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

Ass ig ne d o n B rie fs Jan ua ry 5, 2 01 1

STATE OF TENNESS EE v . TERRY ROBI NSON

D i r e c t A p p e a l f

r o m t h e C i r c u i t C o u r t f o r M a d i s o n C o u n t y
N o

. 0 9

- 2 1 3 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 0 1 4 5

- C C A

- R 3

- C D

- F i l e d M a r c h 1 6
, 2 0 1 1

T h e d ef en d an t, T erry R o b in so 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
th ef t o f p ro p erty o v er $ 1 0

, 0 0 0

, a C lass C f elo n y , an d sen ten ced to ten y ears in th e D e p a r tm en t o f C o rrectio n as a R an g e II o f f en d er. O n ap p eal, h e arg u es th at t h e S t a t e

co m m itted p ro secu to rial m isco n d u ct in its reb u ttal clo sin g arg u m en t, an d h e ch allen g es th e

su f f icien cy o f th e co n v ictin g ev id en ce. A f ter rev iew

, w e af

f irm th e j u d g m en t o f th e trial

co u rt.

T e n n

. R

. A p p

. P

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

A LA N E

. G LE N N
, J

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

, i n w h i c h J

. C

. M C L IN a n d C A M ILL E

R

. M C M U LLE N
, J J

. , j o i n e 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 , f o r t h e a p p e l l a n t

, T e r r y R o b i n s 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 ; L i n d s y P a d u c h S t e m p e l

, 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

. 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 B r i a n G i l l i a m , A s s i s t a n t

D i s t r i c t A t t o r n e y G e n e r a l

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

.

O P I N I O N

F A C T S

T h e d ef en d an t w as in d icted o n th e ch arg e o f th ef t o f p ro p erty o v er $ 6 0 ,0 0 0 as a resu lt

o f h is sellin g sev eral o f h is em p lo y er’s m an u f

actu rin g to o ls to a scrap m etal recy clin g cen ter.
A t trial, R o b ert S h arra, O p eratio n s M an ag er f o r F o am F ab ricato rs, a m an u f actu rin g f acility
in M ad iso n C o u n ty

, testif ied th at th e d ef

en d an t w o rk ed f

o r F o am F ab ricato rs as a tem p o rary

em p lo y ee f ro m S ep tem

b er 4 u n til O cto b er 6

, 2 0 0 8

. S h arra said th at, p erio d ically

, th eir

cu sto m ers au th o rize F o am F ab ri c a t o r s to scrap to o ls n o lo n g er in u se, an d th e m o n eyreceiv ed f

ro m th e recy clin g cen ter is d ep o sited in to a f u n d f o r e mp lo y ee b o n u ses. S h arra stated th at h e w as th e o n ly o n e au th o rized to tak e scrap p ed to o ls to a recy clin g cen ter an d
th at h e n ev er let o th er em p lo y e e s , i n c l u d in g th e d ef en d an t, d o th at f

o r h im

. S h arra n ev er

u sed S .M .C

. R ecy clin g , a recy clin g cen ter in S elm er, b ecau se h e p ref erred to “stay clo se to th e lo cal eco n o m

y .”

S h arra testif

ied th at h e n o ticed th at a to o l w as m issin g in S ep tem b er 2 0 0 8

, w h ich led
h im to co n d u ct an in v en to ry in N o v em b er th at rev ealed at least f

o u rteen to o ls w ere m issin g

. B ased o n w h en th e to o ls w ere last u sed

, S h arra d eterm in ed th at th ey w ere sto len so m etim e b etw een A u g u st an d N o v em b er. U sin g o ld in v o ices

, S h a r r a e s tim ated th at th e co st to

rep lace th e sto len to o ls w as $ 1 5 9 ,5 0 6

. H e ex p lain ed th at th e to o ls w ere h eav y -d u ty item s th at retain ed t h e i r v a l u e. In an ef f o rt to in v estig ate w h o h ad sto len th e to o ls, S h arra to o k

p h o to g rap h s o f sim ilar to o ls to lo cal recy clin g cen ters. S h arra d isco v ered th at th e item s h ad
b een scrap p ed at S .M .C . R ecy clin g

.

K ev in R o b erts, an em

p lo y ee o f S .M .C

. R ecy clin g , testif ied th at th e d ef

en d an t cam e in to S .M .C

. “sev eral tim es” b etw een S e p t e mb e r an d N o v em b er 2 0 0 8 to sell scrap m etal.

