ÿWPC¼ …# VUNa %¯ 0Ƶw@{ 4» Ï Þ 0Jæ 0T0 0^„ 0hâ 0rJ 0|¼ 0†8 0¾ 1uNU,à 0dïU,SU>U*½B)çDC AMS B –½v~SvÓÑ D3¤ 0@× AOÆf 0D, D/p BŸ˜HP LaserJet 4Si/4SiMX PS 600dpiPSCRIPTÀÌÀääÀÀÌ0 (ÖÃ9 Z ‹6Times New Roman RegularX(žjÆ$¡¡Ñ` ` ÑÑÜÜÑÒ4°ÒÒX°ÒÑTR[  AØ'ÿ Legal[  AØ'ÿ Legal AØ'ÿ Legal AØ'ÿ LegalTÑÓÓ ;E<=E>[?@teADBDCDÓ€à~| 3|xO2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô2" ÿÿ0Indent2à0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2, ÿÿ0Indent3à0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô26 ÿÿ0Indent4à0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2@ ÿÿ0Indent5à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2J ÿÿ0Indent6à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2T ÿÿ0Indent7à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2^ ÿÿ0Indent8à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô ÿÿ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)< Œ 9p`(ModernP ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ< Œ 9p`(Monaco< Œ 9p`(&Times New Roman< Œ 9p`(Arial% Line 7 d""""7Border 1dd€-#Cþÿ << Gÿÿ d ŒÝ ƒ!ÝÔ€ÔÔ€ ÔÑ ` ÑÑ Ü ÑÒ 4 ÒÒ X ÒÑ\R AØ'\ÑÓÓÝ  ÝÔ€!ÔÔ€!ÔÓ  ÓÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€!XÔÌÌò òMayÏ6,Ï1996ÌÌCecilÏCrowson,ÏJr.ÌÔ€!ôÔAppellateÏCourtÏClerkó óPtPtHHÚ(ÿáÿâùFG(üHHÚ(d'@Styl{WP}01•ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃà Ãà Ãà Ãà Ãà ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÐ ÐÐHHÐÐ  ÐÐ2ÐÐÿÿ¸æ$ÿÐÐHHÐÐÐÐÐÐÐÐ  ÐÐ ÐÐ ÐÑÑÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÑ € ÑÑ<Px–ÈÑÒÒÒ443!#4ÒÒ$ *$ÒÒ$*$ÒÒ ÿKK ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÓ.,ÓÓÓÓ6ÓÓ ÓßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßÑMonacoÑÑ ÑÒ  BA Op Monaco ÒÒ  BA Op Monaco Ò%%%%'ÿÿdxd("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò€-‚ƒCþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó„„'÷ÿ dxdüÿP PdÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€ÔÓ&€X„d&ÓÑ#€Xd#ÑÔ€ ÔÑ ` ÑÑ Ü ÑÒ 4 ÒÒ X ÒÑ\R AØ'\ÑÓÓÝ  ÝÙ€€ÙÔ€!Ô›œßL€$&#;+'h|` ´- `€€Lß›à@ àòòIN€THE€COURT€OFÏCRIMINAL€APPEALS€OF€TENNESSEEóóÌà@ àòòAT€KNOXVILLEóóÌà@ àAPRIL€1996€SESSIONÌÌSTATE€OF€TENNESSEE,à àà à*à àC.C.A.€#Ïœ03C01„9506„CR„00182›Ìà àAppellee,à àà àà à*à àKNOX€COUNTYÌVS.à àà àà àà àà à*à àHon.€Ray€L.ÏJenkins,€JudgeÌPARKER€LEE€BUNTING,à àà à*à à(Two€Counts€ofÏAggravated€Assault)Ìà àAppellant.à àà àà à*à à€€€€€€€€ÌÌòòFor€Appellant:óóà àà àà àòòà àFor€Appellee:óóÌÓÓRonald€P.€Smithà àà àà àà àCharles€W.ÏBursonÌAttorneyà àà àà àà àà àAttorneyÏGeneral€&€Reporter€ÌP.O.€Box€1627à àà àà àà àÌKnoxville,€TN€€37901à àà àà àTimothy€F.ÏBehan€€Ì(on€appeal)à àà àà àà àà àAssistantÏAttorney€GeneralÌà àà àà àà àà àà àCriminal€JusticeÏDivision€ÌDavid€J.€Possà àà àà àà à450€James€Robertson€ParkwayÌAttorneyà àà àà àà àà àNashville,€TN€€37243„0493Ì1627€Polk€Wright€Lane€ÌKnoxville,€TN€€37919à àà àà àRandall€E.€NicholsÌ(at€trial)à àà àà àà àà àDistrict€Attorney€GeneralÌà àà àà àà àà àà àandÌà àà àà àà àà àà àZane€Scarlett€Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àAssistant€District€Attorney€General€Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àKnox€County€District€Attorney€Generalððs€à àà àà àà àà àà à€€ÏOfficeÌà àà àà àà àà àà àCity„County€Building€Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àKnoxville,€TN€€37902€ÌÌÌÌOPINION€FILED:€________________________ÌÌÌÌÌAFFIRMED€ÌÌÌÌÌGARY€R.