. P art o f th at d ecisio n w ill d ep e n d o n y o u r

j u d g m en t ab o u t w h eth er th e w itn ess’[ s] b ack g ro u n d o r train in g an d ex p erien ce is su f f icien t

f o r th e w itn ess to g iv e th e ex p ert o p in io n th at y o u h eard .” T h e d ef en d an t’s ch allen g es are

essen tially to D r. H ay

n e’s cred ib ility as an ex p ert w itn ess, n o t h is q u alif icatio n s, w h ich w as

a s s e ssed b y th e j u ry af

ter p ro p er in stru ctio n s f

ro m th e trial co u rt. T h e d ef en d an t is n o t

en titled to relief

o n th is issu e.

II. J u ry In stru ctio n

T h e d ef en d an t arg u es th at th e trial co u rt erred in n o t in stru ctin g th e j u ry th at M ary

T h o m p so n w as an acco m

p lice as a m atte r o f l a w

. A f ter th e co n clu sio n o f th e p ro o f

, th e

d ef en se req u ested th at th e trial co u rt in stru ct th e j u ry th at M ary w as an acco m p lice as a

m atter o f law as to th e m

u rd er an d tam

p erin g w ith th e ev id en ce ch arg es. D ef en se co u n sel

asserted th at M ary ’s testim o n y

, a n d t h e f act sh e w as in d icted alo n g w ith th e d ef en d an t,

sh o w ed sh e w as an acco m p lice as a m atter o f law

. T h e co u rt rev iew ed M ary ’s testim o n y an d

d eterm in ed th at “it is a q u estio n o f f act f o r th e j u ry to d eterm in e

. . . w h eth er

. . . sh e w as in

f act an acco m

p lice in th ese ch arg es o r th ese acts.” T h ereaf ter, th e trial co u rt in stru cted th e

j u ry acco rd in g ly

, in clu d in g th e in stru ctio n th at if it f o u n d M ary

to b e an acco m

p lice, th ere

w o u ld h av e to b e co rro b o ratin g ev id en ce to su p p o rt h er testim o n y

.

A n acco m

p lice is d ef

in ed as o n e w h o “k n o w in g ly

, v o lu n tarily

, an d w ith co m m o n

in ten t p articip ates w ith th e p rin cip al o f f en d er in th e co m m issio n o f th e crim e alleg ed in th e

ch arg in g in stru m en t.” S tate v

. G rif f is, 9 6 4 S .W.2 d 5 7 7

, 5 8 8 (T en n

. C rim

. A p p

. 1 9 9 7 ). T h e

test f o r d eterm in in g w h eth er a w itn ess is an acco m p lice is w h eth er th e w itn ess co u ld b e

in d icted f o r th e sam e o f

f en se as th e d ef

en d an t. S ee S tate v

. G reen

, 9 1 5 S .W.2 d 8 2 7

, 8 3 1

(T en n

. C rim

. A p p

. 1 9 9 5 ); S tate v

. L aw so n

, 7 9 4 S .W.2 d 3 6 3

, 3 6 9 (T en n

. C rim

. A p p

. 1 9 9 0 ).

Wh en th e ev id en ce is clear an d u n d isp u ted th at a w itn ess p articip ated in th e crim e, th en th e

trial co u rt m

u st d eclare th e w itn ess to b e an acco m p lice as a m atter o f

law an d in stru ct th e

j u ry th at th e w itn ess’s testim o n y m u st b e co rro b o rated

. L aw so n

, 7 9 4 S .W.2 d at 3 6 9

. O n th e

o th er h an d

, w h en th e ev id en ce is u n clear, it b eco m es a q u estio n o f f act f o r t h e j u ry to

d eterm in e w h eth er th e w itn ess is an acco m p lice an d

, if so

, w h eth e r th ere is co rro b o ratin g

-20-ev id en ce to su p p o rt th e w itn ess’s testim o n y . Id .; see G reen , 9 1 5 S .W.2 d at 8 3 1 -3 2

.

A s m e n t i o n e d ab o v e, M ary T h o m p so n w as in d icted f

o r th e sam e ch arg es as th e

d e f e n d a n t ; h o w ev er, th e co u rt f o u n d th at th ere w as a f

actu al q u estio n as to h er d eg re e o f

p articip atio n in th e crim es. T h e d ef en d an t sp ecif

ically p o in ts to M ary ’s testim o n y “th at sh e

th rew a k n if

e to w ard s [ th e d ef

en d an t] w h ile h e w as stru g g lin g w ith M r. P erry ” to assert th at

th ere w as n o d isp u te to M ary ’s “p articip atio n in th e[ ] ev en ts.” H o w ev er, M ary ’s actu al

testim o n y at trial w as th at sh e w alk ed in sid e th e h o u se an d saw P erry ly in g o n th e f lo o r w ith

th e d ef en d an t o n to p o f h im

, h o ld in g h is k n ee to P erry ’s n eck

. S h e stated th at P erry said to

h er, “‘H elp m e b ab y ,’” an d th e d ef en d an t said

, “‘N o

. N o [ ] ’” an d “tried to g et [ h er] to g iv e

[ th e k n if e] to h im .” S h e “k ick ed ” th e k n if e “clo se to [ P erry ’s] f

o o t” an d ran o u t th e d o o r.