R o b erts h ad a receip t sh o w in g w h ere th e d ef en d an t so ld a 5 9 1 -p o u n d p iece o f eq u i p me n t

to S .M .C

. o n S ep tem

b er 2 2

, 2 0 0 8

. R o b erts said th at th e d ef en d an t w as alo n e o n o n e o r tw o

o ccasio n s an d acco m

p an ied b y E ld o n R o g ers th e o th er tim es. H o w ev er, R o g ers n ev er cam e

w ith o u t th e d ef

en d an t. S o m etim es th e me n req u ested th at th e ch eck b e m ad e o u t to th e d ef en d an t an d o th er tim es m ad e o u t to R o g ers. R o b erts id en tif ied th ree receip ts in R o g ers’

n am e, d ated S ep tem

b er 1 1

, 2 4

, an d 3 0

, 2 0 0 8

. R o b erts recalled th at S h arra cam e to th e cen ter

an d sh o w ed h im p h o to g rap h s o f item s. R o b erts to ld S h arra th at “it h ad n ’t b een lo n g ag o th at [ h e] ’d b o u g h t so m e m aterials th at lo o k ed j u st lik e th at.” O n c r o s s-ex am in atio n , R o b erts ad m itted th at h e g av e a statem en t to a p o lice in v esti g a t o r sev eral m o n th s b ef o re trial in

w h ich R o b erts said th at h e recalled seein g th e d ef en d an t an d R o g ers at th e recy clin g cen ter

o n “[ a] t least tw o ” o ccasio n s.

E l d o n R o g ers, th e co -d ef en d an t, testif

ied th at h e w o rk ed at F o am F ab ricato r s

ap p ro x im at ely o n e y ear b ef o re th e th ef

ts. A t th at p o in t, h e an d th e d ef en d an t h ad b een f rien d s f o r tw en ty y ears. R o g ers ad m itted th at h e h ad tak en item s f ro m a recy clin g d u m

p ster

at F o am F ab ricato rs w ith o u t p erm issio n an d h ad th e item s recy cled at S .M .C

. R o g ers said
th at th e d ef

en d an t w as w ith h im o n o n e o r tw o o ccasio n s, b u t th e o th er tim es h e w en t alo n e. A cco rd in g to R o g ers, th e d ef en d an t w as aw are th at th e g o o d s w ere sto len an d receiv ed h alf

o f t h e p ro ceed s. R o g ers said th at th e d ef en d an t also called h im a f ew tim es ab o u t tak i n g

so m e item s to S .M .C

.

O n cro ss-ex am in atio n , R o g ers ad m itted th at h e h ad p led g u ilty to stealin g item s f ro m F o am F ab ricato rs an d h ad receiv e d a sen ten ce o f tw elv e y ears o n p ro b atio n

. R o g ers said

-2-th at h e h ad g o n e to S .M .C

. R ecy clin g ab o u t eig h t o r n in e tim es, an d th e d ef en d an t w as w ith
h im o n ly o n o n e o r tw o o ccasio n s. H e said th at K ev in R o b erts w as in co rrect if h e said th at
R o g e r s n ev er b ro u g h t th in g s to th e recy clin g cen ter w ith o u t th e d ef en d an t. O n r e d i r e c t

ex am in a t i o n , R o g ers stated th at th ere w ere o ccasio n s w h en h e saw item s f ro m F o am F ab ricato rs in th e d ef

en d an t’s tru ck an d th at h e h ad n o t h elp ed th e d ef en d an t p u t th o se item s in th e tru ck

.

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

, th e j u ry f

o u n d th e d ef

en d an t o f g u ilty o f th ef

t o f

p ro p erty in an am o u n t g reater th an $ 1 0 ,0 0 0 b u t less th an $ 6 0 ,0 0 0

.

A N A L Y S IS

I. P ro secu to ria l M isco n d u ct

T h e d ef en d an t arg u es th at th e p ro secu to r co m m itted p ro secu to rial m isco n d u ct in h is
reb u ttal clo sin g ar g u me n t. H e asserts th at th e p ro secu to r’s statem en t th at th e d ef en d an t
f ailed to ad m it h is g u ilt w h ile th e c o

- d e f en d an t p led g u ilty w as im p ro p er b ecau se th e d ef en d an t h ad th e rig h t to rem ain silen t an d req u ire th e S tate to p ro v e h is g u ilt. H e also

co m p lain s th at th e co u rt “issu ed n eith er a d ef in itiv e ru lin g o n th e o b

j ectio n n o r a cu rativ e in stru ctio n to th e j u ry

b ased o n th e S tate’s arg u m en t.”

