### IN TH E C OUR T O F CRIMINAL APPEALS OF TEN NESSEE

AT NASHVILL E

Ass ig ne d o n B rie fs Apri l 1 8, 2 01 2

STATE OF TENNESS EE v . BRIAN J ERMAINE DODSON

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 u r y C o u n t y
N o

. 1 8 7 1 4 S t e l l a L

. H a r g r o v e , J u d g e

N o

. M 2 0 1 1

- 0 0 5 2 3

- C C A

- R 3

- C D

- F i l e d J u n e 2 7
, 2 0 1 2

T h e d ef en d an t, B rian Jerm ain e D o d so n , w as co n v icted b y a M au ry C o u n t y C ircu it C o u rt j u ry o f f irst d eg ree p rem ed itated m u rd er, attem

p ted f irst d eg ree m

u rd er, an d ag g rav ated

assau lt an d sen ten ced to an ef f ectiv e term o f lif

e im p riso n m en t. O n ap p eal, h e arg u es th at: (1 ) th e trial co u rt erred in allo w in g th e S tate to am en d co u n ts tw o an d th ree o f th e in d ictm en t

o v er h is o b

j ectio n ; (2 ) th e trial co u rt erred in allo w in g a S tate w i t n e s s , A d rian Walk er, to
testif y co n cern in g g an g activ ity an d i n f ailin g to g ran t h is m o tio n in lim in e reg ard in g Walk er’s testim o n y ; (3 ) th e ev id en ce is in su f f icien t to su p p o rt h is co n v ictio n s; (4 ) th e trial

co u rt erred in f

ailin g to in stru ct th e j u ry o n alib i ; ( 5 ) t h e trial co u rt erred in allo w in g th e d ef en d an t’s p rio r co n v ictio n s to b e in tro d u ced d u rin g trial; (6 ) n ew ly d isco v ered ev id en ce

co u ld h av e af

f ected th e o u t c o me o f th e trial; an d (7 ) th e S tate co m m itted p ro secu to rial

m isco n d u ct b y u sin g p erj u red testim o n y an d an im p ro p er clo sin g arg u m en t, th e cu m u lativ e

e f f e c t o f w h ich d ep riv ed h im o f a f air trial. 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 N O R M A M C G E E O G LE a n d

R O G E R A

. P A G E

, J J

. , j o i n e d

.

H e r s h e l l D

. K o g e r , P u l a s k i

, T e n n e s s e e ( o n a p p e a l ) ; a n d S t a n l e y K

. P i e r c h o s k i

, L a w r e n c e b u r g , T e n n e s s e e ( a t t r i a l )

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

, B r i a n J e r m a i n e D o d 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 ; M i k e B o t t o m 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 K i m b e r l y C o o p e r , 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 cco rd in g to th e S tate’s p ro o f at trial, co u sin s K im M alo n e an d C ry stal M cK ee w ere stab b ed aro u n d 3 :3 0 o r 3 :4 5 a.m

. o n D ecem b er 1 4

, 2 0 0 8

, in an ap artm en t at P ark v iew M an o r A p artm en ts in M au ry C o u n ty

, T en n essee. A s a resu lt, th e d ef en d an t w a s i n d i c ted f

o r th e f irst d eg ree p r e me d i t a ted m u rd er o f M alo n e an d th e attem p ted f irst d eg ree m

u rd er an d

ag g rav ated assau lt o f

M cK ee.

S ta te’s P ro o f

O f f icer M ich ael B rian G ray o f th e C o lu m b ia P o lice D ep artm en t testif ied th at h e w as

o n d u ty o n D ecem

b er 1 3 , 2 0 0 8

, w h en h e m ad e a traf f ic sto p o f a sp eed in g v eh icle aro u n d

9 :5 0 p .m

. B ro o k L ee w as d riv in g th e v eh icle, an d t h e d ef en d an t w as th e p assen g er. T h e d ef en d an t p ro v id ed O f

f icer G ray w ith tw o id en tif icatio n card s

– o n e sh o w in g a M e mp h is

ad d ress an d o n e sh o w in g a C o lu m b ia ad d ress. O f

f icer G ray ’s p atro l car w as eq u ip p ed w ith

v id eo eq u ip m en t, an d , acco rd in g ly , th e traf f ic sto p w as reco rd ed

.

O f f icer G ray recalled th at th e d ef en d an t w as w earin g a “ b l u e an d w h ite ch eck ered

f lan n el j ack et” at th e tim e o f th e s t o p a n d th en later d escrib ed it as a “b lu e an d b lack

, ch eck ered f

lan n el co at.” H e n o ted th at th e d ef en d an t’s clo th es ap p eared to b e clean an d h ad

n o v isib le d irt o r b lo o d stain s o n th em

. B ecau se th e d ef en d an t w as w earin g a to b o g g an -sty le

h at, O f f icer G ray co u ld n o t see h is h air. H o w ev er, h e d id see th at th e d ef en d an t h ad a “sm all

b eard .” O f

f icer G ray u ltim ately d escrib ed th at th e d ef en d an t w as w earin g “a w o o len w h ite

ch eck ered j ack e t w i t h a w h ite o r g ray -co lo red u n d ersh irt. B lack lik e d ick ie p an ts an d a b lack to b o g g an [ ,] ” an d a b lu e b an d an a aro u n d h is n eck

. O f f i c e r G ray n o ted th at th e b lu e lig h ts o f h is p atro l car cast a b lu eish sh een o n th e co lo r o f th e clo th es o n th e v id eo tap e. T h e d ef en d an t w as search ed d u rin g th e traf f ic sto p , an d n o k n if

e w as f o u n d o n h im

.

O f f icer S arah H o w ell w ith th e C o lu m b ia P o lice D ep artm en t testif ied th at sh e w as o n

p atro l th e n ig h t o f th e o f f en ses an d resp o n d ed to a r e p o r t e d stab b in g at P ark v iew M an o r A p artm en ts aro u n d 3 :4 5 a.m

. o n D ecem b er 1 4

, 2 0 0 8

. T h e d isp atch in f o rm atio n w as th at a

m ale an d a f

em ale h ad b een stab b ed

. O f f icer H o w ell p u lled in to th e ap artm en t co m p lex an d

d ro v e to th e last b u il d i n g a t t h e en d o f th e d riv e w h ere sh e saw a w o m an stan d in g at th e b o tto m o f th e stairs. T h e w o m an w as slo u ch ed o v er an d h ad b lo o d o n h er sh irt, o b v io u sly

b leed in g f

ro m h er ch est area. O f

f icer H o w ell alerted o th er o f f icers th at sh e h ad lo cated th e

p o ssib le v ictim

.

-2-O f

f icer H o w ell testif

ied th at as sh e g o t o u t o f h er car an d started w alk in g to w ard th e

w o m an , th e w o m an tu rn ed aro u n d an d w alk ed to w ard an ap artm en t. O f f icer H o w ell

f o llo w ed th e w o ma n t o t h e ap artm en t an d in itially sto o d rig h t in sid e th e d o o rw ay

. T h e

w o m an w as in th e m id d le o f th e liv in g ro o m o n h er k n ees, h av in g tro u b le b reath in g an d

“seem ed k in d o f lik e sh e w as in sh o ck .” T h e w o m an also ap p eared as th o u g h sh e w as “[ p ] o ssib ly ” u n d er th e in f lu en ce o f a n arco tic.

O f f icer H o w ell testif

ied th at th e w o m an id en tif ied h erself as C ry stal M cK ee an d said

th at h er co u sin

, K im M alo n e, w as d ead

. Wh en O f f icer H o w ell ask ed M cK ee w h ere M alo n e

w as, M cK ee said th at sh e w as in th e k itch en

. M cK ee to ld O f f icer H o w ell th at sh e h ad b een in th e b ack o f th e ap artm en t clean in g a b ed ro o m w h en sh e h eard M a l o n e (“th e v ictim ”)

scream in g

. M cK ee said th at sh e w alk ed in to th e liv in g ro o m an d saw a b lack m ale, w h o m sh e k n ew as “L o k ,” w ith h is h an d s aro u n d th e v ictim . A t th at p o in t, “L o k ” lef t th e v ictim

alo n e an d ap p ro ach ed M cK ee. H e t h e n p ro ceed ed to stab h er w ith a lo n g b lad e. M cK ee

co u ld n o t recall w h at “L o k ” w as w earin g

. O f f icer H o w ell ask ed M cK ee if th e stab b in g w as related to “a d ru g d eal g o n e b ad ,” an d M cK ee an sw ered

, “[ N ] o

. It h ad so m eth in g to d o w ith

w h isk ey ,” th at “L o k ” w an ted h er w h isk ey

.

O f f icer H o w ell testif

ied th at, o n ce b ack u p o f

f icers arriv ed an d cleared th e scen e, sh e

w alk ed in to th e ap artm en t an d f o u n d th e v ictim

ly in g f aced o w n o n th e k itch en f lo o r. T h e

v ictim ’s h ead w as in a p o o l o f b lo o d an d th ere w as a larg e, o p en laceratio n o n th e lef t sid e

o f h er n eck . T h e v ictim

d id n o t h av e a p u lse.

C ry stal M cK ee testif

ied th at, in D ecem

b er 2 0 0 8

, th e v ictim w as th irty -sev en y ears o ld

a n d l iv ed alo n e at P ark v iew M an o r A p artm en ts. O n D ecem b er 1 3

, 2 0 0 8

, aro u n d n o o n , M cK ee w en t to th e v ictim ’s ap artm en t to ch arg e h er cell p h o n e. S h o rtly af ter arriv in g at th e

v ictim ’s ap artm en t, M cK ee an d th e v ictim to o k “a co u p le p u f f s o f crack .” T h e v ictim ’s

b o y f rien d

, D o n , w as also at th e ap artm en t, an d h e ask ed M cK ee to g o C h ristm as sh o p p in g

w ith th e v ictim later th at d ay

. T h e tw o lef t aro u n d 2 :0 0 p .m

. an d th en retu rn ed to th e

ap artm en t w h en th ey

w ere f in ish ed sh o p p in g

.

M cK ee testif

ied th at, sh o rtly af

ter retu rn i n g t o t h e ap artm en t, sh e w en t to w atch a

m o v ie at William R eece’s ho m e. A f ter th e m o v ie, sh e retu rn ed to th e v ictim ’s ap artm en t.

A ro u n d 3 :0 0 a.m ., so m eo n e started k n o ck in g lo u d ly o n th e ap artm en t d o o r an d callin g th e

v ictim ’s p h o n e. T h e tw o w ere in th e b ed ro o m in th e b ack o f th e ap artm en t at th e tim e. T h e

v ictim an sw ered so m e o f th e calls b u t ig n o red o th ers. S h e ap p eared irritated an d ro lled h er

ey es. E v en tu ally

, th e v ictim w en t to an sw er th e d o o r. O n cro ss-ex am in atio n , M cK ee said

th at th e k n o ck o n th e d o o r th at th e v ictim w en t to an sw er o ccu rred so m etim e b etw een 3 :0 0

an d 3 :3 0 a.m

.

-3-M cK ee testif ied th at eig h t to ten m in u tes af ter th e v ictim w en t to an sw er th e d o o r, sh e h eard th e v ictim scream in g an d w en t to see w h at w as h ap p en in g

. M cK ee lo o k ed aro u n d th e

co rn er an d saw a m an h o ld in g th e v ictim aro u n d th e w aist, rep ea t e d l y s t a b b i n g h er in th e b ack

, sm ilin g th e en tire tim e. M cK ee ex claim ed

, “O h

, m y G o d

. S h e can ’t su rv iv e th at,” an d

th e m an lo o k ed d irectly at M cK ee an d started “tearin g ” at th e v ictim ’s th ro at w ith th e k n if e.
T h e m an laid th e v ictim d o w n o n th e f lo o r an d ap p ro ach ed M cK ee. H e b eg an stab b in g h er,

so sh e g rab b ed a n earb y f

an to try to p u sh h im aw ay

. S h e attem p ted to d ial 9 1 1

, an d th e m an stab b ed h er in th e b ack

. Wh en h e p u lled th e k n if e o u t, sh e m isd ialed th e em erg en cy n u m b er.

M cK ee testif

ied th at sh e w as ab le to ru n to th e b ath ro o m an d lo ck th e d o o r. S h e th en called 9 1 1

. S h e h eard w h at so u n d ed lik e a cab in et d o o r slam m in g , lo o k ed o u t o f th e b ath ro o m , an d saw th e ch ain o n th e f ro n t d o o r sw in g in g

. B eliev in g th at th e m an w as g o n e,
M cK ee ex ited th e b ath ro o m to lo o k f o r th e em erg en cy p erso n n el. M cK e e w a i t e d o u tsid e f o r w h at “f

elt lik e f o rev er” an d th en w en t b ack in sid e to b e n ear th e v ictim

.