In ru lin g o n th e issu e at th e m o tio n f o r n ew trial, th e trial co u rt stat e d

, “[ A ] cco rd in g to

[ M ary ’s] testim o n y

, sh e sim p ly k ick ed th e k n if

e o v er in th e d irectio n o f w h ere th ese tw o

in d iv id u als w ere stru g g lin g an d th en sh e ran o u t o f th e resid en ce.

. . . I certain ly f elt lik e it

w as at least a j u ry

q u estio n an d I d id in stru ct th e j u ry as to th e law o f

acco m p lice.”

We co n clu d e th at th ere w as arg u ab ly a f actu al q u estio n as to M ary ’s p articip atio n

. T h ere w as n o p ro o f o f an y p articip atio n o n h er p art in th e m u rd er o f M an n in g

, th e p ro o f

co n cern in g h er in v o lv em en t in th e m u rd er o f P erry co u l d b e su b j ect to d if

f eren t

in terp retatio n s, an d q u estio n s w ere raised as t o t h e v o lu n tarin ess o f h er p articip atio n in

tam p erin g w ith th e ev id en ce. In an y ev en t, an y erro r in th e trial co u rt’s n o t in stru ctin g th e

j u ry th at M ary w as an acco m p lice as a m atter o f law w as h a r ml ess b ecau se th ere w as

ev id en ce to co rro b o rate M ary ’s testim o n y

.

T h e p rin cip le o f co rro b o ratio n h as b een ex p lain ed b y o u r su p rem e co u rt as f o llo w s:

“[ T ] h er e m

u st b e so m e f

act testif ied to

, en tirely in d ep en d en t o f th e

acco m p lice’s testim o n y

, w h ich

, tak en b y itself

, lead s to th e in f

eren ce, n o t o n ly

th at a crim e h as b een co m m itted , b u t also th at th e d ef en d an t is im

p licated in

it; an d th is in d ep en d en t co rro b o rativ e testim o n y m u st also in clu d e so m e f

act

estab lish in g th e d ef

en d an t’s id en tity

. T h i s co rro b o rativ e ev id en ce m ay b e

d irect o r en tirely circu m stan tial, an d it n eed n o t b e ad eq u ate, in an d o f itself

,

to su p p o rt a co n v ictio n ; it is su f f icien t to m eet th e req u irem en ts o f th e ru le if

it f airly an d leg itim ately ten d s to co n n ect th e d ef en d an t w ith th e co m

m issio n

o f th e crim e ch arg ed

. It is n o t n ecessary th at th e co rro b o ratio n ex ten d to ev ery

p art o f th e acco m

p lice’s ev id en ce. T h e co rro b o ratio n n eed n o t b e co n clu siv e,

b u t it is su f

f icien t if th is ev id en ce, o f itself

, t e n d s t o co n n ect th e d ef en d an t

w ith th e co m m issio n o f t h e o f f en se, alth o u g h th e ev id en ce is slig h t an d

en titled , w h en stan d in g alo n e, to b u t little co n sid eratio n .”

-21-S tate v

. B ig b ee, 8 8 5 S .W.2 d 7 9 7

, 8 0 3 (T en n . 1 9 9 4 ) (q u o tin g S tate v . G ay lo r, 8 6 2 S .W.2 d

5 4 6

, 5 5 2 (T en n

. C rim

. A p p

. 1 9 9 2 )). Wh eth er su f f icien t co rro b o ratio n ex ists is f o r th e j u ry

to d eterm in e. S tate v . S h aw , 3 7 S .W.3 d 9 0 0 , 9 0 3 (T en n . 2 0 0 1 ).

A s ev id en ce o f co rro b o ratio n

, T h e l mi s h a t estif ied th at, w h en sh e arriv ed h o m e th e

n ig h t o f th e o f f en ses, th ere w as b lo o d in sid e th e liv in g ro o m an d sh e w as ask ed to g o b u y

b leach

. A f

ter d ro p p in g o f

f th e b leach

, sh e saw th e d ef en d an t d riv in g P erry ’s tan C ad illac

an d n o ticed th at th ere “w as so m eth in g b ig o n th e b ack seat [ o f th e C ad illac] an d it w as lik e

a lo t o f stu f

f o n to p o f it.” T h elm ish a h ad a b rief co n v ersatio n w ith th e d ef en d an t in w h ich

sh e to ld th e d ef

en d an t w h at M ary h ad to ld h er ab o u t w h at h ad j u st h ap p en ed

, an d th e

d ef en d an t to ld T h elm ish a th at h e h ad “m essed u p .” T h e d ef en d an t later to ld h er th at h e an d