T o w ard th e en d o f th e S tate’s reb u ttal, th e p ro secu to r stated

, “A g ain

, F o am F ab ricato rs is o u t $ 1 5 9 ,0 0 0 b ecau se o f w h at th ese tw o d id

. O n e h as accep ted resp o n sib ility

an d th e o th er h a s l e f

t i t to y o u to say th at h e’s g u ilty

. H e w o n ’t ad m it it o n h is o w n ev en th o u g h th e ev id en ce ag ain st h im is o v erw h elm in g [ .] ” D ef en se co u n sel ask ed f

o r a sid eb ar

co n f eren ce at w h ich p o in t h e o b j ected to th e p ro secu t o r ’ s “say in g th at [ th e d ef en d an t is]

g u ilty o f th is,” ex p lain in g , “I j u st d o n ’t th in k th at’s an ap p ro p riate co m m en t to say th at h e’s

g u ilty b ecau se h e d o es h av e a rig h t to a trial.” T h e co u rt o b serv ed

, “I th in k i t’s p retty

o b v io u s. I m ean , h e’s en tered a n o t g u ilty p lea.”

T en n essee co u rts “h av e trad itio n ally p ro v id ed co u n sel w ith a w i d e latitu d e o f
d iscretio n in th e co n ten t o f t h eir f in al arg u m en t” an d trial j u d g es w ith “w id e d iscretio n in

co n tro l o f th e arg u m en t.” S tate v

. Z irk le, 9 1 0 S .W.2 d 8 7 4

, 8 8 8 (T en n

. C rim

. A p p

. 1 9 9 5 ).

A p arty ’s clo sin g arg u m en t “m u st b e tem

p erate, p red icated o n ev id en ce in tro d u ced d u rin g th e trial, relev an t to th e issu es b ein g tri e d

, a n d n o t o th erw ise im p ro p er u n d er th e f

acts o r law .” S tate v

. M id d leb ro o k s, 9 9 5 S .W.2 d 5 5 0

, 5 5 7 (T en n

. 1 9 9 9 )

. T h e f iv e g en erally

reco g n ized areas o f p ro secu to rial m isco n d u ct in clo sin g arg u m e nt oc c ur whe n t he pr osecu to r in ten tio n ally m isstates th e ev id en ce o r m islead s th e j u ry o n th e in f eren ces it m ay d raw f

ro m th e ev id en ce; ex p resses h is o r h er p erso n al o p in io n o n th e ev id en ce o r th e d ef en d an t’s g u ilt;

u ses arg u m en ts calcu lated to in f lam e th e p assio n s o r p rej u d ices o f th e j u ry ; d iv erts th e j u ry

-3-f

ro m its d u ty to d ecid e th e case o n th e ev id en ce b y in j ectin g issu es b ro ad er th an th e g u ilt o r in n o cen ce o f th e accu sed u n d er th e co n t r o l l i n g law o r b y m ak in g p red ictio n s o n th e

co n seq u en ces o f t h e j u r y ’s v erd ict; an d in ten tio n ally ref ers to o r arg u es f

acts o u tsid e th e

reco rd

, o th er th an th o se w h ich are m atters o f co m m o n p u b lic k n o w led g e. S tate v

. G o ltz, 1 1 1
S .W.3 d 1 , 6 (T en n . C rim . A p p . 2 0 0 3 ).

F o r a d ef en d an t to b e en titled to a n ew trial o n th e b asis o f alleg ed ly i mp r o p er

rem ark s d u rin g th e clo sin g arg u m en t, th ey m u st b e sh o w n to h av e p rej u d iced th e case b y af f ectin g th e j u ry ’s v erd ict. M id d leb ro o k s, 9 9 5 S .W.2 d at 5 5 9

. In d eterm in in g w h eth er th is

o ccu rred

, w e co n sid er th e f o llo w in g f

acto rs: (1 ) t h e co n d u ct v iew ed in lig h t o f th e circu m stan ces an d f

acts in th e case ; ( 2 ) an y cu rativ e m easu res tak en b y th e trial co u rt an d
th e p ro secu tio n ; (3 ) th e p ro secu to r’s in ten t in m ak in g th e im p ro p er statem en ts; (4 ) th e

cu m u lativ e ef f ect o f th e p ro secu to r’s statem en ts an d o th er erro rs in th e reco rd ; an d (5 ) th e relativ e stren g th an d w eak n ess o f th e case. Id . at 5 6 0

.

