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

Ass ig ne d o n B rie fs Decem be r 9, 2 01 4

STATE OF TENNESS EE v . TIANNA M. AMYX

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 S u l l i v a n C o u n t y
N o

. S 6 1 3 4 3 R

. J e r r y B e c k
, J u d g e

N o

. E 2 0 1 4

- 0 0 8 2 0

- C C A

- R 3

- C D

- F i l e d J a n u a r y 2 3
, 2 0 1 5

T h e d e f e n d a n t

, T i a n n a M

. A m y x , p l e d g u i l t y t o a g g r a v a t e d b u r g l a r y , a C l a s s C f e l o n y , a n d

t h e f t o v e r $ 5 0 0

, a C l a s s E f e l o n y , a n d w a s s e n t e n c e d a s a R a n g e I

, s t a n d a r d o f f e n d e r t o

c o n c u r r e n t t e r m s o f f

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

. O n a p p e a l

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

a l t e r n a t i v e s e n t e n c i n g

. A f t e r r e v i e w , w e a f

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

.

T e n n

. R

. A p p

. P

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

A LA N E

. G LE N N
, J

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

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

. W O O D A LL
, P

. J

. ,

a n d T IM O T H Y L

. E A S T E R
, J

. , j o i n e d

.

J o r d a n C

. P e n n i n g t o n , B r i s t o l

, V i r g i n i a , f o r t h e a p p e l l a n t

, T i a n n a M

. A m y x

.

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 e n c e E

. L u t z , S e n i o r C o u n s e l ;
B a r r y P

. S t a u b u s , 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 E m i l y M

. S m i t h

, 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 t t h e g u i l t y p l e a h e a r i n g , t h e p r o s e c u t o r r e c i t e d t h e e v i d e n c e t h e S t a t e w o u l d h a v e

p r e s e n t e d h a d t h e c a s e p r o c e e d e d t o t r i a l :

T h e S t a t e ’ s p r o o f

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

, w o u l d b e t h a t o n J u n e 7 t h

, 2 0 1 2

, D e t e c t i v e M a r t i n T a y l o r o f t h e K i n g s p o r t P o l i c e D e p a r t m e n t r e s p o n d e d

t o 1 0 4 0 F a i r w a y A v e n u e i n K i n g s p o r t i n r e g a r d s t o a r e s i d e n t i a l b u r g l a r y

. U p o n a r r i v a l a t t h e l o c a t i o n P a t r o l m a n K e n n e t h J a c k s o n s t a t e d t h a t t h e v i c t i m ,A r i a n a V i l l e g a s , s t a t e d t h a t p e r s o n s u n k n o w n h a d e n t e r e d h e r r e s i d e n c e

b e t w e e n t h e h o u r s o f 2 : 3 0 p

. m

. a n d 3 : 3 0 p

. m

. t h a t d a y b y f o r c i n g o p e n a s i d e

w i n d o w

. O n c e i n s i d e , t h e s u s p e c t s r e m o v e d a 5 5 " S a n y o f l a t s c r e e n T V f

r o m

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

.

D e t e c t i v e T a y l o r w a s a b l e t o l o c a t e t w o w i t n e s s e s w h o s t a t e d t h a t t h e y

p e r s o n a l l y o b s e r v e d t h e s t o l e n T V i n s i d e [ t h e d e f e n d a n t ’ s ] r e s i d e n c e w h i c h i s

. . . d i r e c t l y n e x t d o o r t o t h e v i c t i m

.

O n e w i t n e s s f

u r t h e r s t a t e d t h a t a l i g h t

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

. T h a t p e r s o n w a s l a t e r d e t e r m i n e d t o b e H a r l e y S l e d g e , t h e c o

- d e f e n d a n t

.