M cK ee testif

ied th at, w h en th e p o lice arriv ed

, sh e w as k n eelin g d o w n o n h er k n ees in th e liv in g ro o m , an d sh e p o in ted th e o f f icer to w h ere th e v ictim

w as ly in g . A t th e tim e,
M cK ee f elt lik e sh e w as g o in g in to sh o ck an d w as lo sin g a lo t o f b lo o d

. T h e o f f icer ask ed

M cK ee if sh e k n ew w h o h ad stab b ed th e v ictim

, an d M cK ee said

, “L o k ” an d g av e a d escrip tio n o f

w h at “L o k ” w as w earin g

. M cK ee said th at sh e im m ed iately reco g n ized th e attack er an d said th at sh e k n ew h im as “L o k .” S h e h ad seen h im at th e v ictim ’s ap artm en t

o n p rev io u s o ccasio n s b u t h ad n ev er h ad a co n v ersatio n w ith h im o r k n o w n w h ere h e liv ed

. O n th e n ig h t o f th e stab b in g , h e w as w earin g a w h ite cap o n to p o f a “b lack b lu e b an d an a”

an d a b lu e an d b lack

f lan n el co at. M cK ee id en tif ied th e d ef

en d an t in co u rt as th e attack er

an d th e p erso n sh e k n ew as “L o k .”

M cK ee testif

ied th at sh e w as tran sp o rted to th e trau m a u n it at V an d erb ilt H o sp ital

an d w as in an d o u t o f th e h o sp ital f o r th ree m o n th s b ecau se h em ato m as k ep t b u ild in g u p in

th e area u n d er h er lef

t ch est. M cK ee talk e d t o D e t e ctiv e D u n can w h ile sh e w as in th e

trau m a u n it, ab o u t f

o u r o r f iv e h o u rs af

ter th e stab b in g , an d to ld h im “L o k ” w as th e p erso n

resp o n sib le f

o r th e stab b in g

.

D o n ald R ay B u rk ett testif ied th at h e d ated th e v ictim f o r eig h t y ears an d th at h e w as

at h er h o u se th e d ay p rio r to h er m u rd er. H e recalled th at h e arriv ed a r o u n d 7 : 3 0 a

. m ., M cK ee arriv ed aro u n d 1 1 :0 0 a.m ., an d th en h e lef t aro u n d n o o n

. H e said th at h e d id n o t see
M cK ee sm o k e an y crack co cain e w h ile h e w as th ere. H e rem em b ered th at th e v ictim ’s cell

p h o n e n u m

b er w as 9 3 1 -2 8 6 -1 5 6 9

.

N ath an D o n o v a n testif

ied th at h e w o rk ed w ith th e d ef en d an t at S o u th ern G lass

C o m p an y in N ash v ille f

o r f o u r m o n th s an d th at th e d ef en d an t w as k n o w n as “L o k ” th ere.

-4-D u e to th e larg e size o f th e j o b site, D o n o v an g av e th e d e f e n d an t a p rep aid cell p h o n e in

o rd er to co m m

u n icate w ith h im th ere. O n ce h e g av e th e d ef en d an t th e p h o n e, h e n ev er saw it ag ain

.

K im b erly C o o p er, an em

p lo y ee o f A T &T

, p ro v id ed th e p h o n e reco rd s f o r telep h o n e

n u mb er 6 1 5 -8 3 8 -9 5 8 6

, w h ich w as assig n ed to D o n o v an ’s su b scrib er in f o rm atio n

. T h e

reco rd s sh o w ed th at a call w as m ad e to th e v ictim ’s cell p h o n e at 3 :3 4 a.m

. o n D ecem b er 1 4

, 2 0 0 8

, an d th e len g th o f th e call w as f o rty -o n e seco n d s. A t 3 :3 7 a.m ., th ere w as an in co m in g call f ro m th e v i c t i m ’s p h o n e n u m b er th at w en t to v o icem ail. A lso at 3 :3 7 a.m ., th ere w as

a call to th e v icti m’ s p h o n e n u m b er f ro m D o n o v an ’s n u m

b er th at lasted f

iv e seco n d s. A g ain

, at 3 :3 7 a.m ., th ere w as an o th er in co m in g call f ro m th e v ictim ’s p h o n e n u m b er, w ith

a d u ratio n o f zero seco n d s. L astly

, also at 3 :3 7 a.m ., D o n o v an ’s n u m b er called th e v ictim ’s

p h o n e n u m

b er, an d th e call lasted f

if ty -sev en seco n d s.

A d rian Walk er, w h o w as p resen tly in carcerated in th e William so n C o u n ty Jail o n a

p ro b a t i o n v i o l atio n f

o r a th ef t co n v ictio n , testif

ied th at h e w as in carcerated w ith th e d ef en d an t in early 2 0 0 9 in th e M au ry C o u n ty Jail. T h e tw o s h a r e d a cell to g eth er, d u rin g

w h ich tim e th e d ef

en d an t to ld h im ab o u t a situ atio n w h ere tw o w o m en w h o o w ed h im $ 3 0 0 “g o t cu t u p

. . . reaso n ab ly b ad ” an d th at it w as “m essed u p .” Walk er said th at th e d ef en d an t

to ld h im th at h e h ad b een p rep arin g to g o o u t o f to w n f o r h is b irth d ay an d “b asically w a s

g o in g to co llect th e m o n ey ,” b u t th e w o m en d id n o t h av e it. T h e d ef en d an t to ld h im th at h e

w en t to th e h o m e o f a w o m an n am ed L e n a af ter th e attack an d ch an g ed h is clo th es at h er h o u se. T h e d ef

en d an t als o t o l d h im th at th e S tate d id n o t h av e th e k n if e. T h e d ef

en d an t
sh o w ed h im

b lack an d w h ite p h o to g rap h s o f th e m u rd er scen e an d th e tw o v ictim s.

Walk er testif

ied th at, o n an o th er o ccasio n w h en h e an d th e d ef en d an t w ere in th e

sam e cell in Ju n e 2 0 0 9 , th e d ef en d an t sh o w ed h im

co lo r p h o to g rap h s o f th e m u rd er scen e

an d to ld h im

th at th e S tate “h ad d ro p p ed th e b all . . . b ecau se th ey p ick ed u p th e d u m

p ster

an d

. . . [ it] w en t in to th e trash co n t a i n e r i n s t e a d o f

. . . d riv in g straig h t to th e d etectiv e’s

o f f i c e

. ” W h en sh o w in g Walk er th e p h o to g rap h s, th e d ef en d an t said th at th e w o m en “g o t really m essed u p .” T h e d ef en d an t m en tio n ed to h im sev eral tim es th at “it w as j u st ab o u t 3 0 0

d o llars.” O n cro ss-ex am in atio n , Walk er testif ied th at h e also saw p h o to g rap h s o f a d u m p ster

an d a l o t o f t r a sh b u t, w h en p resen ted w ith th e d isco v ery p h o to g rap h s, h e w as u n ab le to

p o in t to an y p h o to g rap h th at sh o w ed a d u m p ster. O n red irect ex am in atio n , Walk er testif ied

th at th e reaso n h e w ro te a letter to th e d ef en d an t w h ile h e w as in th e William so n C o u n ty Jail

w as “b ecau se [ h e] h ad b een g ettin g stress f ro m certain g ro u p s o f C ry p t in d iv id u als in [ h is] 1 j ail” an d w as try in g “to sav e [ h im ] self .”

We have ut il ized t he s pel li ng foun d i n t he t ra nsc ri pt, whi ch we pr esu m e i s phone ti c. T he c orr ect 1

spe ll ing m ay be “ Cri p,” whic h i s a st re et gang.

-5-O f

f icer A n d re M artin w ith th e C o lu m b ia P o lice D ep artm en t t e s tif ied th at h e w as in stru cted to retriev e a d u m p ster f ro m P ark v iew M an o r A p artm en ts o n D ecem b er 1 5

, 2 0 0 8

, at 1 0 :0 0 a.m

. b ecau se o f

f icers b eliev ed th e d ef

en d an t h ad p laced a b ag in sid e th at d u m p ster.
O f f icer M artin w en t to th e ap artm en t co m p lex w ith a g arb ag e tru ck an d a f latb ed tru ck an d

in stru cted th e d riv er o f th e g arb ag e tru ck to p ick u p th e d u m p ster in f ro n t o f B u ild in g G an d

p lace it o n th e f

latb ed tru ck

. O n ce o n th e tru ck

, th e d u m p ster w as to b e tak en to th e p o lice

d ep artm en t to b e search ed

. In stead o f f o llo w in g th e in stru ctio n s, h o w ev er, th e g arb ag e tru ck

em p tied th e d u m

p ster in to th e g arb ag e tru ck

. O f f icers h ad to s e a r c h t h ro u g h th e co n ten ts

o f th e g arb ag e tru ck f

o r a b lack p lastic b ag b u t d id n o t f in d th e b ag th ey w ere lo o k in g f o r.

D etectiv e C o ry C o o p er w ith th e C o lu m b ia P o lice D ep artm en t testif ied th at h e

rep o rted to th e crim e scen e aro u n d 4 :0 0 a.m . o n D ecem b er 1 4

, 2 0 0 8

, an d w as resp o n sib le

f o r p ro cessin g th e scen e, w h ich in c l u d e d tak in g p h o to g rap h s an d co llectin g ev id en ce.
D etectiv e C o o p er stated th at h is n o tes ref lected th at M cK ee to ld h im h er atta c k e r w as

w earin g “a b lu e f

lan n el sh irt, tan p an ts, p

j -ty p e[ , an d a] b lu e b an d an a.”

D r. A m y M cM aster, 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 , testif

ied

th at sh e p erf

o rm ed th e au to p sy o n th e v ictim

. D r. M cM aster n o ted th at th e v ictim su f f ered

s i x t e e n s t ab o r cu t w o u n d s to v ario u s areas o f h er b o d y

. D r. M cM aster su rm ised th at th e stab w o u n d to th e lef

t sid e o f th e v ictim ’s ch est th at in j u red th e lef

t lu n g an d th e f

o u r stab

w o u n d s to h er b ack th at in j u red h er rib s, sp in e, an d sp in al co rd w o u ld h av e b een f atal.

H elen B lack m an H an n ah testif ied th at s h e k n ew th e d ef en d an t in D ecem

b er 2 0 0 8

,

an d h e w en t b y th e n ick n am e “L o k .” S h e recalled th at th e d ef en d an t sh o w ed u p at h er h o u se b etw een 8 :0 0 an d 8 :3 0 a.m

. o n D ecem b er 1 4

, 2 0 0 8

, an d h e w as n o t w earin g th e “to b o g g an h at” th at h e n o rm ally w o re an d h ad sh av ed h is m u stach e. S h e w as n o t su re h o w m u ch h air

h e h ad p rev io u sly d u e to h is alw ay s w earin g a h at, b u t sh e o b serv ed th at h e d id n o t h av e an y h a i r o n h is h ead th at m o rn in g

. A sk ed if th e d ef en d an t h ad an y ey eb ro w s th at m o rn in g , H an n ah said th at sh e “d [ id ] n ’t rem em b er seein g m

u ch

. . . h air o n h is f

a c e a t all th at

m o rn in g .” S h e also n o ted th at th e d ef en d an t o f ten w o re a b lack o r b lu e p laid j ack et, an d h e

w as n o t w earin g it th at m o rn in g

.

D etectiv e Jef

f D u n can w ith th e C o lu m

b ia P o lice D ep artm en t testif ied th at h e w as th e lead d etectiv e in th is case an d resp o n d ed to th e scen e sh o rtly af ter 4 :0 0 a.m . o n D ecem

b er 1 4

, 2 0 0 8

. T h ereaf

ter, h e trav eled to V an d erb ilt H o sp ital to talk to C ry stal M cK ee, w h o w as

co h eren t b u t “ap p eared to b e still in sh o c k

. ” M c K e e g av e h im a d escrip tio n o f w h at h ad

h ap p en ed an d o f h er attack er. D etectiv e D u n can learn ed o f a traf f ic sto p th at o ccu rred th e

n ig h t b ef o re an d w atch ed th e v id eo tap e o f th e sto p

. H e also sp o k e to N ath an D o n o v an d u e

to D o n o v an ’s co n n ectio n to th e p h o n e n u m b er th at h ad m ad e calls to th e v ictim ’s p h o n e. A s a resu lt o f th e p o lice in v estig atio n , th e d ef en d an t w as d ev elo p e d a s th e su sp ect. T h e

-6-o f

f icers lo cated th e d ef

en d an t’s ap artm en t, an d D etectiv e D u n can n o ted th a t i t w as

ap p ro x im ately f

if ty y ard s f ro m th e v ictim ’s ap artm en t. O f f icers ex ecu ted a search w arran t

o n th e d ef

en d an t’s resid en ce b u t d id n o t d isco v er th e item s th e y w e r e l o o k in g f o r. T h ey

w ere ev en tu ally ab le to lo c a te th e d ef en d an t, an d an ex am in atio n o f h im rev ealed n o

ev id en ce o f cu ts o r b leed in g

. D etectiv e D u n can d irected th e su b m issio n o f n u m ero u s item s

to th e lab f

o r testin g

.

D ef en d a n t’s P ro o f

A g en t H u n ter G reen e, a f

o ren sic scien tist w ith 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 , testif ied th at sh e ex am in ed item s o f ev id en ce su b m itted in th is

case f o r laten t f

in g erp rin ts, an d h er ex am in a t i o n f ailed to rev eal th e p resen ce o f an y id en tif iab le p rin ts.