P erry h ad “g o t[ ten ] in to a f

ig h t” an d th at h e h ad tak en an o b j ect o f f th e w all “an d clo ck ed

[ P erry ] u p sid e th e h ead .” C h rist o p h e r S e e, T h elm ish a’s b o y f rien d at th e tim e o f th e

o f f en ses, testif

ied th at h e to o k T h elm ish a to b u y b leach

. A f ter d ro p p in g o f

f th e b leach at th e

h o u se, h e saw th e d ef

en d an t d riv in g a C ad illac. S ee an d T h elm ish a b o th testif ied th at th ey

d ro v e to M em

p h is th e n ex t d ay

to p ick u p M ary an d th e d ef en d an t. T h e d ef

en d an t w as at

a g as statio n in a w h ite E x cu rsio n

. F o ren sic testin g co n f irm ed th e p resen ce o f b o th v ictim s’

an d th e d ef

en d an t’s b lo o d at th e scen e. F o ren sic testin g also rev ealed th at b lo o d h ad b een

clean ed u p in th e liv in g ro o m an d k it c h e n o f t h e r esid en ce. T h is ev id en ce f airly an d

leg itim ately co n n ects th e d ef en d an t w ith th e co m m issio n o f th e crim es; th u s, an y erro r in th e

co u rt’s in stru ctio n s w as h arm less.

III. S u f f icien cy o f

th e E v id en ce

T h e d e f e n d a n t c h a l l e n g e s t h 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

. H e a r g u e s

, w i t h

r e s p e c t t o a l l o f h i s c o n v i c t i o n s

, t h a t M a r y T h o m p s o n l a c k e d c r e d i b i l i t y

. W i t h r e s p e c t t o t h e

f i r s t d e g r e e m u r d e r c o n v i c t i o n

, t h e d e f e n d a n t a r g u e s t h a t t h e S t a t e p r e s e n t e d n o e v i d e n c e o f

p r e m e d i t a t i o n

. W i t h r e s p e c t t o t h e s e c o n d d e g r e e m u r d e r c o n v i c t i o n

, t h e d e f e n d a n t a r g u e s

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

h e r

.

W h e n t h 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 )

.

-22-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 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 )

.

F i r s t d e g r e e m u r d e r i s “ [ a ] p r e m e d i t a t e d a n d i n t e n t i o n a l k i l l i n g o f a n o t h e r

. ” T e n n

.

C o d e A n n

. § 3 9

- 1 3

- 2 0 2 ( a ) ( 1 ) ( 2 0 0 6 )

. “ P r e m e d i t a t i o n ” i s d e f i n e d i n o u r c r i m i n a l c o d e a s

a n a c t d o n e a f

t e r t h e e x e r c i s e o f r e f

l e c t i o n a n d j u d g m e n t

. “ P r e m e d i t a t i o n ”

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

. I t i s

n o t n e c e s s a r y t h a t t h e p u r p o s e t o k i l l p r e

- e x i s t i n t h e m i n d o f t h e a c c u s e d f o r

a n y d e f i n i t e p e r i o d o f t i m e

. T h e m e n t a l s t a t e o f t h e a c c u s e d a t t h e t i m e t h e

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

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

p a s s i o n a s t o b e c a p a b l e o f p r e m e d i t a t i o n

.

I d

. § 3 9

- 1 3

- 2 0 2 ( d )

.

W h e t h e r p r e m e d i t a t i o n e x i s t s i n a n y p a r t i c u l a r c a s e 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

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

, i n c l u d i n g t h e c i r c u m s t a n t i a l

e v i d e n c e s u r r o u n d i n g t h e c r i m e

. S e e S t a t e v

. S u t t l e s

, 3 0 S

. W

. 3 d 2 5 2

, 2 6 1 ( T e n n

. 2 0 0 0 ) ;

S t a t e v

. B l a n d

, 9 5 8 S

. W

. 2 d 6 5 1

, 6 6 0 ( T e n n

. 1 9 9 7 ) ; S t a t e v

. P i k e

, 9 7 8 S

. W

. 2 d 9 0 4

, 9 1 4

-23-( T e n n

. 1 9 9 8 )

. F a c t s f r o m w h i c h t h e j u r y m a y i n f e r p r e m e d i t a t i o n i n c l u d e t h e d e f e n d a n t ’ s