O n J u n e 1 4 t h

, 2 0 1 2

, D e t e c t i v e T a y l o r i n t e r v i e w e d [ t h e d e f e n d a n t ] a t t h e
K i n g s p o r t P o l i c e D e p a r t m e n t r e g a r d i n g t h e i n c i d e n t

. A f t e r b e i n g i n f

o r m e d o f

h e r M i r a n d a w a r n i n g , [ t h e d e f e n d a n t ] w a i v e d h e r r i g h t s a n d g a v e a s t a t e m e n t
i n v o l v i n g h e r i n v o l v e m e n t i n t h e b u r g l a r y a n d t h e f t o f t h e t e l e v i s i o n

. S h e

s t a t e d t h a t s h e a n d a f

r i e n d h a d e n t e r e d t h e h o u s e , t a k e n t h e i t e m s , a n d s o l d t h e
T V t o a p e r s o n n a m e d P a u l H u n l e y i n C h u r c h H i l l

.

M r

. H u n l e y c o n f

i r m e d h e h a d p u r c h a s e d t h e T V

, a n d t h [ e ] t e l e v i s i o n

w a s r e c o v e r e d

.

A t th e A p ril 1 5

, 2 0 1 4 altern ativ e sen ten cin g h earin g , th e d ef en d an t testif

ied th at sh e

an d th e co -d ef

en d an t b ro k e in to th e v ictim ’s h o m e b ecau se th e v ictim h ad b ro k en in to h er h o m e o n a p rio r o ccasio n

. T h e d ef en d an t ex p lain ed th at sh e co m m itted th e crim es b ecau se sh e w as “stressed o u t an d en d ed u p d o in g p ills f o r th e f irst tim e in m y lif

e. A n d [ th e co

d ef en d an t] . . . j u st ask ed m e to d o it. A n d m e b ein g o n th e p ills an d in th e w ro n g state o f

m in d

, I d o n e i t

. A n d w e

. . . d id d o it to g eth er.” S h e ad m itted th at sh e to o k th e v ictim ’s
telev isio n

. S h e ack n o w led g ed th at h er arrest o n th ese ch arg es resu lted in a v io latio n o f h er

p ro b atio n , f

o r w h ich sh e serv ed n in ety d ay s. S h e also ack n o w led g ed th at sh e h ad v io lated
h e r p r o b atio n b y f

ailin g a d ru g test. T h e d ef en d an t said sh e h ad b een receiv in g d is a b i l i t y b en ef its sin ce th e ag e o f f

iv e o r six f

o r “A D H D -A D D

. I’m b ip o lar, sch izo p h ren ic, sev eral
d if f eren t th in g s.” H o w ev er, sh e w as n o t tak in g an y m ed icatio n f

o r th ese co n d itio n s.

O n cro ss-ex am in atio n , th e d ef en d an t reiterated th at th e f irst tim e sh e “d id d o a p ill”

w as “b ack w h en th is started tw o y ears ag o .” S h e ack n o w led g ed th at th e p ill sh e to o k w as S u b u tex

.

-2-T h e d ef en d an t’s p resen ten ce rep o rt an d co p ies o f tw o certif ied j u d g m en ts en tered o n M ay 8

, 2 0 1 2

, w ere ad m itted as ex h ib its at th e h earin g

. T h e d ef en d an t h ad p rio r co n v ictio n s f o r assau lt an d attem

p ted ag g rav ated assau lt, f o r w h ich sh e w as o n p ro b atio n at th e tim e sh e

co m m itted th e o f

f en ses in th e p resen t case. S h e also h ad v io lated h er p ro b atio n b y testin g

p o sitiv e f o r m arij u an a an d b y f

ailin g to p ay restitu tio n

. T h e p resen ten ce rep o rt in clu d ed th e f o llo w in g statem en t f

ro m th e d ef

en d an t’s m isd em ean o r p ro b atio n o f f icer: “S h e really isn ’t

a g o o d can d id ate f

o r p ro b atio n , sh e d o esn ’t d o an y th in g sh e is ask ed .”

A t th e c o n c lu sio n o f th e h earin g , th e trial co u rt d en ied altern ativ e sen ten cin g , in clu d in g co m m

u n ity co rrectio n s.

