Opinion FlashOctober 1, 2002Volume 8 — Number 172 Following this index are summaries of each case, including its name, first paragraph, author's name, and the names of attorneys for the parties of each opinion. This Issue (IN THIS ORDER):
TBA members can get the full-text versions of these opinions three ways detailed below. All methods require a TBA username and password. If you have forgotten your password, you can look it up on-line at http://www.tba.org/getpassword.mgi . If you are a TBA member, but do not have a username and password, you can receive one online at http://www.tba.org/signup.mgi. Here's how you can obtain full-text version. Click the URL at end of each Opinion paragraph below. This option will allow you to download the original document. Howard H. Vogel NATASHA W. CORNETT v. STATE OF TENNESSEE Court:TCCA Attorneys: Susanna L. Thomas, Newport, Tennessee, for the appellant, Natasha W. Cornett. Paul G. Summers, Attorney General & Reporter; Mark A. Fulks, Assistant Attorney General; and Garrett Christiansen, Assistant District Attorney General, for the appellee, State of Tennessee. Judge: WADE First Paragraph: The petitioner, Natasha W. Cornett, appeals the trial court's denial of post-conviction relief. The issues presented for our review are (1) whether the petitioner properly waived her right to a jury trial at sentencing; (2) whether her guilty pleas to three counts of first degree murder, one count of attempted first degree murder, two counts of especially aggravated kidnapping, two counts of aggravated kidnapping, and one count of theft over $1,000 were knowingly and voluntarily entered; and (3) whether the petitioner was denied the effective assistance of counsel. The judgment is affirmed. http://www.tba.org/tba_files/TCCA/cornettnw.wpd STATE OF TENNESSEE v. JONATHAN THORNTON Court:TCCA Attorneys: Susanna L. Thomas, Newport, Tennessee (on appeal), and Richard Talley, Dandridge, Tennessee (at trial), for the appellant, Jonathan Thornton. Paul G. Summers, Attorney General & Reporter; Thomas E. Williams, III, Assistant Attorney General; and Cecil Mills, Assistant District Attorney General, for the appellee, the State of Tennessee. Judge: WADE First Paragraph: The defendant, Jonathan Thornton, was convicted of one count of theft of property valued at more than $1,000 but less than $10,000 and one count of theft of property valued at less than $500. The trial court imposed concurrent sentences of two years and 11 months and 29 days, respectively. In this appeal of right, the defendant asserts (1) that the evidence is insufficient to support his convictions, (2) that the trial court erred in its instructions to the jury, and (3) that the trial court erred by denying an alternative sentence. Because the trial court erred by denying an alternative sentence, the defendant's sentence is modified to a sentence of split confinement with nine months to be served in confinement and the balance to be served on probation. http://www.tba.org/tba_files/TCCA/thorntonjonathan.wpd CLAYTON EUGENE TURNER v. STATE OF TENNESSEE Court:TCCA Attorneys: Mark Harris, Kingsport, Tennessee, for the appellant, Clayton Eugene Turner. Paul G. Summers, Attorney General and Reporter; Angele M. Gregory, Assistant Attorney General; Greeley Wells, District Attorney General; and Barry Staubus, Assistant District Attorney General, for the appellee, State of Tennessee. Judge: WELLES First Paragraph: The Defendant, Clayton Eugene Turner, brings this appeal from the trial court's denial of post- conviction relief. The Defendant was convicted by a jury of rape of a child, incest, and assault. He argues two issues in this appeal: (1) that he was denied the effective assistance of counsel at trial, and (2) that the trial court erred by denying the Defendant's post-conviction request for the appointment of experts in the fields of DNA analysis and the transmission of infectious diseases. We affirm the judgment of the trial court. http://www.tba.org/tba_files/TCCA/turnerce.wpd STATE OF TENNESSEE v. JAMES WOODMANCY Court:TCCA Attorneys: William A. Kennedy, Assistant Public Defender, for the appellant, James Woodmancy. Paul G. Summers, Attorney General & Reporter; Mark A. Fulks, Assistant Attorney General; and Teresa Murray-Smith and Jim Goodwin, Assistant District Attorneys General, for the appellee, State of Tennessee. Judge: WADE First Paragraph: The defendant, James Woodmancy, was convicted of third offense indecent exposure. The trial court imposed a sentence of two years. See Tenn. Code Ann. S 39-13-511. In this appeal as of right, the defendant challenges the sufficiency of the evidence and asserts that the trial court erred by ruling that evidence of his prior conviction for attempted aggravated sexual battery could be introduced by the state to impeach his testimony. Because the trial court should have ruled the prior offense inadmissible, the conviction is reversed and the cause is remanded for a new trial. http://www.tba.org/tba_files/TCCA/woodmancyjames.wpd PLEASE FORWARD THIS E-MAIL! GET A FULL-TEXT COPY OF AN OPINION! JOIN THE TENNESSEE BAR ASSOCIATION! SUBSCRIBE TO OPINION FLASH! UNSUBSCRIBE TO OPINION FLASH? ... SURELY NOT! But if you must, visit the TBALink web site at: http://www.tba.org/op-flash.mgi Home • Contact Us • PageFinder • What's New • Help |
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