A f ter rev iew in g th ese f

acto rs, w e can n o t co n clu d e th at th e p ro se c u t o r ’ s statem en t

p rej u d iced th e d ef

en d an t’s case. T h e co m

p lain ed -o f co m m en t w as v ery b rief

, am o u n tin g
to ap p ro x im ately

f o u r lin es o u t o f

a clo sin g arg u m en t an d reb u ttal th at sp an n ed m o re th an
tw en ty -f iv e p ag es. T h e statem en t w as g eared to w ard sh o w in g th e d ef en d an t’s g u ilt b y th e f act th at h is co -d ef

en d an t h ad p led g u ilty an d th ere h ad b een testim o n y th at h e an d th e co

d ef en d an t w ere p artn ers in th e en terp rise. T h ere w ere n o cu rativ e m easu res tak en , b u t th e d ef en d an t n ev er req u ested a cu rativ e in stru ctio n o r “d ef in itiv e” ru lin g at t h e t im e th e
statem en t w as m ad e. P ro o f o f th e d ef en d an t’s g u ilt w as rath er stro n g , c o n s i s t i n g o f th e in crim in atin g testim o n y o f h is co -d ef en d an t an d co rro b o ratin g testim o n y o f th e recy clin g

cen ter em p lo y ee. A cco rd in g ly

, w e co n clu d e th at an y erro r in th e p ro secu to r’s arg u m en t d id

n o t af f ect th e j u ry ’s v erd ict.

II. 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

. S p e c i f i c a l l y , h e

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

g o o d s w a s n o t p r o v e n t o b e m o r e t h a n $ 1 0

, 0 0 0

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

t h a t w h e r e s u f

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

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

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

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

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

. ” J a c k s o n v

. V i r g i n i a , 4 4 3 U

. S

. 3 0 7

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

. R

. A p p

. P

. 1 3 ( e ) ( “ F i n d i n g s o f g u i l t i n c r i m i n a l a c t i o n s w h e t h e r b y t h e t r i a l c o u r t o r j u r y s h a l l

b e s e t a s i d e i f

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

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

i n d i n g s b y t h e t r i e r o f

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

. ” ) ; S t a t e v

. E v a n s , 8 3 8 S

. W

. 2 d 1 8 5

, 1 9 0

- 9 2 ( T e n n

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

v

. A n d e r s o n , 8 3 5 S

. W

. 2 d 6 0 0

, 6 0 4 ( T e n n

. C r i m

. A p p

. 1 9 9 2 )

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

-4-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 )

.

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

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

e n d a n t

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

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

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

, 0 0 0 a n d $ 6 0

, 0 0 0

. T e n n

. C o d e A n n

. § § 3 9

- 1 4

- 1 0 3

,

- 1 0 5 ( 4 ) ( 2 0 0 6 )

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

- 1 1

- 1 0 6 d e f i n e s “ v a l u e ” a s “ ( i ) [ t ] h e f a i r m a r k e t v a l u e o f t h e p r o p e r t y o r s e r v i c e a t t h e t i m e a n d p l a c e o f t h e o f f e n s e ; o r ( i i ) [ i ] f t h e f a i r m a r k e t v a l u e o f t h e p r o p e r t y c a n n o t b e a s c e r t a i n e d

, t h e c o s t o f r e p l a c i n g t h e p r o p e r t y

w i t h i n a r e a s o n a b l e t i m e a f t e r t h e o f f e n s e [

. ] ” I d

. § 3 9

- 1 1

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

. T h e f a i r m a r k e t

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

. S e e S t a t e v

. H a m m , 6 1 1 S

. W

. 2 d 8 2 6

, 8 2 8

- 2 9 ( T e n n

. 1 9 8 1 )

. “ T h e m a r k e t v a l u e o f t h e a r t i c l e s t o l e n , a n d n o t i t s o r i g i n a l c o s t

, i s t h e

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

g r a d e o f t h e o f

f e n s e [

. ] ” I d

. a t 8 2 9 ( i n t e r n a l c i t a t i o n o m i t t e d )

.