A N A L Y S IS

T h e d ef en d an t arg u es th at t h e t r i al co u rt erred in d en y in g altern ativ e sen ten cin g in

v iew o f S tate v

. K risto p h er B lak e K in cer, N o

. E 2 0 1 3 -0 1 7 4 0

- C C A -R 3 -C D

, 2 0 1 4 WL
1 3 9 6 6 7 5 (T en n

. C rim

. A p p

. A p r. 9

, 2 0 1 4 ). T h e S tate co u n ters th at th e co u rt co n sid ered th e 1

d ef en d an t’s p rio r p erf

o rm an ce in lig h t o f

K in cer, to th e ex ten t th at it ap p lied

.

U n d er th e 2 0 0 5 am en d m en ts to th e sen ten cin g a c t

, a trial co u rt is to co n sid er th e f o llo w in g w h en d eterm in in g a d ef en d an t’ s s e n t e n ce an d th e ap p ro p riate co m b in atio n o f

sen ten cin g altern ativ es:

(1 ) T h e ev id en ce, if

an y , receiv ed at th e trial an d th e sen ten cin g h earin g ;

(2 ) T h e p resen ten ce rep o rt;

(3 ) T h e p rin cip les o f sen ten cin g an d arg u m en ts as to sen ten cin g altern ativ es;

(4 ) T h e n atu re an d ch aracteristics o f th e crim in al co n d u ct in v o lv ed ;

(5 ) E v id en ce an d in f

o rm atio n o f

f e r e d b y th e p arties o n th e m itig atin g an d

en h an cem en t f

acto rs set o u t in § § 4 0 -3 5 -1 1 3 an d 4 0 -3 5 -1 1 4 ;

(6 ) A n y s t a tistical in f

o rm atio n p ro v id ed b y th e ad m in istrativ e o f f ice o f th e co u rts as to

sen ten cin g p ractices f

o r sim ilar o f

f en ses in T en n essee; an d

(7 ) A n y statem en t th e d ef

en d an t w ish es to m ak e in th e d ef en d an t’s o w n b eh alf

T his cou rt ’s opi nio n was sub seq uen tl y wit hdr awn and re pla ced wit h Sta te v. K ri st ophe r Bl a ke 1

K inc er , No. E2 013-01740- CCA- R3- CD, 201 4 W L 255 3429 (T enn . Cri m . App. J une 2, 2 014)

.

-3-ab o u t sen ten cin g

.

T en n . C o d e A n n . § 4 0 -3 5 -2 1 0 (b ) (2 0 1 0 ).

T h e trial co u rt is g ran ted b ro ad d iscretio n to im p o se a sen ten ce an y

w h ere w ith in th e

a ppl icab le ran g e, reg ard less o f th e p resen ce o r ab sen ce o f en h an cem en t o r m itig ating fa c t or s ,

an d “sen ten ces sh o u ld b e u p h eld so lo n g as th e statu to ry p u rp o ses an d p rin cip les, alo n g w ith

an y ap p licab le en h an cem en t an d m itig atin g f acto rs, h av e b een p ro p erly ad d ressed .” S tate

v

. B ise, 3 8 0 S .W.3 d 6 8 2

, 7 0 6 (T e n n

. 2 0 1 2 ). A cco rd in g ly

, w e rev iew a trial co u rt’s

sen ten cin g d eterm in atio n s u n d er an ab u se o f d iscretio n stan d ard , “g ran tin g a p resu m p tio n

o f reaso n ab len ess to w ith in -ran g e sen ten cin g d ecisio n s th at ref lect a p ro p er ap p licatio n o f
th e p u rp o ses an d p rin cip les o f o u r S en ten cin g A ct.” Id . at 7 0 7

.

