Opinion ID: 1058342
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Evidence as to cause of death

Text: The defendant contends that there was no credible testimony, either lay or expert, establishing that the victim died as a result of the stabbing. At trial, the State presented testimony of the two emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and the paramedic who were called to the scene of the crime. One EMT, Jerry Walker, testified that when he arrived at the service station, the victim had no vital signs and appeared to have suffered a wound to his right shoulder. He opined that the victim had died from a knife wound but admitted that he did not know for certain the cause of death. The second EMT, Ronnie Collins, described the knife wound as a pretty deep gash and stated that the victim was soaked in his blood. The paramedic, Tony Douglas, testified that he examined the body and found a moon-shaped puncture wound, two to three inches long, on the right side of the victim's chest. Douglas said that as a paramedic, he would describe the wound as fatal and opined that the victim died from loss of blood, although he admitted that he did not know for certain the cause of death. Direct expert testimony as to the cause of death is unnecessary. McCord v. State, 198 Tenn. 226, 278 S.W.2d 689, 690 (1955). Death may be presumed when the defendant's act is proven, the wounds are apparent, and there is no suggestion in the record that the deceased died from any cause other than that relied upon by the State. Id. at 690-91; Bryant v. State, 503 S.W.2d 955, 958 (Tenn.Crim.App.1973); Franklin v. State, 180 Tenn. 41, 171 S.W.2d 281, 282 (1943). A non-expert, after describing a wound, may express an opinion that it caused death. See Owens v. State, 202 Tenn. 679, 308 S.W.2d 423, 424 (1957). The defendant admitted that he stabbed the victim. There is testimony of extensive bleeding as the result of a deep stab wound that was inflicted just before the victim died, and no evidence that the victim had sustained other injuries. EMT Walker and paramedic Douglas both opined that the stab wound had been fatal. This lay testimony is sufficient to sufficient to support the jury's verdict that the victim died as the result of the stab wound inflicted by the defendant.