A crim in al d ef

en d an t in T en n essee can n o t b e co n v icted so lely o n th e u n co rro b o rated
testim o n y o f an acco m

p lice. S tate v

. B an e, 5 7 S .W.3 d 4 1 1

, 4 1 9 (T en n

. 2 0 0 1 ) (citin g S tate

v

. S to u t, 4 6 S .W.3 d 6 8 9

, 6 9 6 (T en n

. 2 0 0 1 ); 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 )). T h is p rin cip le h as b een d escrib ed as f o llo w s:

-5-“[ T ] h ere 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 c o 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 i t i s su f

f icien t if th is ev id en ce, o f itself

, 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 o f f e n s e , 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 .”

B ig b ee, 8 8 5 S .W.2 d at 8 0 3 (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 e n n

. C r i m. 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 ).

In th e lig h t m o st f

av o rab le to th e S tate, th e ev id en ce sh o w s th at b etw een A u g u st an d

N o v e mb e r 2 0 0 8

, at least f o u rteen to o ls w ere sto len f ro m F o am F ab ricato rs. Wh en th e

o p eratio n s m an ag er, R o b ert S h arra, t o o k p h o to g rap h s o f sim ilar to o ls to lo cal recy clin g

cen ters, S .M .C

. R ecy clin g em p lo y ee, K ev in R o b erts, recalled h av in g recen tly p u rch a s ed
sim ilar item s f

ro m th e d ef

en d an t. R o b erts recalled th e d ef en d an t selli n g s c r a p m etal o n

ap p ro x im ately sev en d if

f eren t o ccasio n s

– o n ce o r tw ice alo n e an d f iv e t i me s w i t h E ld o n R o g ers. S p ecif

ically

, S .M .C

. h ad receip ts sh o w in g w h ere th e d ef en d an t w as p aid f

o r a 5 9 1

- p o u n d p iece o f eq u ip m en t o n S ep tem b er 2 2

, 2 0 0 8

, an d R o g ers w as p aid f o r item s o n S ep tem b er 1 1

, 2 4

, an d 3 0

, 2 0 0 8

. R o g ers ad m itted th at h e an d th e d ef en d an t sto le to o ls f

ro m F o am F ab ricato rs an d sp lit th e p ro ceed s eq u ally

. T h e d ef en d an t’s arg u m en t th at th ere w as in su f f icien t ev id en ce to co rro b o rate R o g ers’ testim o n y is w ith o u t m erit. A s d etailed ab o v e, R o b erts’ in d ep en d en t testim o n y , alth o u g h n o t ex ten d in g to ev ery p art o f th e co -d ef en d an t’s
testim o n y , su f

f icien tly co rro b o rated R o g ers’ testim o n y as d eterm in ed b y

th e j u ry

.

With r eg ard to th e v alu e o f th e sto len g o o d s, w e co n clu d e th at th ere w as su f f icien t

ev id en ce f

o r a ratio n al trier to f

act to d eterm in e th at th e v alu e w as m o re th an $ 1 0 ,0 0 0

. T h e d ef en d an t asserts th at th e p ro o f sh o w s th at h e w as in v o lv ed in at m o st f o u r tran sactio n s, th e

v alu e o f w h ich d o es n o t m eet th e th resh o ld o f $ 1 0 ,0 0 0 . H o w ev er, R o b ert S h arra testif ied
th at th ere w ere f

o u rteen to o ls s t o l e n

– th e rep lacem en t v alu e o f w h ich w as m o re th an $ 1 5 9 ,0 0 0

. K ev in R o b erts testif ied th at th e d ef

en d an t, eith er alo n e o r w ith R o g ers, so ld scrap

m et a l o n ap p ro x im ately sev en o ccasio n s. T h u s, th e j u ry h ad b ef o re it, in lig h t o f th e to tal

n u m b er o f item s sto len an d th e n u m b er o f tim es th e d ef

en d an t w as o b serv ed sellin g scrap

-6-m etal, su f

f ic i e n t e v id en ce to co n clu d e th at th e d ef en d an t w as in v o lv ed in th e th ef t o f

p ro p erty h av in g th e f

air m ark et v alu e o f

m o re th an $ 1 0 ,0 0 0

.

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

-7-