U n d er th e rev ised T en n essee sen ten cin g statu tes, a d ef en d an t is n o lo n g er p resu m ed

to b e a f av o rab le can d id ate f

o r altern ativ e sen ten cin g

. S tate v

. C arter, 2 5 4 S .W.3 d 3 3 5

, 3 4 7 (T en n

. 2 0 0 8 ) (citin g T en n

. C o d e A n n

. § 4 0 -3 5 -1 0 2 (6 )). In stead

, th e “ad v iso ry ” sen ten cin g

g u id eli n e s p r o v i d e th at a d ef en d an t “w h o is an esp ecially m itig ated o r stan d ard o f f en d er

co n v icted o f a C lass C

, D o r E f elo n y , sh o u ld b e co n sid ered as a f av o rab le can d id ate f

o r altern ativ e sen ten cin g o p tio n s in th e ab sen ce o f ev id en ce to th e co n trary .” T en n

. C o d e A n n

. § 4 0 -3 5 -1 0 2 (6 ).

A d ef en d an t sh all b e elig ib le f o r p ro b atio n , su b

j ect to c e r t a i n ex cep tio n s, if th e

sen ten ce im

p o sed o n th e d ef

en d an t is ten y ears o r less. Id

. § 4 0 -3 5 -3 0 3 (a). A d ef en d an t is

n o t, h o w ev er, au to m atically en titled to p ro b atio n as a m atter o f law

. T h e b u rd en is u p o n th e d ef en d an t to sh o w th at h e is a su itab le can d id ate f o r p ro b atio n

. Id

. § 4 0 -3 5 -3 0 3 (b ); S tate v

. G o o d e, 9 5 6 S .W.2 d 5 2 1

, 5 2 7 ( T e n n

. C rim

. A p p

. 1 9 9 7 ); S tate v

. B o g g s, 9 3 2 S .W.2 d 4 6 7

, 4 7 7 (T en n

. C rim

. A p p

. 1 9 9 6 ). In o rd er to m eet th i s b u rd en , th e d ef en d an t “m

u st d em o n strate th at p ro b atio n w ill ‘su b serv e th e en d s o f j u stice an d th e b est in terest o f b o th th e

p u b lic an d th e d e f

e n d an t.’” S tate v

. B in g h am , 9 1 0 S .W.2 d 4 4 8

, 4 5 6 (T en n

. C rim

. A p p

. 1 9 9 5 ) (q u o tin g S tate v . D y k es, 8 0 3 S .W.2 d 2 5 0 , 2 5 9 (T en n . C rim . A p p . 1 9 9 0 )).

T h ere is n o b rig h t lin e ru le f o r d eterm in in g w h en a d ef en d a n t s h o u l d b e g ran ted

p ro b atio n

. B in g h am , 9 1 0 S .W.2 d at 4 5 6

. E v ery sen ten cin g d ecisio n n ecessarily req u ires a case-b y -case an aly sis. Id

. F acto rs to b e co n sid ered in clu d e th e circu m stan ces su rro u n d in g th e o f f en se, th e d ef

en d a n t ’ s crim in al reco rd

, th e d ef en d an t’s so cial h isto ry an d p resen t

co n d itio n , th e n eed f

o r d eterren ce, an d th e b est i n terest o f th e d ef en d an t an d th e p u b lic.
G o o d e, 9 5 6 S .W.2 d at 5 2 7

.

In d eterm in in g if in carceratio n is ap p ro p riate in a g iv en case, a trial co u rt sh o u ld

co n sid er w h eth er:

-4-(A ) C o n f in em en t is n ecessary to p ro tect so cie t y b y r e strain in g a d ef en d an t

w h o h as a lo n g h isto ry

o f crim in al co n d u ct;

(B ) C o n f i n e me n t is n ecessary to av o id d ep reciatin g th e serio u sn ess o f th e

o f f en se o r co n f

in em en t is p articu la

rly su ited to p ro v id e an ef

f ectiv e d eterren ce
to o th ers lik ely

to co m m it sim ilar o f

f en ses; o r

(C ) M easu res less restrictiv e th an co n f in em en t h av e f

req u en tly o r recen tly
b een ap p lied u n su ccessf

u lly to th e d ef

en d an t.