C assan d ra B eav ers, a f

o ren sic scien tist w ith th e T B I C rim e L ab o rato ry , testif ied th at
sh e tested b o th a w h ite ro ck su b stan ce an d a ro ck su b stan ce su b m itted in th is case. T estin g

o f o n e o f th e item s d id n o t in d icate th e p resen ce o f an y co n tro lled su b stan ce, b u t testin g o f

th e o th er item

rev ealed th e p resen ce o f co cain e b ase.

A g en t C h arles H ard y , a f o ren sic scien ti s t i n t h e S w ab an d D N A U n it o f th e T B I

C rim e L ab o rato ry , testif

ied th at h e t e s t e d v a r i o u s sam p les su b m itted in th is case f o r th e

p resen ce o f b lo o d an d D N A

. A g en t H ard y ’s testin g rev ealed

, am o n g o th er th in g s, th at th e d ef en d an t’s D N A w as n o t p resen t in a sa mp l e o f b lo o d co llected f ro m th e b ath ro o m sin k

d r a i n o f h is ap artm en t. A sam p le o f b lo o d co llected f

ro m th e so f

a in th e d ef

en d an t ’ s

ap artm en t rev ealed a m ix tu re o f g en etic m aterial f ro m at least t h ree in d iv id u als, w ith a f em ale b ein g th e m aj o r co n trib u to r to th e m ix tu re b u t th e v ictim an d M cK ee w ere ex clu d ed

as th e p o ssib le co n trib u to rs. T h e d ef en d a n t’s D N A w as n o t f

o u n d o n an y b lo o d sam

p les

co llected f

ro m th e v ictim ’s ap artm en t, n o r w as th e v ictim ’s o r M cK ee’s D N A f o u n d o n an y b lo o d sam

p les c o l lected f

ro m th e d ef

en d an t’s ap artm en t. O n cro ss-ex am in atio n , A g en t

H ard y n o ted th at th ere w ere th ree sam p les, tw o o f w h ich w ere b lo o d sam p les, o b tain ed f

ro m th e v ictim ’s ap artm en t f

ro m w h ich h e w as u n ab le to g en erate a D N A p ro f ile.

Jo h n n ie R u th P o lk testif

ied th at sh e liv ed n ex t d o o r to th e v ictim at P ark v iew M an o r A p artm en ts in D ecem

b er 2 0 0 8

. P o lk stated th at so m eo n e k n o ck ed o n h er d o o r aro u n d 3 :0 0

o r 3 :3 0 a.m

. o n D ecem

b er 1 4

, 2 0 0 8

, an d

, w h en sh e an sw ered it, sh e saw a g irl n am ed C ry stal

w h o in f o rm ed h er th at th e v ictim w as d ead

. P o lk co u ld n o t tell i f C r y s tal w as h u rt, an d

C ry stal d id n o t tell h er th at sh e w as h u rt.

B ro o k L e e testif

ied th at sh e liv ed at 3 2 0 R o b erts D riv e in th e P ark v iew M an o r A p artm en ts in D ecem

b er 2 0 0 8

. L ee an d th e d ef en d an t w ere en g ag ed at th e tim e, a n d h e

-7-stay ed w ith h er “f ro m tim e to tim e.” O n D e cem b er 1 3

, sh e an d th e d ef

en d an t lef

t h er

ap artm en t aro u n d 9 :0 0 p .m

. to g et so m eth in g to eat, b u t th ey en d ed u p s t o p p i n g a t t w o d if f eren t g as statio n s. A f

ter leav in g th e seco n d g as statio n , th ey w ere p u lled o v er b y a p o lice

o f f icer. T h ereaf

ter, so m etim e aro u n d 1 0 :3 0 o r 1 0 :4 5 p .m ., th ey w en t to a car w ash . T h ey f in ally w en t b ack to L ee’s ap artm en t aro u n d m id n ig h t.

L ee testif ied th at, at h er ap artm en t, sh e an d th e d ef en d an t ate an d w atch ed a m o v ie,

w h ich en d ed aro u n d 2 : 0 0 o r 2 :1 5 a.m

. A t so m e p o in t, b o th L ee an d th e d ef en d an t f ell asleep

, b u t L ee w as aw ak en ed aro u n d 3 :0 0 a.m

. w h en sh e h eard th e d o o r o p e n an d

d isco v ered th at th e d ef

en d an t w as g o in g o u tsid e. H e to ld h er th at h e w as g o in g t o sm o k e

an d let th e d o g o u t, th en h e retu rn ed sh o rtly th ereaf ter. O n ce th e d ef

en d an t w as b ack in sid e th e ap artm en t, L ee f

ell asleep ag ain b u t w o k e u p w h en sh e h eard so m eo n e k n o ck in g o n th e d o o r. L o o k in g th ro u g h th e p eep h o le, L ee saw th at a w o m an n am ed “B an k s” w h o liv ed in

th e ap artm en t co m

p lex w as at th e d o o r, b u t L ee d id n o t o p en it. T h e d ef en d an t ask ed w h o

w as at th e d o o r, an d L ee to ld h im

. A f ew m in u tes later, th e d ef

en d an t w alk ed o u tsid e an d

w as g o n e ab o u t f

if teen m in u tes. It w as ap p ro x im ately 3 :3 0 a.m . at th e tim e.

L ee testif ied th at th e d ef

en d an t lo o k ed th e sam e w h en h e retu rn ed as h e h ad w h en h e lef t. H e w as w earin g d ark p an ts, a f lan n el sh irt, an d a j ack et. S h e th o u g h t h e also h ad o n h is to b o g g an h at an d a d o -rag

. T h e d ef en d an t w as n o t o u t o f b reath o r ex cited an d d id n o t
h a v e an y b lo o d o n h im

. O n ce b ack in th e ap artm en t, th e d ef en d an t sat o n th e co u c h f o r f if teen m in u tes an d th en to o k a s h o w e r

. F iv e m in u tes later, L ee h eard siren s. Wh en th e d ef en d an t g o t o u t o f

th e sh o w er, L ee g o t in to b ed

. T h e d ef en d an t p u t o n h is w o rk clo th es

an d j o in ed h er. S h o rtly th ereaf ter, th e d ef

en d an t g o t u p to g et read y f o r w o rk an d lef

t aro u n d

5 :0 0 a.m

. L ee n o ted th at, w h en th e d ef en d an t g o t o u t o f th e sh o w er, h e h ad sh av ed h is h ead

. H e ex p lain ed to h er th at g ro w in g o u t h is h air w as “‘j u st to o h ig h main ten an ce[ .] ’” T h e d ef en d an t h ad also sh av ed h is b eard an d ey eb ro w s. L ee stated th at sh e d id n o t o b serv e th e d ef en d a n t talk in g o n th e p h o n e th e en tire tim e th ey w ere to g eth er th at ev en in g an d early

m o rn in g , asid e f

ro m d u rin g th e traf

f ic sto p

.

C lif f o rd B o w en , an assistan t in co u n sel’s law o f f ice, testif ied th at h e f

iled a req u est
f o r d isco v ery in th is case o n M arch 2

, 2 0 0 9

, an d th at th ey w o u ld h av e receiv ed th e d isco v ery

w ith in a w eek af

ter th e req u est. H e recalled th at th ere w ere p h o to g rap h s in th e d isco v ery

. H e sen t co p ies o f th e p h o to g rap h s to th e d ef en d a n t a l o n g w ith th e rest o f th e d isco v ery

m aterials. H e in itially sen t th e d ef en d an t th u m

b n ail-sized b lack an d w h ite p h o to g rap h s an d

th en later sen t h im larg er-sized co lo r p h o to g rap h s. B o w en said th at h e w as f am iliar w ith all

7 1 4 p h o to g rap h s an d said th ere w a s n o p h o to g rap h o f a d u m p ster w ith trash in it o r a

p h o to g rap h o f a g arb ag e tru ck

. O n c ro ss-ex am in atio n , B o w en ack n o w led g ed th at
in f o rm atio n co n cern in g th e d u m p ster w as in th e S tate’s f

ile, w h ich h e receiv ed b ecau se o f

o p en f ile d isco v ery an d p assed alo n g to th e d ef en d an t. O n red irect, B o w en stated th at h e d id

-8-n o t sen d th e d ef en d an t an y p h o to g rap h s b ef o re Jan u ary 2 2

, 2 0 0 9

, as th ey h ad n o t receiv ed

th em at th at tim e.

D ariu s H aw k in s testif

ied th a t h e an d th e d ef

en d an t w ere cell m ates in th e M au ry C o u n ty Jail f

ro m D ecem

b er 2 0 0 8 u n til F eb ru ary 2 0 0 9

. A n o th er in m ate, A d rian Walk er, w as also in th e cell w ith th em f o r a o n e o r tw o -w eek p erio d in late Jan u ary . H aw k in s said th at
h e n ev e r h eard th e d ef

en d an t talk in g ab o u t h is case. H e also n ev er saw Walk er lo o k in g th ro u g h th e d ef

en d an t’s p ap erw o rk

.

O f f icer Jaso n D ark w ith th e C o lu m b ia P o lice D ep artm en t testif ied th at h e w as o n th e

su r v e i l lan ce team assig n ed to o b serv e th e d ef en d an t’s ap artm en t o n D ecem b er 1 5

, 2 0 0 8

. A ro u n d 7 :3 0 o r 8 :0 0 th at m o rn in g , a b lack m ale ex ited th e ap artm en t carry in g a b lack p lastic

t r a s h b ag , w h ich h e p laced in th e d u m p ster. O f

f icer D ark said th at h e w as n o t ab le to
id en tif y th e m an

.

O f f icer P au l M cC o rm ick w ith th e C o lu m b ia P o lice D ep artm en t testif ied th at later in

t h e d ay o f th e stab b in g , h e w as in th e area aro u n d th e d ef en d an t’s ap artm en t an d sa w a “h eav y -set d ark -h aired f

em ale,” w h o m h e b eliev ed to b e th e d ef en d an t’s g irlf

rien d

, h o ld in g

a sp ray b o ttle o f clean er an d a b o ttle o f

b leach

.

A n to n io T u ren tin e testif ied th at h e w a s a t t h e P ark v iew M an o r A p artm en ts in

D ecem b er 2 0 0 8

, th e n ig h t b ef

o re th e stab b in g in cid en t, to atten d a co o k o u t f o r h is co u sin ’s

b irth d ay

. A n to n io ’s co u sin liv ed in th e ap artm en t ab o v e th e d ef en d an t an d h is g irlf

rien d

. 2

T h e c o o k o u t started aro u n d 5 :0 0 o r 6 :0 0 p .m

. an d lasted u n til 2 :0 0 o r 2 :3 0 a.m

. W h e n A n to n io w as leav in g th e p arty

, h e saw th e d ef en d an t o u tsid e w ith a p u p p y , eith er ro llin g u p th e w in d o w s o f

h is car o r m ak in g su re h is car w as lo ck ed

.

R an d all T u ren tin e testif

ied th at h e u sed to “h an g o u t” at P ark v iew M an o r A p artm en ts

an d rem em

b ered a tim e h e atten d ed a p arty th ere w ith h is co u sin

, A n to n io

. R an d all recalled

th at h e saw th e d ef

en d an t s o me t i me d u rin g th at ev en in g w h en “it w as j u st g ettin g d ark ”

o u tsid e.

T h e d ef en d an t testif

ied th at h e liv ed w ith h is g irlf rien d

, B ro o k L ee, at 3 2 0 R o b erts

D r i v e in D ecem

b er 2 0 0 8

. E arly in th e ev en in g o f D ecem b er 1 3

, 2 0 0 8

, th e d ef

en d an t w as alo n e at th e ap artm en t, so h e sto p p ed b y a p arty th at w as g o in g o n in th e ap artm en t u p stairs

an d talk ed to so m e p eo p le, sp ecif ically th e “T u ren tin e b o y s.” A ro u n d 7 :0 0 o r 8 :0 0 p .m ., th e d ef en d an t an d L ee lef

t th e ap artm en t an d “ro d e aro u n d

. . . co n tem p latin g

. . . w h ere [ th ey ]

T wo of th e wi tne sse s ha ve the sa m e l ast name and wil l b e ref er re d t o by fi rs t n ame only at ti m es 2

for cl ar it y. We mean n o di sr esp ect by thi s pr act ic e.

-9-w an ted to g o

. ” T h e y ev en tu ally d ecid ed to g o to N ash v ille b u t w ere p u lled o v er b y th e

p o lice b ef

o re h ead in g in th at d irectio n

. A f ter th e traf

f ic sto p , th ey

w en t to a car w ash an d

th en d ecid ed to retu rn to L ee’s ap artm en t b ecau se it w as aro u n d m id n ig h t.