€WADE,€JUDGEÇÑ7€Ö?XXdìXXdì7ÑÓÓà@ àòòOPINIONóóÌà àà àThe€defendant,€Parker€Lee€Bunting,€was€convicted€in€a€bench€trial€onÏtwo€counts€of€aggravated€assault.€€The€trial€court€imposed€Range€I,€consecutiveÏsentences€of€five€years€on€each€count.€€In€this€appeal€of€right,€the€defendantÏchallenges€the€sufficiency€of€the€evidence.€€We€find€no€error€and€affirm€theÏjudgment€of€the€trial€court.€€ÌÌà àà àOn€the€evening€of€December€17,€1992,€the€victims,€Patrick€Mulroy€andÏRob€Eichholtz,€were€celebrating€the€last€day€of€classes€at€Hawkeyeððs€Restaurant,Ïlocated€near€the€University€of€Tennessee€campus.€€A€little€after€10:00€P.M.,€MulroyÏobserved€a€manager€of€the€restaurant€order€the€defendant€to€leave€the€restaurantÏpremises.€€Because€the€defendant€and€his€girlfriend,€Jan€Murray,€continued€toÏargue€outside€in€the€parking€lot,€an€employee€of€the€restaurant€called€the€police.€€ÌÌà àà àMeanwhile,€Mulroy,€Eichholtz,€and€Lincoln€Speece€went€into€theÏparking€lot,€observed€the€altercation€between€the€defendant€and€his€girlfriend,€andÏdirected€the€defendant€to€"cool€out€a€little€bit"€and€to€"settle€down€and€leave€œher›Ïalone."€€The€defendant€told€the€victims€to€mind€their€own€business,€yelled€that€heÏ"was€going€to€kick€everybodyððs€butt"€and€stated€that€the€victims€"needed€to€kick€hisÏass...."€€Mulroy€replied,€€"No€oneððs€going€to€kick€your€ass."€€According€to€the€victims,Íthe€defendant€pushed€Eichholtz€who€then€pushed€the€defendant.€€At€that€point,€theÏdefendant€pulled€a€knife,€grabbed€Eichholtz€by€the€wrist€and€stabbed€him€in€theÏback.€€The€defendant€then€stabbed€Mulroy€in€the€chest,€puncturing€his€lung,€andÏran€towards€a€nearby€dormitory.€€Eichholtz,€Mulroy,€and€Speece€were€unsuccessfulÏin€their€pursuit.€€€€ÌÌà àà àAt€trial,€the€defendant€acknowledged€that€he€had€argued€with€hisÏgirlfriend€and€had€been€directed€to€leave€by€the€manager.€€He€recalled€that€he€andÏhis€girlfriend€had€told€the€victims€to€stay€away.€€The€defendant€claimed€thatÏEichholtz€had€knocked€him€to€the€ground€before€he€pulled€the€knife€and€told€theÏvictims€to€stay€away.€€He€contended€that€Eichholtz€threw€another€punch€and€thatÏMulroy€had€started€to€join€in€the€fray€before€the€knife€was€used€in€defense.Ìà àÌà àà àA€defense€witness,€Ms.€Murray€testified€that€she€had€informed€theÏvictims€that€she€did€not€need€their€help.€€She€claimed€that€one€of€the€two€menÏknocked€the€defendant€down€and€several€other€men€had€rushed€towards€theÏaltercation€when€she€and€her€friend,€Heather€Boston,€"followed€to€see€whatÏhappened."€€Ms.€Murray€contended€that€she€had€attempted€to€deter€the€victims€byÏtelling€them€that€the€defendant€had€a€knife.€ÌÌà àà àMs.€Boston€also€testified€for€the€defense.€€She€claimed€that€by€the€timeÏshe€joined€the€defendant€and€Murray,€their€argument€has€ceased.€€She€stated€thatÏshe€saw€the€two€victims€approach€the€defendant€and€heard€the€defendant€say,€"DoÏyou€want€a€piece€of€me?"€€She€said€the€victims€acted€"like€they€wanted€to€startÏsomething€with€[the€defendant]."€€Ms.€Boston€was€talking€with€Murray€when€sheÏnoticed€the€defendant€on€the€ground.€€She€could€not€be€sure€of€what€happenedÏbetween€the€defendant€and€the€victims.€€After€the€defendant€ran€away€with€theÏvictims€in€pursuit,€Ms.€Boston€left€with€Ms.€Murray.