T en n

. C o d e A n n

. § 4 0 -3 5 -1 0 3 (1 ). F u rth erm o re, th e d ef en d an t’s p o ten tial f

o r reh ab ilitatio n

o r lack th ereo f sh o u ld b e ex am in ed w h en d eter mi n i n g w h eth er an altern ativ e sen ten ce is

ap p ro p riate. Id . § 4 0 -3 5 -1 0 3 (5 ).

T h e trial co u rt im

p o sed an ef

f ectiv e sen ten ce o f f

o u r y e a r s

. With reg ard to th e

m an n er o f

serv ice o f

th e sen ten ce, th e co u rt d eterm in ed :

T h e C o u rt

. . . h as m ad e sev eral o b serv atio n s, q u o ted f ro m th e

p resen ten ce rep o rt o n b o th sid es. [ T h e] C o u rt

. . . w o u l d a d o p t all th o se as f in d in g s o f th e C o u rt. T h e C o u rt f in d s th at th e u n f

av o rab le f

a c t o r s h eav ily

o u tw eig h an y

p o ten tial f

av o rab le f

acto r.

. . . .

. . . [ I] n th is case th e [ d ] ef en d an t i n t h e p resen ten ce rep o rt d id n o t
in d icate d ru g p ro b lem s. In h er testim o n y sh e said sh e h ad tak en so m e d ru g s b ef o re, S u b u tex

. I d o n ’t th in k th at co u ld d raw th e C o u rt to th e su g g estio n th at sh e receiv e C o m m

u n ity C o rrectio n s b ased o n h er p rio r reco rd an d th e f act sh e

w as o n p ro b atio n at th e tim e th ese o f f en ses o ccu rred o u t o f th e crim in al co u rt
f o r S u lliv an C o u n ty

.

S h e h as a – alth o u g h o n ly ag e 2 3 at th e tim e o f

th e p rep aratio n o f

th e

p resen ten ce rep o rt, sh e w as 2 1 at th e tim e th ese o f f en ses o ccu rred

.

. . . .

B u t b ased u p o n all th e p ro o f I’v e

– co n sid erin g th e C o u rt’s o p in io n th e

u n f av o rab le f

acto rs h eav ily o u tw eig h an y f av o rab le f

acto rs to th e g ran tin g o f

p ro b ati o n o r altern ativ e sen ten cin g o f an y k in d

, in clu d in g C o m m u n ity
C o rrectio n s, an d p articu larly in th is case, th e [ d ] ef en d an t d o es n o t attrib u te h er

-5-crim es to u sin g d ru g s. . . .

B u t I g u ess w e m ay b e h earin g ab o u t K in cer in th e f u tu re. M ay

b e n o t
in th is case, b u t it is co n sid ered

, at least o n th e crim in al co u rt o f ap p eals lev el,

to b e a sig n if

ican t case b y d ef

en se law y ers an d b y D .A .’s, I g u ess.

. . . [ A ] t th is p o in t it’s n o t p u b lish ed in th e S o u th Western [ R ep o rter]

.

A n y w ay , I’m g o in g to d en y

p ro b atio n , all k in d s an d f o rm s, in clu d in g C o m m u n ity C o rrectio n s. D ef

en d an t w ill b e req u ired to serv e h er sen ten ce.

T h e p ro o f sh o w ed th at ap p ro x im ately o n e m o n th af ter b ein g p laced o n p ro b atio n f o r h er attem p ted ag g rav ated assau lt an d assau lt co n v ictio n s, th e d ef en d an t co m mi t t e d t h e crim es in th e p resen t case. S h e ad d itio n ally v io lated h er p ro b atio n b y testin g p o sitiv e f o r

m arij u an a an d f

ailin g to p ay restitu tio n

. T h ese f acts am p ly su p p o rt th e d en ial o f altern ativ e

sen ten cin g

.

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 t o f th e trial

co u rt.

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

. G L E N N

, J U D G E

-6-