T h e d ef en d an t testif

ied th at, b ack at th e ap artm en t, h e tu rn ed u p th e h eat an d to o k o f f

h is f lan n el j ack et an d h at. L e e p r e p a r e d d in n er, an d th e tw o sat d o w n to w atch a m o v ie

aro u n d 1 2 :1 5 o r 1 2 :3 0 a.m

. A f ter th ey f in ish ed w atch in g th e m o v ie, th ere w as a k n o ck o n th e d o o r. L ee w en t to th e d o o r an d saw th at it w as M s. B an k s, w h o also liv ed in th e

co m p lex

, at th e d o o r. T h e d ef en d a n t e x p l ain ed th at M s. B an k s w as an eld erly lad y w h o

so m etim es cam e o v er to ask f o r cig arettes.

T h e d ef en d an t testif

ied th at, aro u n d 3 :1 0 o r 3 :1 5 a.m ., h e lef t th e ap artm en t to tak e h is p u p p y o u t an d g o to h is car to g et h is cig arettes an d h av e a sm o k e. H e estim ated th at h e

w as o u tsid e f

o r ab o u t f iv e m in u tes b ef

o re h e w en t b ack in

. T h e d ef en d an t ex p lain ed th at it

w as n o t u n u su al f

o r h im to b e o u tsi d e at th at h o u r b ecau se h e w o rk ed f o r a co m p an y in

N ash v ille an d h ad to b e at w o rk at 6 :0 0 a.m

. A s su ch

, h e w o u ld ty p ically g et u p aro u n d 3 :3 0

o r 4 :0 0 a.m . to g et read y

f o r w o rk

.

T h e d ef en d an t testif

ied th at h e w en t b a c k o u tsid e f iv e to ten m in u tes later, aro u n d

3 :3 0 o r 3 :4 0 a.m

. H e let th e p u p p y o u t ag ain an d w en t to h is car to ro ll u p th e w in d o w s an d

lo ck th e d o o r. Wh en h e retu rn to th e ap artm en t, h e sat o n th e co u ch an d w atch ed telev isio n f o r f if teen to tw en ty m in u tes. A f ter th at, h e sh av ed h is h ead

, b eard

, an d ey eb ro w s an d to o k

a sh o w er.

T h e d ef en d an t testif

ied th at, w h ile h e w as in th e sh o w er, L ee cam e in an d to ld h im

th at th ere h ad b een a stab b in g o r sh o o tin g in th e ap artm en t co m p lex

. T h e d ef

en d an t to ld h er

to stay aw ay f

ro m th e w in d o w in case so m eo n e w as o u tsid e sh o o tin g

. A f ter h is sh o w er, th e d ef en d an t d ressed in lo u n g e clo th es an d g o t in to b ed

. H e w o k e u p aro u n d 5 :0 0 o r 5 :3 0 a.m ., ate b reak f ast, an d lef

t th e ap artm en t.

T h e d ef en d an t testif

ied th at h e h ad a cell p h o n e at th e tim e w ith th e n u m b er 6 1 5 -8 3 8

- 9 5 3 6

, w h ich w as th e cell p h o n e h e w as talk in g o n d u r i n g t h e traf f ic sto p

. H o w ev er, th e

p h o n e w as so m eh o w m isp laced af ter th e traf

f ic sto p , so h e d id n o t h av e it w h en th ey

retu rn ed to 3 2 0 R o b erts D riv e th at n ig h t. H e sp ecu lated th at h e m ay h av e lef t th e p h o n e at
th e car w ash o r at a sto re th ey sto p p ed b y

af terw ard s.

T h e d ef en d an t testif

ied th at h e m et th e v ictim in th e su m m er o f 2 0 0 8 w h en sh e w as h av i n g c a r tro u b le, an d h e h elp ed start h er car. H e k n ew th at th e v ictim liv ed in an

ap artm en t in th e b u ild in g ad j acen t to h is g irlf

rien d ’s b u ild in g an d talk ed to h er o n th e p h o n e

an d v isited h er ap artm en t o ccasio n ally . H e h ad seen C ry stal M cK ee b ef o re b u t h ad n ev er

-10-h ad a co n v ersatio n w ith h er. T h e d ef en d an t d en ied g o in g to th e v ictim ’s ap artm en t o r callin g h er o n th e n ig h t o f th e in cid en t. T h e d ef en d an t said th at h e h ad n o t rec e i v e d an y d isco v ery p h o to g rap h s in Jan u ary 2 0 0 9

– th e f irst tim e h e an d A d rian Walk er w ere h o u sed

to g eth er in th e M au ry

C o u n ty Jail.

O n cro ss-ex am in atio n , th e d ef en d an t recalled th at h e sh o w ed A d rian Walk e r s o m e b lack an d w h ite p h o to g rap h s o f th e crim e scen e b u t said th at h e d id n o t recall sh o w in g Walk er an y co lo r p h o to g rap h s. H o w ev er, h e said th at h e d id n o t tell Walk er th at th e w o m en

w ere stab b ed b ecau se th ey o w ed h i m $ 3 0 0 f o r d ru g s. T h e d ef

en d an t ad m itted th at h e receiv ed a co p y

o f h is case f

ile f ro m co u n sel an d w as aw are o f th e situ atio n reg ard in g th e

co n ten ts o f th e d u m

p ster b ein g lo st, b u t h e d en ied m en tio n in g an y th in g a bout th at to Walk er.

R eb u tta l P ro o f

B ro o k L ee d en ied k n o w in g th e d ef en d an t to b e a d ru g d ealer o r ev er tellin g D etectiv e C o o p er th at th e d ef

en d an t so ld crack

.

D etectiv e C o o p er testif

ied th at h e in terv iew ed th e d ef en d an t, an d th e d ef

en d an t to ld

h im th at “L o k ” w as n o t h is n ick n am e. T h e d ef en d an t d en ied m ak in g an y telep h o n e calls to
th e v ictim w ith in th e d ay o r tw o lead in g u p to h er m u rd er. D etectiv e C o o p er said th at B ro o k

L ee to ld h im

w h en h e in terv iew ed h er th at th e d ef en d an t so ld crack co cain e.

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 K im M alo n e an d th e attem p ted f irst d eg ree m

u rd er an d ag g rav ated

assau lt o f C ry stal M cK ee.

A N A L Y S IS

I. A m en d m en t o f

In d ictm en t

T h e d ef en d an t f irst a r g u e s t h a t th e trial co u rt erred in allo w in g th e S tate to am en d

co u n ts tw o an d th ree o f

th e in d ictm en t o v er h is o b j ectio n an d af

ter j eo p ard y

attach ed

.

Im m ed iately af

ter t h e j u r y w as sw o rn , b u t p rio r to th e read in g o f th e in d ictm en t,
d ef en se co u n s e l mo v e d t o d ism iss co u n ts tw o an d th ree o f th e in d ictm en t f o r lack o f j u risd ictio n b ecau se th o se co u n ts ch arg ed th at th e resp ectiv e o f f en ses t o o k p lace in

L aw ren ce C o u n ty

, rath er th an in M au ry C o u n ty w h ere th e ev id en ce w as g o in g to sh o w th e

o f f en ses to o k p lace. In resp o n se, th e S tate m o v ed to am en d co u n ts tw o an d th ree to alleg e th at th ey o ccu rred in M au ry C o u n ty

. T h e d ef en se resp o n d ed th at it d id n o t co n sen t to th e

am en d m en t an d th at its co n sen t w as req u ired af ter th e attach m en t o f j e o p a r d y , w h ich

-11-o ccu rred w h en t h e j u ry w as sw o rn

. T h e co u rt d en ied th e d ef en d an t’s m o tio n to d ism iss,

statin g :

If [ v en u e is] n o t an elem en t th en w h y is it su ch a f at al f law ? I m ean , d u rin g th e co u rse o f th e p ro o f

, clearly th e S tate h as th e b u rd en to p ro v e b y a

p rep o n d eran ce o f th e ev id en ce

. . . . I’m g o in g to d en y [ th e d ef en se m o tio n ]

.

. . . T h ere’s b een an o p en f ile d isco v ery

. I u n d erstan d y o u r strateg y in

b rin g in g th is at th is tim e. H o w ev e r , i t j u st seem s b latan tly u n f air to

. . . req u ire th e S tate to d ism iss th ese tw o [ co u n ts] at th is tim e.

. . . C ertain ly

. . . th ere’s n o n ew o f

f en ses raised . H is rig h ts, h e’s n o t p rej u d iced

.

R u le 7 (b )(2 ) o f th e T en n e s s e e R u l e s o f C rim in al P ro ced u re p ro v id es th at, b ef o re j eo p a r d y attach es, a trial co u rt m ay allo w am en d m en t to an in d ictm en t w ith o u t th e d ef en d an t’s co n sen t w h en “n o ad d itio n al o r d if f eren t o f f en se is ch arg ed an d n o su b stan tial rig h t o f th e d ef

en d an t is p rej u d iced .” Id

. 7 (b )(2 ). H o w ev er, o n ce j e o p a r d y attach es, an in d ictm en t m ay o n ly b e am en d ed b y co n sen t o f th e d ef en d an t. Id

. 7 (b )(1 ); see S tate v

. T o d d

, 6 5 4 S .W.2 d 3 7 9

, 3 8 2 (T en n

. 1 9 8 3 ) (Jeo p ard y attach es in a j u ry case af ter th e j u ry is

im p an eled an d sw o rn .). T h e d ecisio n to g ran t o r d en y a m o tio n to am en d an in d ictm en t rests

w ith in th e so u n d d iscretio n o f th e trial co u rt, an d th is co u rt w ill n o t alter th at d ecisio n ab sen t

an ab u se o f d iscretio n

. S ee S tate v

. K en n ed y , 1 0 S .W.3 d 2 8 0

, 2 8 3 (T en n

. C rim

. A p p

. 1 9 9 9 ).

R u le 1 2 (b )(2 )(B ) o f th e T en n essee R u les o f C rim in al P ro ced u re p r o v id es th at a

m o tio n alleg in g a d ef

ect in t he in d ictm en t, p resen tm en t, o r in f o rm atio n m

u st b e raised b ef

o re trial, b u t th at “at an y tim e w h ile th e case is p en d in g , th e c o u r t ma y h ear a claim th at th e in d ictm en t, p resen tm en t, o r in f o rm atio n f

ails to sh o w j u risd ictio n in th e co u rt o r to ch arg e

an o f f en se[ .] ” Id

. “‘L ack o f j u risd ic t i o n ’ ref ers to su b j ect m atter j u risd ictio n ,” S tate v

. N ix o n , 9 7 7 S .W.2 d 1 1 9 , 1 2 0 (T en n . C rim . A p p . 1 9 9 7 ), w h ich ref ers to a co u rt’s au th o rity

to ad j u d icate a d isp u te b ro u g h t b ef o re it. F reem an v

. C S X T ran sp ., In c., 3 5 9 S .W.3 d 1 7 1

, 1 7 6 (T en n

. C t. A p p

. 2 0 1 0 ). “V en u e, o n th e o th er h an d

, d o es n o t af f ect th e co u rt’s au th o rity

to ru le o n m atters b ef

o re it[ .] ” Id

. D ef

ects in th e in d ictm en t th at g o to f o rm , rath e r th an

su b stan ce, m

u st b e raised p rio r to trial o r w ill resu lt in w aiv er. N ix o n , 9 7 7 S .W.2 d at 1 2 1

. E x am p les o f th ese ty

p e o f d ef ects in clu d e: “f

ailu re o f th e d istrict atto rn ey g en eral to sig n th e in d ictm en t, th e id en tity o f th e p erso n ch arg ed

, th e tim e at w h ich th e o f f en se w as co m m itted

,

an d th e p la ce o

f th e o ffen se .” Id

. (em

p h asis ad d ed ). “It is n o t n ecessary f o r th e in d ictm en t

to alleg e w h ere th e o f

f en se w as co m m itted

, b u t th e p ro o f sh all sh o w a state o f f acts b rin g in g th e o f f en se w ith in th e j u r i sd ictio n o f th e co u n ty in w h ich th e in d ictm en t w as p ref erred .”

T en n . C o d e A n n . § 4 0 -1 3 -2 0 8

.

In th is case, co u n t o n e o f th e in d ictm en t co rrectly alleg es th at th e crim e o ccu rred in

M au ry C o u n ty ; w h ereas, co u n ts tw o an d th ree in co rrectly alleg e th at th e crim es o ccu rred in

-12-L aw ren ce C o u n ty

. T h is d ef ect is o f th e ty

p e th at m u st b e raised p rio r to trial o r resu lt in

w aiv er. A s su ch

, b y f

ailin g to o b

j ect p rio r to trial, th e d ef

en d an t h as w aiv ed h is issu e. T en n

. R

. C rim

. P

. 1 2 (b )(2 ), 1 2 (f ). In an y ev en t, ev en if th e co u rt erred in allo w in g th e S ta t e t o

am en d th e in d ic t me n t s , su ch erro r w as h arm less b ecau se th e to p o f th e in d ictm en t clearly

in d icates it is f

ro m M au ry C o u n t y , t h e d ef en d an t k n ew th e crim es w ere alleg ed to h av e

o ccu rred in M au ry C o u n t y , a n d t h e in d ictm en t in n o w ay m isled o r m isin f o rm ed th e d ef en d an t o f th e ch arg es ag ain st h im

.