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

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

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

, p r e p a r a t i o n s t o

c o n c e a l t h e c r i m e

, a n d d e s t r u c t i o n o r s e c r e t i o n o f e v i d e n c e o f t h e k i l l i n g ; a n d t h e d e f e n d a n t ’ s

c a l m n e s s i m m e d i a t e l y a f t e r t h e k i l l i n g

. S t a t e v

. J a c k s o n

, 1 7 3 S

. W

. 3 d 4 0 1

, 4 0 9 ( T e n n

. 2 0 0 5 ) ;

S t a t e v

. T h a c k e r

, 1 6 4 S

. W

. 3 d 2 0 8

, 2 2 2 ( T e n n

. 2 0 0 5 ) ; S t a t e v

. L e a c h

, 1 4 8 S

. W

. 3 d 4 2

, 5 4

( T e n n

. 2 0 0 4 ) ; S t a t e v

. N i c h o l s

, 2 4 S

. W

. 3 d 2 9 7

, 3 0 2 ( T e n n

. 2 0 0 0 ) ; S t a t e v

. B l a n d

, 9 5 8 S

. W

. 2 d

6 5 1

, 6 6 0 ( T e n n

. 1 9 9 7 )

.

S eco n d d eg ree m

u rd er is d e f

in ed as “[ a] k n o w in g k illin g o f an o th er.” T en n

. C o d e

A n n

. § 3 9 -1 3 -2 1 0 (a)(1 ) (2 0 0 6 ). “A p erso n acts k n o w in g ly w ith resp ect t o a resu lt o f th e

p erso n ’s co n d u ct w h en th e p erso n is aw are th at th e co n d u ct is reaso n ab ly certain to cau se

th e resu lt.” Id

. § 3 9 -1 1 -3 0 2 (b ). “S eco n d d eg ree m u rd er is a resu lt o f co n d u ct o f f en se an d

acco rd in g ly

, th e n atu re o f th e co n d u ct th at cau ses d eath o r th e m an n er in w h ich o n e is k illed

is i n c o n seq u en tial u n d er th e seco n d d eg ree m u rd er statu te.” S tate v

. B ro w n

, 3 1 1 S .W.3 d

4 2 2

, 4 3 1 -3 2 (T en n

. 2 0 1 0 ) (in tern al q u o tatio n s o m itted ). Wh eth er th e d ef en d a n t

“k n o w in g l y ” k i l l e d t h e v ictim is a q u estio n o f f act f o r th e j u ry

. S ee S tate v

. In lo w

, 5 2

S .W.3 d 1 0 1

, 1 0 4 -0 5 (T en n

. C rim

. A p p

. 2 0 0 0 ). T h e j u ry m ay in f er in ten t f ro m th e ch aracter

o f th e o f f en se an d f

ro m all th e f

acts an d circu m stan ces su rro u n d in g th e o f f en se. S ee id

. at

1 0 5 (citin g S tate v

. H o llan d

, 8 6 0 S .W.2 d 5 3

, 5 9 (T en n

. C rim

. A p p

. 1 9 9 3 )). If a d ef en d an t

acts in ten tio n ally

, m ean in g h e acted w ith a co n scio u s o b j ectiv e o r d esire to cau se th e d eath

o f th e v ictim

, th en th e req u irem en t o f “ k n o w in g ly ” is m et. T en n

. C o d e A n n

. §

3 9 -1 1 -3 0 1 (a)(2 ).

T am p erin g w ith th e ev id en ce is p ro scrib ed as f o llo w s:

(a ) I t i s u n law f

u l f o r an y p erso n

, k n o w in g th at an in v estig atio n o r

o f f icial p ro ceed in g is p en d in g o r in p ro g ress, to :

(1 ) A lter, d estro y

, o r co n ceal an y reco rd

, d o cu m en t o r th in g w ith in ten t

to im p air its v erity , leg ib ility

, o r av ailab ility as ev id en ce in th e in v estig atio n

o r o f f icial p ro ceed in g [ .]

Id . § 3 9 -1 6 -5 0 3 (a)(1 ).

In th e lig h t m o st f

av o rab le to th e S tate, th e p ro o f sh o w s th at th e d ef en d an t w as aw are

th at h is g irlf

rien d

, M ary T h o m

p so n

, w as in a relatio n sh ip o f so m e ty p e w ith B o b b y P erry

. O n th e n ig h t o f th e in cid en t, P erry arriv ed at M ary ’s h o u se to tak e h er to w atch h im an d

M an n in g h av e sex

. P e r r y w a s attack ed b y th e d ef en d an t so o n af

ter h e w alk ed in sid e th e

-24-h o u se to ch eck o n M an n in g

, w h o h ad g o n e in to th e h o u se to u se th e b ath ro o m b u t h ad n o t

em erg ed

. M ary w as w a i t i n g o u tsid e in P erry ’s car b u t, w h en sh e h eard lo u d th u m p in g

so u n d s, w en t in sid e to d isco v er th e d ef en d an t stru g g lin g o n to p o f P erry

. Wh en P erry ask ed

f o r h elp an d th e d ef

en d an t ask ed f

o r a n earb y k n if

e, M ary k ick ed th e k n if

e to w ard P erry ’s

leg an d ran

. M ary later d isco v ered M an n in g ’s d ead b o d y ly in g in h er b lo o d -co v ered

b ath ro o m

.

