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PnÁ™ó¸ÊÉÓ׃_w쾃A-Ì\€fË‹ ºKÌïÜë˜î¥Ê,žLh.1Y‘%ªqå Ï;j“¬™WÛðwL.}Ÿ $¹²êŽ÷pÒcšÉ<ªMËfWZ¨dñ' ö)m.*Q Íëër1ƒES¶¦Ï?øš…FˆRÿe}ßŠï †åÀÀ×( ³ƒËrÎøÈT¿¸Rì㲌ÐùD[¾+~Dڈϋpùì~~ꆓ¹0–|g(Ïåb#FÞ.Þ5V ‡t7e<Ýà®l#U6¼ÄiîʯmŽ\;[ÅQÖrmttD†}&„y4Ì eò„!’~ i «2Æ¢‚ÝÆqÔ.ˆŽ‚ºÔƒŒtÙz ¨Kø`1He¶8'f‹ÈÕe¤oYûÀÚ;†4mY™»ŽL!‚û>ÆáêñöÀ ‡”—o .ot?B‡gÇ™¢€ýÔˆöàšb2Ô¢!]j…•Œ|æjÆDãñœÂ§£ç›é•3wÜ/È·:Cçœ=Ä€,# hUNs %Á 0(ÇU:ïb) 0À1U:ñ 0Ô+U:ÿU:9w@s4³ÇÖ)ÞU:              BA A 0D^ D3¢ ¢ ¢ ¢ AQÕ Æ& 0Dì 0D0 D/t B£ ˜HP LaserJet 4 PlusHPPCL5MS,ð,,,,,ð0nLÜÏ(ÈhH  Z 6Times New Roman RegularX($¡¡,“í|AZ‹"Arial Regular- ù-(ÅØ$Ô€ X»ÅXXXÔÔ€ ŠÒè ŠX X»ÅÔÔ€ŠÒè Š Š ŠÒèÔÔ€ŠÒè Š ŠŠÒèÔòòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó, øð AZ"Arial Regular(‚*2øG$¤¤Ý ƒ!ÝÝ  ÝÓ  ÓÒ°ÒÒ„°ÒÔ€ X“YXXXÔÔ€ &Ûí&X X“YÔà ` àòòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó€€, øð AZ"Arial Regular, øð AZ"Arial Regular lmnDopqrstuÓ€P9&c$"3|x€ Ý ƒ(¯"ÝÝ  ÝÔ€X( XXXÔÔ€k  XX(ÔÓ  ÓÔ Ad ÔFILEDÔ€X( X kÔÐ  ÐÌò òFebruary€17,€1999Ð šš ÐÌCecil€Crowson,€Jr.ÌÔ€ôÖË ô XX(ÔAppellate€Court€Clerkó ó,c½¬AZ‹"Arial Regular d(3¯$££Ý ƒ!ÝÝ  Ý'ÿÿdxd'(!)*Cþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5(3¯$¢¢Ý ƒ!ÝÝ  Ý($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó++'÷ÿ dxdüÿP PdÝ ƒ!ÝÝ  Ýñuñ›ñuñÑ` °ÑÒ°ÒÒ„°ÒÔ€Š ŠXXÔÔ€Š“PŠŠŠ ÔÑTR[  AØ'ÿ Legal3Ø' AØ'ÿ Legalÿ3Ø'TÑÑ€ÑÑ7€<ÄXXdðdÈ7ÑÑ  ÑÑ  ÑÓ  Óò òñuñßr€&"<,(j 8` `€€@Eôf ` ttx$,` ð Úrß›ñuñIN€THE€COURT€OF€CRIMINAL€APPEALS€OF€TENNESSEEÐ `  ÐÌAT€KNOXVILLEÌÌNOVEMBER€SESSION,€1998ÌÌÌÓ  ÓSTATE€OF€TENNESSEE,à À à)à  àC.C.A.€NO.€03C01„9710„CC„00455Ð ` Ðà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À à)ó óÐ ` Ðà ` àAppellee,à  àà h àà À àò ò)Ð `  Ðà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À à)Ìà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À à)à  àRHEA€COUNTYÐ `  ÐVS.à ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À à)à  àÐ `  Ðà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À à)à  àHON.€J.€CURTIS€SMITH,ó óÐ `  Ðò òROBERT€GILLESPIE,ó óà h àà À àò ò)à  àJUDGEó óÐ ` Ðà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àò ò)ó óÐ ` Ðà ` àAppellant.à  àà h àà À àò ò)à  àó ó(Aggravated€Assault)ò òÐ ` Ðó óÌÌÓ  ÓON€APPEAL€FROM€THE€JUDGMENT€OF€THEÌCRIMINAL€COURT€OF€RHEA€COUNTYÌÌÌòòÓ  ÓFOR€THE€APPELLANTóó:à h àà À àà  àòòFOR€THE€APPELLEEóó:Ð 0 Ð ÐÌœEDWARD€L.€BORING›à h àà À àà  àœJOHN€KNOX€WALKUPÐ  "À ÐP.O.€Box€1025à  àà h àà À àà  àAttorney€General€and€ReporterÐ #¸ ÐPikeville,€TN€37367Ìà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àà  àMICHAEL€J.