II. W itn ess A d ria n W a lker

T h e d ef en d an t alleg es sev eral err o r s w ith reg ard to w itn ess A d rian Walk er’s

testim o n y

. S p e c i f

i c a l l y , h e asserts th at th e trial co u rt erred in allo w in g Walk er to testif y

co n cern in g g an g activ ity ; th at th e co u rt erred in f a i l i n g to g ran t h is m o tio n in lim in e to

p rev en t Walk er f

ro m testif y in g ; an d th at th e S tate v io lated its d u ty to p ro v id e ex cu lp ato ry

ev id en ce reg ard in g a T B I in terv iew o f Walk er.

We rev iew th e trial co u rt’s d ecisio n to ad m it o r ex clu d e ev id en ce u n d er an ab u se o f

d iscretio n stan d ard

. S ee S tate v

. M cL eo d

, 9 3 7 S .W.2 d 8 6 7

, 8 7 1 (T en n

. 1 9 9 6 ). T en n essee
R u le o f E v id en ce 4 0 1

, w h ich g o v ern s th e in itial issu e o f ad m issib ility

, req u ires th e trial co u rt

to f irst d eterm in e w h eth er th e p ro f f ered ev id en ce is relev an t. E v id en ce is relev an t if it h as “an y ten d en cy to m ak e th e ex isten ce o f an y f act th at is o f co n seq u en ce to th e d eterm in atio n

o f th e actio n m o re p ro b ab le o r less p ro b ab le th an it w o u ld b e w ith o u t th e ev id en ce.” T en n

. R

. E v id

. 4 0 1

. T en n essee R u le o f E v id en ce 4 0 3 p ro v id es th at, ev en if relev an t, ev id en ce m ay b e ex clu d ed if its p ro b ativ e v alu e i s s u b s tan tially o u tw eig h ed b y th e d an g er o f u n f air

p rej u d ice.

B ef o re trial, d ef

en se co u n sel h ad a co n v ersatio n w ith th e p ro secu tio n an d th e co u rt

co n cern in g th e d ef

en d an t’s asso ciatio n w ith a g an g n o t b ein g d elv ed in to d u rin g trial. T h e

co u rt n o ted th at th ere n eed ed to b e a j u ry -o u t h e a r i n g p rio r to an y th in g b ein g m en tio n ed

co n cern in g a g an g

. T h ereaf t er, d u rin g th e S tate’s red irect ex am in atio n o f Walk er, th e

p ro secu to r ask ed Walk er w h y h e w ro te th e letter to th e d ef en d an t in 2 0 0 9 th at h e h ad b een

q u estio n ed ab o u t o n cro s s-ex am in atio n , to w h ich Walk er resp o n d ed th at h e “h ad b een

g e t t i n g stress f

ro m certain g ro u p s o f C ry p t in d iv id u als in [ th e] j ail[ .] ” D ef en se co u n se l

o b j ected

, an d th e S tate resp o n d ed th at th e d ef en d an t h ad o p en ed th e d o o r b y in tro d u cin g th e letter an d th at Walk er w as en titled to ex p lain w h y h e w ro te it. T h e co u rt ru led th at it w o u ld

allo w Walk er to ex p lain w h y h e w ro te th e letter to th e d ef en d an t.

T h e d ef en d an t also f

iled a m o tio n in li mi n e t o e x clu d e A d rian Walk er’s testim o n y b ecau se Walk er’s testim o n y w o u ld rev eal to th e j u ry th at th e d ef en d an t w as in cu sto d y af

ter
h is arrest w h ich w o u l d “ i r rev o cab ly h arm th e [ d ] ef en d an t’s rig h t to th e p resu m p tio n o f

-13-in n o cen ce[ .] ” T h e co u rt n o ted th at j u st b ecau se th e d ef en d an t w as in cu sto d y at th e tim e o f

h is co n v ersatio n w ith Walk er d id n o t g iv e th e j u ry an y reaso n to b eliev e th at h e w as still in

cu sto d y at t h e t i me o f trial. T h e co u rt ag reed w ith th e arg u m en t b y th e S tate th at th e d e f e n d an t’s w earin g street clo th es at trial w o u ld tak e aw ay an y p resu m p tio n o f g u ilt t h a t

m ig h t arise f

ro m k n o w led g e o f h is p o st-arrest in carceratio n

. T h e co u rt o f f ered to g iv e a lim itin g in stru ctio n , b u t th e d ef en d an t d eclin ed

.

E v en th o u g h th e d ef

en d an t m en tio n s o n ap p eal th ese issu es co n cern in g Walk er’s

testif y in g ab o u t g an g activ ity

an d b ein g allo w ed to testif y in g en eral, h e o f

f ers n o sp ecif

ic

arg u m en t as to w h y th e co u rt erred in allo w in g Walk er to testif y o n red irect co n cern in g th e

reaso n h e w ro te th e letter to th e d ef en d an t, asid e f

ro m assertin g th at h e w as “p rej u d icially

d en ied th e ab ility to im

p each

. . . Walk er’s cred ib ility reg ard in g h is g an g -related testim o n y d u e to th e S tate’s f

ailu re to p ro v id e th e d ef

en se w ith ex cu lp ato ry ev id en ce.” A s su ch

, w e

co n clu d e th at th e d ef

en d an t f a i l e d t o p ro v e th at th e trial co u rt ab u sed its d iscretio n in

allo w in g g an g -r e l ated testim o n y , an d w e w ill ad d ress th e ex cu lp ato ry ev id en ce alleg atio n b elo w

. In ad d itio n , th e d ef en d an t arg u es o n ap p eal co n cern in g Walk er’s b ein g allo w ed to
testif y in g en eral, n o t th at Walk er’s testim o n y rev ealed to th e j u ry th at th e d ef en d an t w as in

cu sto d y af

ter h is arrest w h ich “irrev o c a b ly h arm [ ed ] [ h is] rig h t to th e p resu m p tio n o f

in n o cen ce” as h e arg u ed in h is m o tio n in lim in e, b u t, in stead

, th at Walk er’s testim o n y w as “m an u f actu red an d /o r sp ecu lativ e in n atu re” an d th e S tate “u sed Walk er’s f alse testim o n y

to w ro n g ly co n v ict [ h im ] .” “It is w ell-settled th at an ap p ellan t is b o u n d b y th e ev id en tiary

th eo ry set f

o rth at trial, an d m ay n o t ch an g e th eo ries o n ap p eal.” S tate v

. A ld er, 7 1 S .W.3 d

2 9 9

, 3 0 3 (T en n

. C rim

. A p p

. 2 0 0 1 ) (citin g S tate v

. B an es, 8 7 4 S .W.2 d 7 3

, 8 2 (T en n

. C rim

. A p p . 1 9 9 3 )).

I n an y ev en t, th e d ef

en d an t p o in ts to Walk er’s testim o n y th at th e d ef en d an t h ad

sh o w ed h im p h o to g rap h s o f a d u m p ster as b ein g th e “f

alse testim o n y ” h e co m

p lain s th at th e S tate u sed to co n v ict h im

. H o w ev er, su ch testim o n y w as actu ally elicited b y th e d ef en se o n

cro ss-ex am in atio n

. O n d irect, Walk er testif ied th at th e d ef

en d an t to ld h im w h en th ey w ere in carcerated to g eth er th e seco n d tim e th at th e S tate h ad “d ro p p ed th e b all” b y em p ty in g th e d u m p ster in to th e trash co n tain er in stead o f k eep in g th e co n ten ts sep arate f o r in sp ectio n

. T h ere w as n o m en tio n o f an y p h o to g rap h s o f a d u m p ster. T h en , o n cro ss-ex am in atio n , d ef e n s e co u n sel ask ed Walk er if h e saw p h o to g rap h s o f th e d u m p ster, to w h ich Walk er

resp o n d ed th at h e d id . H o w ev er, w h en h e w as p resen ted w ith th e d isco v ery p h o to g rap h s, Walk er w as u n ab le to f

in d an y p h o to g rap h s o f a d u m p ster, an d th e d ef

en se th o ro u g h ly cro ssex am in ed Walk er ab o u t th e p h o to g rap h s an d h is k n o w led g e o f th em

. T h ere i s s i mp ly n o

p ro o f th at th e S tate u sed f

alse testim o n y

to co n v ict th e d ef

en d an t.

T ied in to th ese issu es, th e d ef en d an t asserts th at th e S tate f ailed to su p p ly

h im w ith

ex cu lp ato ry ev id en ce co n cern in g W a l k er, sp ecif ically ev id en ce o f th e T B I’s in terv iew o f

-14-Walk er o n N o v em b er 2 0

, 2 0 0 9

. H e claim s th at h e w o u ld h av e b een ab le to m o re f u lly cro ssex am in e Walk er to im

p each h is cred ib ility h ad h e b een p ro v id ed th e ex cu lp ato ry ev id en ce.

In B rad y v

. M ary lan d

, 3 7 3 U .S

. 8 3

, 8 7 (1 9 6 3 ), th e U n ited S tates S u p rem e C o u rt h eld

th at th e p ro secu tio n h as a d u ty to f u rn ish to th e d ef

en d an t ex cu lp ato ry ev id en ce p ertain in g eith er to th e accu sed ’s g u ilt o r in n o cen ce o r to th e p o ten tial p u n ish m en t t h at m ay b e im p o sed

. T h e C o u rt ex p lain ed th at “su p p ressio n b y th e p ro secu tio n o f ev id en ce f av o rab le

to an accu sed u p o n req u est v io lates d u e p ro cess w h ere th e ev id en ce is m aterial eith er to g u ilt

o r to p u n ish m en t, irresp ectiv e o f th e g o o d f aith o r b ad f

aith o f th e p ro secu tio n .” Id

. In o rd er

t o e stab lish a B rad y v io latio n , a d ef en d an t m u st sh o w th at h e o r sh e req u este d t h e in f o rm atio n , th e S tate su p p ressed th e in f o rm atio n , th e in f

o rm atio n w as f

av o rab le to h is o r h er d ef en se, an d th e in f

o rm atio n w as m aterial. S tate v

. E d g in

, 9 0 2 S .W.2 d 3 8 7

, 3 8 9 (T en n

. 1 9 9 5 ). E v id en ce is “m aterial” o n ly if th ere is a reaso n ab le p ro b ab ility th at th e resu lt o f th e

p ro ceed in g w o u ld h av e b een d if f eren t h ad th e ev id en ce b een d isclo sed to th e d e f e n se. U n ited S tates v

. B ag ley

, 4 7 3 U .S

. 6 6 7

, 6 8 2 (1 9 8 5 ). T h e b u rd en o f p ro v in g a B rad y v io latio n

rests w ith th e d ef

en d an t, an d t h e v i o l a t i o n m u st b e p ro v en b y a p rep o n d eran ce o f th e

ev id en ce. E d g in , 9 0 2 S .W.2 d at 3 8 9

.

A t th e m o tio n f

o r n e w t r i a l h e arin g , th e d ef en d an t in tro d u ced a su m m ary o f T B I Age nt Br a d El l i ot

t ’ s Nove m

ber 2 0

, 2 0 0 9 in terv iew w ith A d rian Walk er co n cern in g Wa l ke r ’ s in terv iew b y an in v estig ato r sen t b y d ef en se co u n sel th e p rev io u s d ay in w h ich Walk er w as

essen tially in tim id ated

. In th e su m m ary , th e T B I ag en t d etailed th at Walk er rep o rted

, am o n g

o th er th in g s, th at th e in v estig ato r sh o w ed h im th at sh e h ad p erso n al co n tact in f o rm atio n f

o r Walk er’s lo v ed o n es th at sh e w as g o in g to sh are w ith th e d ef en d an t an d th at th e d ef

en d an t

co n sid ered Walk er “a sn itch .” T h e in v estig ato r in f o rm ed Walk er th at th e d e f e n d a n t w as af f iliated w ith a g an g an d th at “th e d ef en se h ad a g o o d c a s e u n til Walk er g o t in v o lv ed .”

Walk er rep o rted th at th e in v estig ato r ask ed h im if h e k n ew th e m ean in g o f th e d ef en d an t’s

tatto o s: o n e b ein g th at th e d ef en d an t h ad co m m itted a h o m icid e , o n e b ein g th at h e w as a

m em b er o f th e S h o tg u n C rip g an g o u t o f L o s A n g eles, an d o n e b ein g th at h e “u ses k n iv es

u p clo se an d p erso n al an d alleg e d ly h a[ d ] stab b ed a p riso n g u ard b ef o re.” T h e asp ects o f

th e su m m ary th at th e d ef

en d an t alleg es as ex cu lp ato ry are th at th e in v estig ato r ask ed Walk er “ab o u t p h o to g rap h s o f a d u m p ster an d Walk e r s t a ted h e h ad n o k n o w led g e o f th at” an d

b ecau se Walk er f

ailed to m en tio n th at h e h ad b een th reaten ed b y th e C rip s g an g in to w ritin g a letter to th e d ef

en d an t.