A f ter th e k illin g s, th e d ef

en d an t co n ceal e d t h e d ead b o d ies in P erry ’s C ad illac an d

d irected th e clean in g o f th e b lo o d f ro m th e h o u se. H e th en h ad M ary lead th e w ay to

M ississip p i in an o th er o f

P erry ’s v eh icles, a F o rd E x cu rsio n , w h ile h e f o llo w ed in P erry ’s

C ad illac. O n ce in M ississip p i, th e d ef en d an t h ad M ary p u rch ase a sh o v el an d th en lef t h er

at an ab an d o n ed b u ild in g

. Wh en h e retu rn ed

, th e b ack seat o f th e C ad illac, th at p rev io u sly

h ad “so m eth in g b ig o n t h e b ack seat [ w ith ] a lo t o f stu f f o n to p o f it,” w as em

p ty

. T h e

d ef en d an t set th e C ad il l a c o n f ire af ter an u n su ccessf

u l attem p t to d isp o se o f it b y d riv in g

it in to a lak e. T h e d ef

en d an t an d M ary w en t to th e h o m e o f o n e o f th e d ef en d an t’s relativ es

an d w aited u n til d ark b ef o re ev en tu ally b ein g p ick ed u p b y M ary ’s sister in M em p h is an d

ab an d o n in g P erry ’s E x cu rsio n at a g as statio n

.

S h o rtly af ter th e k illin g s, th e d ef

en d an t ask ed T h elm ish a if M ary h ad to ld h er w h at

h ad h ap p en ed

, b u t h e d id n o t resp o n d w h en T h elm ish a relay ed w h at M ary h ad to ld h er. T h e

d ef en d an t o n ly to ld T h elm ish a th at h e h ad “m essed u p .” T h e d ef en d an t later to ld T h elm ish a

th at h e h ad h it P erry o n th e h ead w ith an o b j ect tak en f

ro m th e w all. T h e d e f

e n d a n t to ld

M ary th at h e h ad k illed P erry “f o r u s” an d b ecau se “h e h ad to .” M ary b eliev ed th at M an n in g

w as k illed “b ecau se sh e w as th ere.”

T h e au to p sy o f B o b b y P erry sh o w ed th at P erry su f f ered a clo sed h ead in

j u ry

, cau sed

b y b lu n t f o rce trau m a, th at w o u ld h av e b een f atal. H e also receiv ed f

if ty stab w o u n d s an d

n in eteen slash w o u n d s, so m e o f w h ich w ere “co n sisten t w ith d ef en siv e p o stu rin g in

j u ries.”

S ix o f th e stab w o u n d s to P erry ’s sid es, b ack

, an d ab d o m en w ere leth al w o u n d s

. T h e

au to p sy o f A n d reca M an n in g sh o w ed th at sh e su f f ered th irteen stab w o u n d s, in clu d in g th ree

leth al o n es to h er ch est. S h e also su f f ered n in e slash w o u n d s, “tw o o f w h ich w ere leth al o n

th e f ro n t su rf ace o f th e n eck an d a to tal o f 6 slash w o u n d s in v o lv in g th e d ig its o f th e lef t

h an d

. . . co n sisten t w ith d ef en siv e p o stu re in

j u ries.” S h e d ied f

ro m a co m

b in atio n o f stab

an d slash w o u n d s to th e n eck an d ch est. M an n in g w o u ld h av e b eco m e u n co n scio u s in less

th an a m in u te f

ro m h er in j u ries an d w o u ld h av e d ied in f iv e m in u tes o r less.

T h e ab o v e ev id en ce w as ab u n d an tly su f f icien t to estab lish th at t

he de fe nda

nt ’s k illin g

o f P erry w as p rem ed itated an d in ten tio n al. T h e ev id en ce in d icates th at th e d ef en d an t h it

P erry o n th e h ead w ith a h eav y o b j e c t w h e n h e en tered th e h o u se an d th en stab b ed an d

slash ed h im rep eated ly w ith a k n if e. T h e d ef

en d an t to ld M ary th at h e k illed P erry “f o r u s.”

-25-T h e j u ry co u ld in f er th at th e k illin g w as p r e med itated b ased o n th e n u m b er o f w o u n d s

in f licted o n P erry

, th e d ef

en d an t’s p rep aratio n s to co n ceal th e crim e, an d th e d e f e n d a n t’s

d estru ctio n an d secretio n o f ev id en ce. In ad d i t i o n

, e v en th o u g h th ere w as testim o n y th at

P erry w as b rief ly ab le to o b tain a k n if

e an d cu t th e d ef

en d an t’s f in g er, th at h ap p en ed af

ter

P erry w as alread y o n th e f lo o r b leed in g h eav ily

. T h u s, th e d ef en d an t attack ed an ef

f ectiv ely

u n arm ed v ictim

.