€€€€ÌÌà àà àIn€order€to€sustain€an€attack€upon€the€sufficiency€of€the€evidence,€theÏdefendant€must€show€that€a€rational€trier€of€fact€could€not€have€found€the€elementsÏof€a€particular€offense€beyond€a€reasonable€doubt.€€òòState€v.€Hatchettóó,€560€S.W.2dÏ627,€630€(Tenn.€1978).€€A€verdict€of€guilt€removes€the€presumption€of€innocenceÏand€raises€a€presumption€of€guilt€on€appeal.€€òòState€v.€Graceóó,€493€S.W.2d€474,€476Ï(Tenn.€1973).€€The€findings€of€a€trial€judge€on€questions€of€fact€are€to€be€given€theÏweight€of€a€jury€verdict€and€those€findings€are€conclusive€on€appeal€unless€theÏevidence€preponderates€against€the€judgment.€€òòClenny€v.€Stateóó,€576€S.W.2d€12,€14Ï(Tenn.€Crim.€App.€1978).€€The€state,€of€course,€is€entitled€to€the€strongest€legitimateÏview€of€the€evidence€and€all€reasonable€inferences€which€might€be€drawnÏtherefrom.€€òòState€v.€Cabbageóó,€571€S.W.2d€832,€836€(Tenn.€1978).€€Finally,€a€guiltyÍverdict€serves€to€accredit€the€testimony€of€the€stateððs€witnesses.€€òòState€v.€Hatchettóó,Ï560€S.W.2d€at€630.€€ÌÌà àà àIn€essence,€the€defendant€claims€that€he€established€his€right€of€self„defense€and€that€the€state€had€failed€to€overcome€the€defense.€€He€insists€that€theÏvictims€were€the€aggressors.€€ÌÌà àà àOur€scope€of€review,€as€stated,€is€limited.€€An€aggravated€assaultÏoccurs€when€one€"[i]ntentionally€or€knowingly€commits€an€assault€...€and€...€[c]ausesÏserious€bodily€injury€to€another€...€or€...€[u]ses€or€displays€a€deadly€weapon€...€or€...Ï[when€one€r]ecklessly€commits€an€assault€...€and€...€[c]auses€serious€bodily€injury€toÏanother€...€or€...€[u]ses€or€displays€a€deadly€weapon."€€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€39„13„102(a).€€Self„defense€is€a€question€of€fact.€€The€defendant€would€have€beenÏ"justified€in€threatening€or€using€force€against€another€person€when€and€to€theÏdegree€the€person€reasonably€believes€the€force€is€immediately€necessary€toÏprotect€against€the€otherððs€use€or€attempted€use€of€unlawful€force...."€€Tenn.€CodeÏAnn.€ðð€39„11„611(a).€€Moreover,€the€"person€must€have€a€reasonable€belief€thatÏthere€is€imminent€danger€of€death€or€serious€bodily€injury€...€[and]€[t]he€dangerÏcreating€the€belief€of€imminent€death€or€serious€bodily€injury€must€be€real,€orÏhonestly€believed€to€be€real€at€the€time,€and€must€be€founded€upon€reasonableÍgrounds...."€€òòIdóó.€€ÌÌà àà àObviously,€the€evidence€was€contested€in€this€case.€€The€trial€judgeÏobserved€the€demeanor€of€the€witnesses€firsthand,€made€determinations€as€toÏcredibility€favorable€to€the€state,€and€concluded€that€the€defendant€was€guilty,Ïbeyond€a€reasonable€doubt,€of€two€counts€of€aggravated€assault.€€The€trial€courtÏdiscounted€the€testimony€of€Murray€and€Boston€as€not€helpful€and€rejected€theÏtheory€of€self„defense.€€In€our€view,€those€findings€were€the€prerogative€of€the€trierÏof€fact.€€There€was€proof€of€the€essential€elements€of€the€crimes.€€There€wasÏevidence€to€support€those€determinations.€€Thus,€the€defendant€has€failed€toÏovercome€the€presumption€of€guilt.€€ÌÌà àà àAccordingly,€the€judgment€is€affirmed.€ÌÌÓÓà àà àà àà àà à________________________________________Ìà àà àà àà àà àGary€R.€Wade,€JudgeÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌÌÌ__________________________________ÌDavid€H.€Welles,€JudgeÌÌÌÌ__________________________________ÌWilliam€M.€Barker,€Judge€