U p o n rev iew

, w e q u estio n h o w th e T B I su m m ary co u ld b e d eem ed f av o rab le to th e d ef en d an t o r “m aterial, ” i

. e

. , th at th ere is a reaso n ab le p ro b ab ility th at th e resu lt o f th e

p ro ceed in g w o u ld h a v e b een d if f eren t h ad it b een d isclo sed to th e d ef en se, b ecau se th e

su m m ary , as a w h o le, casts th e d ef en d an t in a very eg reg io u s lig h t. In an y ev en t, ev en if it

w as erro r f

o r th e S tate to n o t d isclo se th e su m m ary , su ch erro r w as h arm less b ecau se Walk er

-15-w as th o ro u g h ly cro ss-ex am in ed ab o u t h is k n o w led g e o f th e d u m p ster an d th e v ast m aj o rity

o f th e T B I su m m ary w o u ld h av e b een h ig h ly d am ag in g to th e d ef en se, b ey o n d an y m in u te
b en ef it th at m ig h t h av e b een g ain ed in cro ss-ex am in atio n

.

III. J u ry In stru ctio n s

T h e d ef en d an t arg u es th at th e trial co u rt erred in f ailin g to g iv e th e j u ry an in stru ctio n

o n alib i w h en it w as f

airly raised b y th e ev id en ce. H e asserts th at p ro o f o f h is alib i cam e b y

w ay o f th e testim o n ies o f

B ro o k L ee, A n to n io T u ren tin e, an d h im self

.

B ro o k L ee testif

ied th at, o n th e ev en in g o f th e o f f en se s , s h e an d th e d ef

en d an t

w atch ed a m o v ie at h er ap artm en t, w h ich en d ed aro u n d 2 :0 0 o r 2 :1 5 a.m

. L ee said th at sh e

an d th e d ef

en d an t f ell asleep , b u t sh e w as aw ak en ed aro u n d 3 :0 0 a.m . w h en sh e h eard th e d o o r o p en an d d isco v ered th at th e d ef en d an t w as g o in g o u tsid e. H e to ld h er th at h e w as

g o i n g t o s mo k e an d let th e d o g o u t, th en h e retu rn ed sh o rtly th ereaf ter. L ee said th at th e d ef en d an t w en t o u tsid e ag ain aro u n d 3 :3 0 a.m

. an d w as g o n e ap p ro x im ately f if teen m in u tes.

A n to n io T u ren tin e testif

ied th at h e w as atten d in g a p arty at th e P ark v iew M an o r A p artm en ts th e m o rn in g o f th e in cid en t an d

, w h en h e w as leav in g aro u n d 2 :0 0 o r 2 :3 0 a.m ., h e saw th e d ef

en d an t o u tsid e w ith a p u p p y an d eith er ro llin g u p th e w in d o w s o f h is car o r

m ak in g su re h is car w as lo ck ed

.

T h e d ef en d an t testif

ied th at, aro u n d 3 :1 0 o r 3 :1 5 a.m ., h e lef t L ee’s ap artm en t to tak e h is p u p p y o u t an d g o to h is car to g et h is cig arettes an d h av e a sm o k e. H e said th at h e w as

o u tsid e f o r ab o u t f iv e m in u tes an d th en w en t b ack in

. T h e d ef en d an t testif

ied th at h e w en t
b ack o u tsid e f

iv e to ten m in u tes later, aro u n d 3 :3 0 o r 3 :4 0 a.m ., to let h is p u p p y o u t ag ain

an d ro ll u p h is car w in d o w s an d lo ck th e d o o r.

“It is w ell-settled in T en n essee th at a d ef en d an t h as a rig h t to a co rrect an d co m p lete

ch arg e o f th e law so th at each issu e o f f act raised b y th e ev id en ce w ill b e su b m itted to th e j u ry o n p ro p er in stru ctio n s.” S tate v

. F arn er, 6 6 S .W.3 d 1 8 8

, 2 0 4 (T en n

. 2 0 0 1 ) (citin g S tate

v

. G arriso n , 4 0 S .W.3 d 4 2 6

, 4 3 2 (T en n

. 2 0 0 0 ); S tate v

. T eel, 7 9 3 S .W.2 d 2 3 6

, 2 4 9 (T en n

. 1 9 9 0 )). A cco rd in g ly

, trial co u rts h av e th e d u ty to g iv e “a co m p let e c h arg e o f th e law

ap p licab le to th e f

acts o f th e case.” S tate v

. D av en p o rt, 9 7 3 S .W.2 d 2 8 3

, 2 8 7 (T en n

. C rim

. A p p

. 1 9 9 8 ) (citin g S tate v

. H arb iso n , 7 0 4 S .W.2 d 3 1 4

, 3 1 9 (T en n . 1 9 8 6 )). T h e trial co u rt

m u st in stru ct th e j u ry o n th e d ef en se o f alib i w h en it is “f airly raised ” b y

th e ev id en ce, see
M an n in g v

. S tate, 5 0 0 S .W.2 d 9 1 3

, 9 1 5 (T en n

. 1 9 7 3 ), reg ard less o f w h eth er th e d ef en d an t

req u ests th e in stru ctio n

. S ee P o e v

. S tate, 3 7 0 S .W.2 d 4 8 8

, 4 9 1 (T en n

. 1 9 6 3 ). P ro o f o f an alib i su f f icien t to req u ire an in stru ctio n ex ists w h ere (1 ) th e d ef en d an t’s claim

th at h e w as

n o t at th e scen e o f th e crim e is co rro b o rated b y o th er cred ib le w itn esses; (2 ) th e v ictim h as

-16-b e e n u n ab le to id en tif y th e d ef en d an t; o r (3 ) th e p ro o f ag ain st th e d ef en d an t is w h o l l y circu m stan tial. M an n in g , 5 0 0 S .W.2 d at 9 1 6

. T h e f ailu re to ch arg e th e j u ry w ith alib i w h en it h as b een f

airly raised b y cred ib le ev id en ce is rev ersib le erro r. M o f f itt v

. S tate, 2 9 S .W.3 d

5 1 , 5 7 (T en n . C rim . A p p . 1 9 9 9 ).

U p o n rev iew

, w e co n clu d e th at an in stru ctio n o n alib i w as n o t w arran ted in th is case b ecau se th e d ef

en d an t’s claim

th at h e w as n o t at th e crim e scen e w as n o t co rro b o rated

. In

f act, th e d ef

en d an t’s p rim ary alib i w itn ess, B ro o k L ee, testif ied th at th e d ef

en d an t lef t h er

ap artm en t tw ice d u rin g th o se early m o rn in g h o u rs, o n ce b ein g aro u n d 3 :3 0 a.m

. f o r a p erio d

o f f if teen m in u tes. L ee’s ap artm en t w as o n ly f if ty y ard s aw ay f

ro m th e v ictim ’s ap artm en t,
in th e sam e co m

p lex

. T h e ev id e n c e a t trial sh o w ed th at p o lice o f f icers resp o n d ed to th e

scen e aro u n d 3 :4 5 a.m

. T h e d ef en d an t’s o th er alib i w itn ess, A n to n io T u ren tin e, co u ld o n ly

v o u ch f o r th e d ef en d an t’s w h ereab o u ts at 2 :0 0 o r 2 :3 0 a.m ., m u ch earlier th an th e tim e o f

th e o f f en ses.

In an y ev en t, ev en if th e trial co u rt erred in n o t in stru ctin g th e j u ry o n alib i, th e erro r

w as h arm less b ey o n d a reaso n ab l e d o u b t in lig h t o f th e o v erw h elm in g ev id en ce o f th e d ef en d an t’s g u ilt. C ry stal M cK ee, th e su rv iv in g v ictim

, testif ied th at sh e saw th e d ef

en d an t
stab th e v ictim m

u ltip le tim es an d th en p ro ceed ed to stab h er at clo se ran g e. S h e said th at
sh e reco g n ized th e d ef

en d an t im m ed iately as sh e h ad seen h im at th e v ictim ’s ap artm en t o n

p rev io u s o ccasio n s. T h e d escrip tio n M cK ee g av e o f th e attack er’s clo th in g w as sim ilar to

w h at th e d ef

en d an t h ad b een w earin g earlier in th e ev en in g w h en h e w as p u lled o v er b y th e

p o lice. M o reo v er, ev id en ce o f c a l l s m ad e f ro m th e d ef

en d an t’s cell p h o n e to th e v ictim

co rro b o rated M cK ee’s testim o n y o f so m eo n e callin g th e v ictim b ef o re th e m u rd er.

IV. S u f f icien cy o f

th e E v id en ce

T h e d ef en d an t ch allen g es th e su f f icien cy o f th e co n v ictin g ev id en ce, arg u in g th ere is in su f f icien t p ro o f o f h is id en tity as th e p erp etrato r o f th e o f f en ses. Wh en th e su f

f icien cy

o f th e co n v ictin g ev id en ce is ch a l l e n g ed

, th e relev an t q u estio n o f th e rev iew in g co u rt is

“w h eth er, af

ter v iew in g th e ev id en ce in t h e l i g h t m o st f av o rab le to th e p ro secu tio n , a n y ratio n al trier o f f

act co u ld h av e f

o u n d th e essen tial elem en ts o f th e crim e b ey o n d a

reaso n ab le d o u b t.” Jack so n v

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

. 3 0 7

, 3 1 9 (1 9 7 9 ); see also T en n

. R

. A p p

. P

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

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

act o f g u ilt b ey o n d

a reaso n ab le d o u b t.”); S tate v

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

, 1 9 0 -9 2 (T en n

. 1 9 9 2 ) ; S tate v

. A n d erso n , 8 3 5 S .W.2 d 6 0 0 , 6 0 4 (T en n . C rim . A p p . 1 9 9 2 ).

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

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

. P ap p as, 7 5 4

-17-S .W.2 d 6 2 0

, 6 2 3 (T en n

. C rim

. A p p

. 1 9 8 7 ). “A g u ilty v erd ict b y th e j u ry , ap p ro v ed b y th e

trial j u d g e, accred it s t h e testim o n y o f th e w itn esses f o r th e S tate an d reso lv es all co n f licts

in f av o r o f th e th eo ry o f th e S tate.” S tate v

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

, 4 7 6 (T en n

. 1 9 7 3 ). O u r

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

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

. T h e trial j u d g e an d

th e j u ry see th e w itn esses f ace to f ace, h ear th eir testim o n y an d o b serv e th eir

d em ean o r o n th e s t an d

. T h u s th e trial j u d g e an d j u ry are th e p rim ary in stru m en tality o f j u stice to d eterm in e th e w eig h t an d cred ib ility to b e g iv en

to th e testim o n y o f w itn esses. In th e trial f o ru m alo n e is th ere h u m an

atm o sp h ere an d th e to tality o f th e ev id en ce c a n n o t b e rep ro d u ced w ith a

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

B o lin v

. S tate, 2 1 9 T en n

. 4

, 1 1

, 4 0 5 S .W.2 d 7 6 8

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

. S tate, 2 1 2

T en n

. 4 6 4

, 3 7 0 S

. W.2 d 5 2 3 (1 9 6 3 )). “A j u ry co n v ictio n rem o v es th e p resu m p tio n o f

in n o cen ce w ith w h ich a d ef en d an t is in i t i a l l y c l o ak ed an d rep laces it w ith o n e o f g u ilt, so th at o n ap p eal a co n v icted d ef en d an t h as th e b u rd en o f d em o n stratin g th at th e ev id en ce is

in su f f icien t.” S tate v . T u g g le, 6 3 9 S .W.2 d 9 1 3 , 9 1 4 (T en n . 1 9 8 2 ).

T h e id en tif

icatio n o f a d ef

en d an t as th e p erp etrato r o f a crim e is a q u estio n o f f act f o r th e trier o f f

a c t to d eterm in e f

ro m th e ev id en ce p resen ted at trial. S ee S tate v

. S trick lan d

, 8 8 5 S .W.2 d 8 5

, 8 7 (T en n

. C rim

. A p p

. 1 9 9 3 ). T h e id en tif icatio n testim o n y o f th e v ictim is

su f f icien t, alo n e, to su p p o rt a co n v ictio n . Id

.

T h e reliab ility o f an in -co u rt id en tif icatio n d ep en d s o n t h e to tality o f

th e circu m stan ces, “in clu d in g th e o p p o rtu n ity o f th e w i tn ess to v iew th e

o f f en d er at th e tim e o f th e crim e, th e w i t n e s s’s d eg ree o f atten tio n , th e

accu racy o f th e p rio r d escrip tio n o f th e o f f en d er, th e lev el o f certain ty o f th e

w itn ess at th e co n f

ro n tatio n , an d th e len g th o f tim e b etw een th e crim e an d th e

co n f ro n tatio n .”

S tate v

. L in d sey , 2 0 8 S .W.3 d 4 3 2

, 4 4 4 (T en n

. C rim

. A p p

. 2 0 0 6 ) (q u o tin g S tate v

. B eal, 6 1 4

S .W.2 d 7 7 , 8 2 (T en n . C rim . A p p . 1 9 8 1 )).