W i t h r e s p e c t t o t h e k i l l i n g o f M a n n i n g

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

a t t a c k h e r a n d t h a t h e d i d n o t k n o w h e r o r h a v e r e a s o n t o k i l l h e r

. H o w e v e r

, t h e e v i d e n c e

s h o w e d t h a t t h e d e f

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

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

t o h i s p r e m e d i t a t e d k i l l i n g o f P e r r y

. G i v e n t h e m u l t i p l e s t a b a n d s l a s h w o u n d s t o M a n n i n g ’ s

n e c k a n d c h e s t

, t h e j u r y c e r t a i n l y c o u l d h a v e c o n c l u d e d t h a t t h e d e f e n d a n t k n o w i n g l y k i l l e d

h e r

.

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

.

H e c l e a n e d t h e b l o o d f

r o m t h e s c e n e

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

- o f

s t a t e l o c a t i o n

, a n d s e t o n e o f P e r r y ’ s c a r s o n f i r e a n d a b a n d o n e d t h e o t h e r a t a g a s s t a t i o n

,

a f t e r a n u n s u c c e s s f

u l a t t e m p t t o s e l l b o t h c a r s t o a n a c q u a i n t a n c e

. T h e c r u x o f t h e

d e f e n d a n t ’ s c o m p l a i n t r e g a r d i n g t h e t a m p e r i n g w i t h t h e e v i d e n c e c o n v i c t i o n

, a n d s i d e

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

, i s t h a t t h e S t a t e ’ s w i t n e s s

, M a r y T h o m p s o n

, l a c k e d

c r e d i b i l i t y

. H o w e v e r

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

, a n d t h e r e w a s

e v i d e n c e t o c o r r o b o r a t e M a r y ’ s a c c o u n t o f t h e d e f e n d a n t ’ s a c t i o n s

. W e c o n c l u d e t h a t t h e

e v i d e n c e w a s s u f

f i c i e n t t o s u p p o r t t h e j u r y ’ s f i n d i n g s t h a t t h e d e f

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

i r s t

d e g r e e p r e m e d i t a t e d m u r d e r o f P e r r y

, s e c o n d d e g r e e m u r d e r o f M a n n i n g

, a n d t a m p e r e d w i t h

t h e e v i d e n c e

.

IV. S en ten cin g

T h e trial co u rt co n d u cted a sen ten cin g h earin g

, at w h ich th e S tate in tro d u ced a co p y

o f th e p resen ten ce rep o rt w ith th e attach ed v ictim im p act statem en ts. L o leta M id d leto n

, th e

d ef en d an t’s f

irst co u sin

, testif

ied o n th e d ef

en d an t’s b eh alf

. M id d leto n said th at s h e w as

p resen t f o r th e en tire trial. S h e ex p ressed th e lo v e sh e an d h er f am ily h ad f

o r th e d ef en d an t

an d also e x p r e s s e d sy

m p ath y f o r th e f am ilies o f th e v ictim s. A f ter h earin g th e arg u m en ts

f ro m co u n sel, th e trial co u rt sen ten ced th e d ef en d an t to a m an d ato ry lif

e sen ten ce o n h is f

irst

d eg ree m u rd er co n v ictio n , tw en ty -f iv e y ears o n h is seco n d d eg ree m u rd er co n v ictio n , an d

six y ears o n h is tam

p erin g w ith th e ev id en ce co n v ictio n

. T h e co u rt o rd ered th at th e tw en ty

f iv e-y ear sen ten ce ru n co n secu tiv ely t o t h e l if e sen ten ce an d th e six -y ear sen ten ce ru n

co n cu rren tly

.

-26-O n ap p eal, th e d ef en d an t ch allen g es th e trial co u rt’s im p o sitio n o f a p a r tial

co n secu tiv e sen ten ce, arg u in g th at, b ecau se h e receiv ed an au to m atic lif e sen ten ce f

o r th e

f irst d eg ree m

u rd er co n v ictio n

, “[ t] h e trial co u rt’s ad d in g o f tw en ty -f iv e y ears to an alread y

len g th y sen ten ce w ill n o t ef f ectiv ely serv e th e en d s o f

j u stice.” Wh en an accu sed ch allen g es

th e len g th an d m an n er o f serv ice o f a sen ten ce, it is th e d u ty o f t h i s c o u r t to co n d u ct a d e

n o vo rev iew o n th e reco rd “w i t h a p resu m p tio n th at th e d eterm in atio n s m ad e b y th e co u rt

f ro m w h ich th e ap p eal is tak en are co rrect.” T en n

. C o d e A n n

. § 4 0 -3 5 -4 0 1 (d ) (2 0 0 6 ). T h is

p resu m p tio n is “co n d itio n ed u p o n th e af f irm ativ e sh o w in g in th e reco rd th at th e trial co u rt

co n sid ered th e sen ten cin g p rin cip les an d all relev an t f acts an d circu m stan ces.” S tate v