We co n clu d e th at th e ev id en ce, w h en v iew ed in th e lig h t m o st f av o rab le to th e S tate,
i s s u f f icien t to estab lish th e d ef en d an t’s id en tity as th e m an w h o stab b ed th e v ictim a n d

C ry stal M cK ee. M cK ee, th e su rv iv in g v ictim

, t e s t i f ied th at, w h en sh e cam e aro u n d th e

co rn er in resp o n se to th e v ictim ’s scream s, sh e saw a m an rep eated ly stab b in g th e v ictim an d

th en lo o k d irectly at h er b ef o re cu ttin g th e v ictim ’s th ro at w ith th e k n if e. T h e attack er laid

th e v ictim d o w n o n th e f

lo o r an d m o v ed o n to stab b in g M cK ee, w h o w as ev en tu ally ab le to

-18-g et aw ay an d call 9 1 1

. M cK ee testif ied th at th e attack er’s f

ace w as u n co v ered

, an d s h e

reco g n ized h im as “L o k ,” h av in g seen h im o n p rev io u s o ccasio n s at th e v ictim ’s ap artm en t.
O f f icer H o w ell, th e f

irst o f f icer to arriv e o n th e scen e, recalled th at M cK ee rep o rted to h er th at a m an n am ed “L o k ” w as th e attack er. M cK ee id en tif ied th e d ef

en d an t in co u rt as th e attack er an d p erso n sh e k n ew as “ L o k .” In ad d itio n , o th er testim o n y an d ev id en ce estab lish ed th at th e d ef

en d an t w as n ick n am ed “L o k ,” th at h e called th e v ic t i m i n t h e tim e f ram e lead in g u p to h er d eath

, an d th at h e sh av e d o f f all h is h air an d f

acial h air af

ter

retu rn in g to L ee’s ap artm en t th e seco n d t i me t h a t m o rn in g

. M o reo v er, A d rian Walk er testif ied th at, w h en h e w as in carcerated w ith th e d ef en d an t, th e d ef

en d an t to ld h im ab o u t a situ atio n w h ere tw o w o m en w h o o w ed h im $ 3 0 0 “g o t cu t u p . . . reaso n ab ly b ad ” an d th at
it w as “m essed u p .” We n o te th at an y q u estio n s co n cern in g M cK ee’s ab ility to id en tif y th e d ef en d an t o r th e cred ib ility o f Walk er’s o r an y o th er w itn esses’ testim o n y w ere reso lv ed b y th e j u ry as th e trier o f f

act. B ased o n th is ev id en ce, a ratio n al trier o f f act co u ld h av e f

o u n d

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

irst d eg ree p rem ed itated m u rd er, attem

p ted f irst d eg ree m

u rd er, an d

ag g rav ated assau lt.

V. P rio r C o n v ictio n s

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 h is tw o p rio r ag g rav ated

assau lt co n v ictio n s to b e in tro d u ced at trial. P rio r to th e d ef en d an t ’ s t e s t i f

y in g , th e co u rt

ru led th at th e d ef

en d an t’s p rio r co n v ictio n s co u ld n o t b e u sed f o r im p each m en t b u t th at if

th e d ef en d an t o p en ed th e d o o r co n cern in g h is cred ib ility

, th e co u rt w o u ld re a d d r e s s t h e issu e. T h e d ef

en d an t lat e r t e s t i f

i e d an d

, w h en ask ed o n d irect ex am in atio n if h e stab b ed

C ry stal M cK ee, resp o n d ed , “N o , I d id n o t. I d id n o t. I’m n o t th at ty

p e o f p erso n .” Wh en th e issu e w as rev isited p rio r to th e S tate’s cro ss-ex ami n a tio n o f th e d ef en d an t, th e co u rt

ru led th at it w o u ld allo w th e co n v ictio n s to co m e in to ev id en ce, statin g :

B u t I h av e to g o b ack an d w eig h

. . . th e

. . . relev an ce o f th e im p each in g

co n v ictio n o n th e issu e o f cred ib ility

. A n d I h av e to f in d so m e w ay to ex p lain

h o w th e im

p each in g co n v ictio n is relev an t to h is cred ib ility

.

A n d if it is p ro b a t i v e o f h is cred ib ility th en I h av e to g o f u rth er an d

assess th e sim ilarity b etw een th e crim es o n trial an d th e crim es u n d erly in g th e im p each in g co n v ictio n s.

If th e crim e o n trial is su b stan t i a l l y sim ilar th en th ere’s alw ay s th at
d an g er o f p ro p en sity

. A h

, if h e d id it th en it’s lik ely h e’d d o it n o w

. T h at ty p e

stu f f , ty p e issu es.

A n d so

. . . n o w I h av e to d ecid e, f irst o f all, th e relev an ce.

. . . I d o

-19-th in k th at b ecau se [ th e d ef en d an t] to o k th e stan d t h a t t h e p ro b ativ e v alu e certain ly is h eig h ten ed as to h is p ast. . . . [ I] t b eco m es im p o rtan t.

N o w , th is co u rt let in a co n v ictio n o f ag g rav ated assau lt say in g it w as

p ro b ativ e o f h i s c red ib ility

. T h at case d id n o t g o an y f u rth er th an th e C o u rt

o f A p p eals. I d o h av e so m e d if f icu lty o n a co n v ictio n o f ag g rav ated assau lt

b ein g p ro b ativ e o f cred ib ility w ith an alib i d ef en se w ith th e sam e issu es at trial

as to p rio r co n v ictio n

.

H o w ev er,

. . . th is d ef

en d an t w en t f

u rth er

. . . w h en h e said “I’m n o t th e k in d o f p erso n w h o w o u ld d o so m eth in g lik e th at.” C ertain ly w e h av e a sim ilarity . B u t sim ilarity alo n e is n o t th e q u estio n . We h av e to g o f u rth er.

A n d th e co u rt is g o in g to allo w th e tw o co n v ictio n s. T h ey w ill b e ask ed sim p ly o f [ th e d ef

en d an t]

, w h eth er o r n o t th ey ex ist an d n o th in g f u rth er.
T h e r e a re tw o co n v ictio n s o f ag g rav ated assau lt. N o th in g else w ill b e sa i d

ab o u t th at. C ertain ly

n o d etails.

T h e co u rt f

in d s, af ter w eig h in g th e - d o in g th e test h er e , th at th e

p ro b ativ e v alu e is n o t o u tw eig h ed b y th e p rej u d icial ef f ect. I th in k th at [ th e d ef en d an t] h as p u t th is at issu e, n o t o n ly w ith th e alib i b u t m o reo v er w ith h is

statem en t “I’m

n o t th e k in d o f

p erso n w h o w o u ld d o so m eth in g lik e th at.”

T h e d ef en d an t asserts th at th e trial co u rt’s an aly sis w as im p ro p er an d in co m

p lete an d

th at th e co u rt’s reco llectio n o f h is statem en t “p ro v id ed th e co u rt a m o re co m p ellin g b asis to
allo w th e co n v ictio n s th a[ n ] actu ally ex isted .”

A co n v ictio n m ay b e u sed to im p each th e testim o n y o f an accu se d in a crim in al

p ro secu tio n if th e f

o llo w in g f

o u r co n d itio n s are satisf

ied : (1 ) th e co n v ictio n is f o r a crim e

p u n ish ab le b y d eath o r im p riso n m en t in ex cess o f o n e y ear, o r th e co n v ictio n is f o r a

m isd em ean o r w h ich in v o lv ed d ish o n esty o r f a l s e statem en t; (2 ) less th an ten y ears h as elap sed b etw een t h e d ate th e accu sed w as released f ro m co n f

in em en t an d th e

co m m en cem en t o f th e su b j ect p ro s e c u t i o n ; (3 ) th e S tate g iv es reaso n ab le p retrial w ritten

n o tice o f th e p articu lar co n v ictio n o r co n v ictio n s it in ten d s to u se as im p each m en t; an d (4 )

th e trial co u rt co n clu d es th at th e p ro b ativ e v alu e o f th e p rio r co n v ictio n o n t h e i s s u e o f

cred ib ility o u tw eig h s its u n f air p rej u d icial ef

f ect o n th e su b stan tiv e issu es. T en n

. R

. E v id

. 6 0 9 ; S tate v . M ix o n , 9 8 3 S .W.2 d 6 6 1 , 6 7 4 (T en n . 1 9 9 9 ).

T w o f a c to rs sh o u ld b e co n sid ered w h en d ecid in g w h eth er th e p ro b ativ e v alu e o f a

p rio r co n v ictio n o u tw eig h s its u n f air p rej u d icial ef

f ect. M ix o n , 9 8 3 S .W.2 d at 6 7 4

. F irst,

-20-“[ a] trial co u rt sh o u ld

. . . an aly ze th e relev an ce th e im

p each in g co n v ictio n h as to th e issu e

o f cred ib ility .” Id

. (citatio n o m itted ). S eco n d

, if th e trial co u rt f in d s th at th e p rio r co n v ictio n is p ro b ativ e o f th e d ef

en d an t ’ s cred ib ility

, th en th e co u rt sh o u ld “‘assess th e sim ilarity

b etw een th e crim e o n trial an d th e crim e u n d erly in g th e im p each in g co n v i c t i o n .’” Id

. (q u o tin g N eil P

. C o h en et al., T en n essee L aw o f E v id en ce § 6 0 9 .9 at 3 7 6 (3 d ed

. 1 9 9 5 )).

T h e m o re sim ilar th e im

p each in g co n v ictio n is to th e o f f en se f o r w h ich th e d ef

en d an t is o n trial, th e g reater th e risk o f a p rej u d icial ef

f ect to th e d ef

en d an t. Id

.

T h is co u rt rev iew s a trial co u rt’s ru lin g o n th e ad m issib ility o f p rio r co n v ictio n s f o r im p each m en t p u rp o ses u n d er an ab u se o f d iscretio n stan d ard

. S ee S tate v

. W a ller, 1 1 8

S .W.3 d 3 6 8 , 3 7 1 (T en n . 2 0 0 3 ).

T h e trial co u rt co n sid ered t h e sim ilarity b etw een th e ch arg ed crim es an d th e d ef en d an t’s p rio r co n v ictio n s o f ag g rav ated assau lt b u t d eterm i n ed th at, w h ile th ere w as certain ly a sim ilarity

, th e d ef en d an t testif

ied th at h e d id n o t stab M cK ee b ecau se “[ h e w as]

n o t th at ty p e o f p erso n .” T h u s, th e d ef en d an t m ad e h is cred ib ility an d ch aracter f o r v io len t
crim es ag ain st o th ers an issu e b y assertin g th at h e w o u ld n o t co m m it su ch a crim e. In S tate

v

. K e n d r i c k s , 9 4 7 S .W.2 d 8 7 5

, 8 8 3 (T en n

. C rim

. A p p

. 1 9 9 6 ), th is co u rt h eld th at “[ i] rresp ectiv e o f ad m issib ility u n d er R u le 6 0 9 [ o f T en n essee R u les o f E v id en ce]

, a

co n v ictio n m ay b e u sed to co n trad ict a w itn ess w h o ‘o p en s th e d o o r’ an d testif ies o n d irect

e x a min atio n th at h e o r sh e h as n ev er b een co n v icted o f a crim e, o r to co u n ter s o me o t h e r f acet o f d irect testim o n y .” (in tern al q u o tatio n s o m itted ).

We also n o te th at “[ t] h e f

act th at a p rio r co n v ictio n in v o lv es th e sam e o r sim ilar crim e f o r w h ich th e d ef

en d an t is b ein g tried d o es n o t au to m atically req u ire its ex clu sio n .” S tate

v

. Welco m e, 2 8 0 S .W.3 d 2 1 5

, 2 2 2 (T en n

. C rim

. A p p

. 2 0 0 7 ) (citatio n s o m itted ). H ere, th e

co u rt co n clu d ed th at th e p ro b ativ e v alu e co n cern in g th e d ef en d an t’s cred ib ility o u tw eig h ed

th e p rej u d icial ef

f ect p o ten tially d u e to th e sim ilarity o f th e o f f en ses. U p o n r e v iew

, w e

co n clu d e th a t t h e t r i a l co u rt d id n o t ab u se its d iscretio n in allo w in g th e d ef en d an t’s p rio r

co n v ictio n s f

o r a g g rav ated assau lt to b e in tro d u ced at trial. M o reo v er, w ith reg ard to th e d ef en d an t’s assertio n th at th e co u rt’s reco llectio n o f h is resp o n se, “ I ’ m n o t t h e k in d o f

p erso n w h o w o u ld d o so m eth in g lik e th at,” g av e th e co u rt a m o re co m p ellin g reaso n to
allo w th e co n v ictio n s th an actu ally ex isted

, w e n o te th at h is actu al an sw er, “I’m n o t th at ty p e

o f p erso n ,” w h en in resp o n se to th e q u estio n o f w h eth er h e stab b ed C r y s t a l M c K ee, is

essen tially th e sam e th in g

. In an y ev en t, an y p o ssib le erro r in allo w in g th e p rio r co n v ictio n s

w as h arm less in lig h t o f

th e ev id en ce ag ain st th e d ef en d an t.