. A s h b y

, 8 2 3 S .W.2 d 1 6 6

, 1 6 9 (T en n

. 1 9 9 1 ). T h e p resu m p tio n d o es n o t ap p ly to t h e l e g a l

co n c l u s i o n s r each ed b y th e trial co u rt in sen ten cin g th e accu sed o r to th e d eterm in atio n s

m ad e b y th e trial co u rt w h ich are p red icated u p o n u n co n tro v erted f acts. S tate v

. B u tler, 9 0 0

S .W.2 d 3 0 5

, 3 1 1 ( T e n n

. C rim

. A p p

. 1 9 9 4 ); S tate v

. S m ith

, 8 9 1 S .W.2 d 9 2 2

, 9 2 9 (T en n

. C rim

. A p p

. 1 9 9 4 ); S tate v

. B o n estel, 8 7 1 S .W.2 d 1 6 3

, 1 6 6 ( T e n n

. C rim

. A p p

. 1 9 9 3 ),

o v erru led o n o th er g ro u n d s b y S tate v . H o o p er, 2 9 S .W.3 d 1 , 9 (T en n . 2 0 0 0 ).

In co n d u ctin g a d

e n o vo rev iew o f a sen ten ce, th is co u rt m u st co n sid er (a) an y

ev id en ce receiv ed at th e trial an d /o r sen ten cin g h earin g

, (b ) th e p resen ten ce rep o rt, (c) th e

p rin cip les o f sen ten cin g

, (d ) th e arg u m en ts o f co u n sel relativ e to sen ten cin g altern ativ es, (e)

th e n atu re an d ch aracteristics o f th e o f f en se, (f ) an y m itig atin g o r en h an cem en t f acto rs, (g )

an y statistical in f

o rm atio n p ro v id ed b y th e ad m in istrativ e o f f i c e of t h e co u rts as to T en n essee

sen ten cin g p ractices f

o r sim ilar o f

f en ses, (h ) an y statem en ts m ad e b y th e accu sed in h is o w n

b eh alf

, an d (i) th e accu sed ’s p o ten tial o r lack o f p o ten tial f o r reh ab ilitati o n o r treatm en t.

T en n

. C o d e A n n . § § 4 0 -3 5 -1 0 3

, -2 1 0 (2 0 0 6 ); S tate v

. T ay lo r, 6 3 S .W.3 d 4 0 0

, 4 1 1 (T en n

. C rim

. A p p

. 2 0 0 1 ). T h e p arty ch allen g in g th e sen ten ce im p o sed b y t h e t r i a l co u rt h as th e

b u rd en o f estab lish in g th at th e sen ten ce is erro n eo u s. T en n

. C o d e A n n

. § 4 0 -3 5 -4 0 1 (2 0 0 6 ),

S en ten cin g C o m

m issio n C m ts.; A sh b y , 8 2 3 S .W.2 d at 1 6 9

.

T en n essee C o d e A n n o tated sectio n 4 0 -3 5 -1 1 5 (b ) p ro v i d es th at it is w ith in th e trial

co u rt’s d iscretio n to im

p o se co n s e c u t i v e sen ten cin g if it f in d s b y a p rep o n d eran ce o f th e

ev id en ce th at an y o n e o f a n u m b er o f criteria a p p lies, in clu d in g th at “[ t] h e d ef en d an t is a

d an g ero u s o f

f en d er w h o se b e h a v i o r i n d icates little o r n o reg ard f o r h u m an lif

e, an d n o

h esitatio n ab o u t co m m ittin g a crim e in w h ich th e risk to h u m an lif e is h ig h .” T en n

. C o d e

A n n

. § 4 0 -3 5 -1 1 5 (b )(2 ), (4 ) (2 0 0 6 ). Wh en a trial co u rt b ases co n secu tiv e sen ten cin g u p o n

its classif ic a t i o n o f t h e d ef

en d an t as a d an g ero u s o f f en d er, it is req u ired to m ak e f u rth er

f in d in g s th at th e ag g reg ate len g th o f th e d ef en d an t’s sen ten ce r e a s o n ab ly relates to th e

sev erity o f h is o f

f en ses an d is n ecessary to p ro tect th e p u b lic f ro m f u rth er crim in al co n d u ct

o f th e d ef en d an t. S tate v

. L an e, 3 S .W.3 d 4 5 6

, 4 6 0 -6 1 (T en n

. 1 9 9 9 ); S tate v

. Wilk erso n

, 9 0 5 S .W.2 d 9 3 3

, 9 3 7 -3 8 (T en n

. 1 9 9 5 ). T h e trial co u rt m u st “sp ecif

y th e reaso n s” b eh in d

its im p o sitio n o f a co n secu tiv e sen ten ce. S ee T en n

. R

. C rim

. P

. 3 2 (c)(1 ). T h e criteria listed

-27-in sectio n 4 0 -3 5 -1 1 5 (b ) are stated in th e altern ativ e; th eref o re, o n ly o n e n eed ex ist to su p p o rt

th e ap p ro p riaten ess o f

co n secu tiv e sen ten cin g

.

In m ak i n g its d ecisio n

, th e trial co u rt f o u n d th at th e d ef

en d an t w as a d an g ero u s

o f f en d er w h o se b eh av io r in d icated little o r n o reg ard f o r h u m an lif

e an d w h o h ad n o

h esitatio n co m m ittin g a crim e w h en th e risk to h u m an lif e w as h ig h

. T h e co u rt also f o u n d

th at th e circu m stan ces su rro u n d in g th e co m m issio n o f th e o f

f en ses w ere “p articu larly

ag g rav ated ” an d th at “co n f in em en t f o r an ex ten d ed p erio d o f tim e [ w a] s n ecessary to p ro tect

so c i e t y f r o m [ th e] d ef

en d an t’s u n w illin g n ess to lead a p ro d u ctiv e lif e an d also th e

d ef en d an t’s reso rt to crim in al activ ity in f u rth eran ce o f an tis o c i a l lif e-sty le.” T h e co u rt

n o ted th at “in th is case th e co mmissio n [ ] o f th ese tw o m u rd ers w as p articu larly b ru tal.

H o rren d o u s m

u rd ers.” T h e co u rt th en su m m arized th e m ed ical ex am in er’s t e s tim o n y

reg ard in g th e sev erity

o f th e in j u ries su f f ered b y b o th v ictim s.

T h e co u rt f

o u n d t h a t an ex ten d ed p erio d o f in carceratio n w as n ecessary to p ro tect

so ciety

. T h e co u rt n o ted th at th e p resen ten ce rep o rt ref lected th at th e d ef

en d an t w as ch arg ed

w ith tw o co u n ts o f f

irst d eg ree m

u rd er in M ississip p i in 2 0 0 1 a t t h e a g e o f sev en teen an d

th at h e h ad p led g u ilty to th e lesser o f f en se o f accesso ry af

ter th e f act t o c ap ital m

u rd er,

receiv in g tw o co n secu tiv e f iv e-y ear sen ten ces. T h u s, “[ i] n less th an a sev en y ear p erio d o f

t im e, [ th e d ef

en d an t w as] in v o lv ed to so m e ex ten t in f o u r m u rd ers o f f

o u r d if f eren t

in d iv id u als. N o w , th at’s n o t ev en co n sid erin g th e f act th at th e m aj o rity o f

th at sev en y ear

p erio d o f tim e . . . h e w as in carcerated . . . serv in g a ten y ear sen ten ce.”

T h e co u rt last l y f

o u n d t h at “th e ag g reg ate len g th o f th e sen ten ces

. . . reaso n ab ly

relates to th e o f

f en ses f o r w h ich th e d ef

en d an t stan d s co n v icted ,” o b serv in g th at “th ere w as

really n o m o tiv e to k ill M s. A n d reca M an n in g

. . . . [ S ] h e j u st h ap p en ed to b e at th e w ro n g

p lace at th e w ro n g tim e

. . . . [ S h e w as] th e o n e p erso n th at co u ld p erh ap s id en tif y h im as th e

p erp etrato r.” T h e co u rt n o ted th at co n cu rren t sen ten ces w o u ld “m ean [ ] th at [ th e d ef en d an t]

w o u ld g o u n p u n ish ed f

o r th e d eath o f

M s. M an n in g .”

A s caref u lly set o u t ab o v e, th e trial co u rt th o ro u g h ly co n sid ered th e ev id en ce an d

th e req u ired sen ten cin g co n sid eratio n s. T h e reco rd ab u n d an tly su p p o rts th at th e d ef en d an t

is a d an g ero u s o f

f en d er w h o se b eh av io r in d icates little o r n o reg ard f o r h u m an lif

e, an d n o

h esitatio n a b o u t co m m ittin g a crim e in w h ich th e risk to h u m an lif e is h ig h

, an d th at th e

ag g reg ate len g th o f th e d ef en d an t’s sen ten ce reasonably relates to th e sev erity o f h is o f f en ses

an d is n ecessary

to p ro tect th e p u b lic f

ro m f u rth er crim in al co n d u ct o f th e d ef en d an t.

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

-28-trial co u rt

.

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

. G L E N N

, J U D G E

-29-