VI. N ew ly D isco v ered E v id en ce

T h e d ef en d an t arg u es th at n ew ly d isco v ered ev id en ce, co n sistin g o f th e testim o n y o f

-21-K en d all Jo rd an th at w o u ld h a v e i mp each ed C ry stal M cK ee’s id en tif icatio n o f h im as th e assailan t, en titled h im to a n ew trial. T h e d ef en d an t actu ally raised th e issu e sim u ltan eo u sly

in h is m o tio n f

o r n ew trial an d in a p etitio n f o r w rit o f erro r co ram n o b is. We w ill ad d ress th is issu e f

ro m th e d en ial o f th e m o tio n f o r n ew trial b ecau se th e w rit o f erro r co ram n o b is

is reserv ed f

o r m atters th at w ere n o t o r co u ld n o t h av e b een litig ated o n a m o tio n f o r a n ew trial, an d th at is clearly

n o t th e case h ere. T en n . C o d e A n n . § 4 0 -2 6 -1 0 5 (b ).

A s p ro o f o f n ew ly d isco v ered ev id en ce, th e d ef en d an t called K en d all Jo rd an t o t estif y

at th e m o tio n f

o r n ew trial. A sk ed w h eth er C ry stal M cK ee e v e r talk ed to h im ab o u t a situ atio n w h ere sh e w as stab b ed an d h er co u sin w as k illed

, Jo rd an resp o n d ed

, “[ S ] h e d id n ’t

tell m e a b o u t h o w s h e g o t stab b ed

. S h e j u st said lik e

. . . sh e w asn ’t f am iliar b ecau se sh e

w as so m essed u p , sh e d id n ’t k n o w w h o w as th ere o r n o t.” A sk ed to elab o rate o n w h at h e recalled M cK ee tellin g h im

, Jo rd an said

, “S h e j u st to ld m e lik e, sh e d id n ’t k n o w w h o w as

. . . lik e, sh e d id n ’t k n o w

. B ecau se sh e w as in sh o ck

, I g u ess. It’s b een a m in u te ag o

. It’s

lik e, I d o n ’t

. . . I f

o rg et stu f f

. It’s lik e, I d o n ’t k n o w ab o u t lik e th at. I d o n ’t k n o w n o th in g ab o u t th at.” Jo rd an stated th at M cK ee d id n o t m en tio n an y o n e’s n am e an d th en stated th at

M cK ee said sh e d id n o t k n o w w h o w as resp o n sib le f o r th e stab b in g

. Jo rd an stated th at h e

to l d t h e d e f

e n d a n t w h at M cK ee h ad to ld h im an d assu m ed h e h ad d o n e so af ter th e d ef en d an t’s trial w as o v er b ecau se th e d ef en d an t w as in carcerated

.

A sk ed o n cro ss-ex am in atio n w h eth er h is d iscu ssio n w ith th e d ef en d an t co u ld h av e b een b ef o re th e d ef

en d an t’s trial, Jo rd an resp o n d ed

, “I d o n ’t k n o w

. I d o n ’ t k e e p u p w ith

stu f f lik e th at b ecau se . . . I’v e g o t m y o w n p ro b lem s.” H o w ev er, h e said th at it co u ld n o t
h av e b een b ef

o re M arch 2 0 1 0 b ecau s e h e w a s n o t in j ail p rio r to th at tim e. Jo rd an w as

u n su re o f w h en d u rin g th e p rio r y ear th at M cK ee to ld h im th e in f o rm atio n ab o u t h e r n o t
k n o w in g w h o w as in th e ap artm en t at th e tim e o f th e stab b in g , an d h e ad m itted th at th ey

w ere all d rin k in g w h en M cK ee g av e h im th e in f o rm atio n

.

T o b e en titled to a n ew trial o n th e b asis o f n ew ly d isco v ered ev id en ce, a d ef en d an t

m u st sh o w (1 ) th at h e o r sh e u sed reaso n ab le d ilig en ce in seek in g th e n ew ly d isco v ered

ev id en ce; (2 ) t h a t t h e n ew ev id en ce is m aterial; an d (3 ) th at th e n ew ev id en ce w ill lik ely

ch an g e th e resu lt o f th e trial. S ee S tate v

. N ich o ls, 8 7 7 S .W.2 d 7 2 2

, 7 3 7 (T en n

. 1 9 9 4 ). T h e

t r i a l co u rt is to d eterm in e th e “‘cred ib ility o f n ew ly d isco v ered ev id en ce f o r w h ich a n e w trial is ask ed ,’” an d t h e mo t i o n s h o u ld b e d en ied u n less th e co u rt is assu red th at th e testim o n y w o u ld b e w o rth y o f b elief b y th e j u ry

. S ee S tate v

. Walk er, 9 1 0 S .W.2 d 3 8 1

, 3 9 5 (T en n

. 1 9 9 5 ) (q u o tin g R o sen th al v

. S tate, 2 9 2 S .W.2 d 1

, 5 (T en n

. 1 9 5 6 )). Wh en th e n ew ly

d isco v ered ev id en ce co u ld h av e n o o th er ef f ect th an to “d iscred it th e testim o n y o f a w itn ess

at th e o rig in al trial, c o n trad ict a w itn ess’ statem en ts o r im p each a w itn ess,” th e trial co u rt
sh o u ld n o t o rd er a n ew trial “u n less

. . . th e ev id en ce im p each in g th e w itn ess [ w as] so stro n g

an d co n v in cin g th at a d if

f eren t resu lt at trial w o u ld n ecessarily f o llo w .” S tate v

. R o g ers, 7 0 3

-22-S .W.2 d 1 6 6

, 1 6 9 ( T e n n

. C r i m

. A p p

. 1 9 8 5 ). Wh eth er to g ran t a n ew trial o n th e b asis o f

n ew ly d isco v ered ev id en ce lies w ith in th e so u n d d iscretio n o f th e trial co u rt. S ee S tate v

. C ald w ell, 9 7 7 S .W.2 d 1 1 0 , 1 1 7 (T en n . C rim . A p p . 1 9 9 7 ).

U p o n rev iew

, w e can n o t co n clu d e th at th e trial co u rt ab u sed its d iscretio n in d en y in g th e d ef en d an t a n ew trial b ased o n n ew ly d isco v ered ev id en ce. K en d all Jo rd an ’s testim o n y

at th e m o tio n f

o r n ew trial h earin g w as v ery u n clear an d n o t sp ecif ic, p articu larly w ith reg ard

t o w h at M cK ee alleg ed ly to ld h im

. H e rep eated ly said

, “I d o n ’t k n o w ” an d t h a t h e h a d

f o rg o tten “stu f

f .” H e co u ld n o t state w ith an y certain ty w h en M cK ee to ld h im

th e alleg ed

in f o rm atio n an d ad m itted th at th ey h ad all b een d rin k in g w h en M cK ee m ad e th e statem en t.

In lig h t o f Jo rd an ’s v ag u e testim o n y , th e trial co u rt acted w ith in its d iscretio n in co n clu d in g th at th e n ew ev id en ce w o u ld n o t h av e lik ely ch an g ed th e resu lt o f

trial.

VII. 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 S tate co m m itted p ro secu to rial m is c o n d u c t b y u sin g

p erj u red testim o n y in its case-in -ch ief an d b y m ak in g im p ro p er statem en ts d u rin g clo sin g

arg u m en t.

With reg ard to th e d ef

en d an t’s co n ten tio n th at th e S tate u sed th e p erj u red testim o n y

o f A d rian Walk er an d th e “in accu rate an d /o r sp ecu lativ e testim o n y ” o f C ry stal M c K e e to

co n v ict h im

, w e n o te th at th e testim o n ies o f Walk er an d M cK ee h av e b o th b een th o ro u g h ly

ad d ressed ab o v e. T h e cre d i b i l i t y o f th e w itn esses w as a d eterm in atio n f o r th e j u ry

. T h e d ef en d an t is n o t en titled to relief o n th is issu e.

W i t h r e ga r d t o t h e d ef en d an t’s alleg atio n s o f p ro secu to rial m isco n d u ct d u rin g clo si ng

arg u m en t, th e S tate arg u es th at th e d ef en d an t w aiv ed th e issu e b y f a i l i n g to m ak e a

co n tem p o ran eo u s o b

j ectio n at t r i a l

. In h is rep ly b rief

, w ith o u t co n ced in g w aiv er, th e d ef en d an t su b m its th at th is co u rt can rev iew th e issu e u n d er a p lain -erro r an aly sis. A s th e d ef en d an t f ailed to m ak e a co n tem

p o ran eo u s o b

j ectio n to an y o f th e alleg ed ly im p ro p er

statem en ts at trial, w e co n clu d e th at h e h as in d eed w aiv ed th is issu e, see S tate v

. L ittle, 8 5 4

S .W.2 d 6 4 3

, 6 5 1 (T en n

. C r i m. A p p

. 1 9 9 2 ) (f ailu re to o b

j ect to p ro secu to r’s alleg ed

m isco n d u ct d u rin g clo sin g arg u m en t w aiv es an y later co m p lain t), b u t w e w i l l r ev iew f o r

p lain erro r.

In o rd er f o r u s to f in d p lain erro r:

(a) th e reco rd m

u st clearly

estab lish w h at o ccu rred in th e trial co u rt;

(b ) a clear an d u n eq u iv o cal ru le o f law m u st h av e b een b reach ed ;

-23-(c) a su b stan tial rig h t o f th e accu sed m

u st h av e b een ad v ersely

af f ected ;

(d ) th e accu sed d id n o t w aiv e th e issu e f o r tactical reaso n s; an d

(e) co n sid eratio n o f

th e erro r is “n ecessary

to d o su b stan tial j u stice.”

S tate v

. S m ith

, 2 4 S .W.3 d 2 7 4 , 2 8 2 (T en n . 2 0 0 0 ) (q u o tin g S tate v . A d k isso n , 8 9 9 S .W.2 d

6 2 6

, 6 4 1 -4 2 (T en n

. C rim

. A p p

. 1 9 9 4 )). T h e p resen ce o f all f iv e f acto rs m u st b e estab lish ed

b y th e reco rd b ef

o re w e w i l l reco g n ize th e ex isten ce o f p lain erro r, an d co m p lete

co n sid eratio n o f all th e f

acto rs is n o t n ecessary w h en it is clear f ro m th e reco rd th at at least

o n e f acto r can n o t b e estab lish ed . Id . at 2 8 3

.

T en n essee co u rts “h av e trad itio n ally p ro v i d e d co u n sel w ith a w id e latitu d e o f

d iscretio n in th e co n ten t o f th eir f in al arg u m en t” an d tria l 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 tried

, an d n o t o th erw ise im p ro p er u n d e r t h 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 i n c l os i ng a r gum e nt oc cu r w h en th e p ro secu 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 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 e r t h e c o n tro llin 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 th e j u ry ’s v erd ict; an d in te n t i o n a l l y r ef 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 a s i s o f alleg ed ly im p ro 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 r r e d

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

acto rs: (1 ) th 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 e n b y th e trial co u rt an d

t h 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

.

H ere, th e d ef

en d an t arg u es th at th e S tate’s clo sin g arg u m en t w as im p ro p er o r in accu rate in th e f

o l l o w i n g w ay s: statin g th at th e d ef en d an t’s b lo o d y clo th es w ere lo st in

-24-th e d u m

p ster; statin g th at th e d ef en d an t b rag g ed to A d rian Walk er th at th e S tate h ad n o

p ro o f ag ain st h im ; statin g th at th e d ef en d an t talk ed to so m e p eo p le af ter h e alleg ed ly lo st h is

p h o n e; in terj ectin g p erso n al o p in io n reg ard in g Walk er’s testim o n y ; s t a t in g th at th e d ef en d an t b rag g ed to Walk er; statin g th at Walk er w as n o t h ap p y to h ear h o w th e v ictim w as k i lled ; statin g th at th e d ef en d an t p u t th e v ictim o n th e f lo o r lik e a p iece o f g arb ag e ; a n d

statin g th at th e d ef

en se w as “‘d rag g in g b lo o d y rag s’ acro ss th e trails o f j u stice.” H o w ev er,

w e h av e rev iew ed th e relev an t p o rtio n s o f th e tran scrip t o f th e clo sin g arg u m en t, as w ell as th e testim o n y at trial, an d d eterm in ed th at all o f th e p ro secu to r’s statem en ts w ere w ell w ith in

th e b o u n d s o f accep tab le arg u m en t. In p articu lar, w e n o te th at th e alleg ed ly im p ro p er

statem en t ab o u t th e d ef

en se “‘d rag g in g b lo o d y rag s’ acro ss th e trails o f j u stice” w as n o t an im p u g n in g o f th e d ef

en se in th e case b u t a statem en t reg ard in g w h at “so m e o ld law y ers ref er

to [ as a d ef

en se’s ef f o rt to m islead th e j u ry w ith ‘red h errin g s’] .” A s su ch

, w e co n clu d e th at

t h ere w as n o clear an d u n eq u iv o cal ru le o f law b reach ed in th is case an d

, acco rd i n g l y , n o

p lain erro r.

C O N C L U S IO N

B ased o n th e f

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

th e trial co u rt.

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

. G L E N N

, J U D G E

-25-