€FAHEY,€IIÌà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àà  àAssistant€Attorney€GeneralÌà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àà  à425€Fifth€Avenue€NorthÌà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àà  àNashville,€TN€37243ÌÌà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àà  àJ.€MICHAEL€TAYLORÌà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àà  àDistrict€Attorney€GeneralÌÌà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àà  àJAMES€W.€POPE,€IIIÌà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àà  àAssistant€District€Attorney€GeneralÌà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àà  àFirst€American€Bank€Bldg.,€Suite€300Ìà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àà  àDayton,€TN€37321›ÌÌÌÌOPINION€FILED€________________________ÌÌAFFIRMEDÌÌDAVID€H.€WELLES,€JUDGEÐ  p7./ ÐÓ  ÓÔ€°úq°ŠŠ“PÔò òòòÑ7€Òªˆ ˆdXXdð7ÑOPINIONóóó óÔ€Š“Pа°úqÔÐ `  ÐÌÌÌÓ  ÓÓÓà ` àThe€Defendant,€Robert€Gillespie,€pursuant€to€Tennessee€Rule€of€AppellateÏProcedure€3(b),€appeals€as€of€right€his€conviction€for€the€aggravated€assault€ofÏCharles€Mears,€his€wifeððs€uncle.€€Defendant€was€convicted€after€a€jury€trial,€andÏhe€was€sentenced€to€four€years€and€six€months,€œwith€ninety›€days€to€be€served€inÏthe€œcounty€jail€and›€the€remainder€to€be€served€on€supervised€probation.€€WeÏœaffirm€the€judgment€of€the€trial€court.›ÌÌà ` àDefendant€challenges€only€the€sufficiency€of€the€evidence€to€convict€him.€ÏAt€the€time€of€this€offense,€Defendant€was€engaged€to€his€œpresent€wife,›€and€theÏcouple€attended€her€motherððs€funeral.€€Mears,€the€victim,€had€apparently€warnedÏDefendant€to€stay€away€from€the€funeral;€and€when€he€saw€Defendant€there,€heÏassaulted€Defendant,€causing€him€to€flee€toward€his€car.€€When€DefendantÏreached€his€car,€he€did€not€leave,€but€instead€retrieved€a€gun€and€held€it€up€in€theÏparking€lot€among€a€gathering€of€funeral€guests.€€Another€guest€obtained€the€gunÏfrom€Defendant,€who€fled€on€foot€until€œcaptured.›€€It€is€undisputed€that€œMearsÏinitially›€committed€an€assault€upon€Defendant.€€The€issue€for€resolution€by€thisÏCourt€is€whether€the€evidence€was€sufficient€to€support€Defendantððs€aggravatedÏassault€conviction€œor,€stated€differently,€whether›€Defendant€adequately€provedÏœself„defense›€so€as€to€render€the€juryððs€verdict€untenable.€ÌÌà ` àAt€trial€the€State€first€presented€Charles€Mears.€€Mears€admitted€that€heÏcursed€and€struck€Defendant€after€asking€him€at€least€twice€to€leave€the€funeralÏparlor.€€Mears€testified€that€he€then€followed€Defendant€outside€to€the€parking€lot,Ð ¾8^/0 Ðwhere€Defendant€ð ðpulled€a€gunðð€on€him€and€threatened€to€kill€him.€€According€toÏMears,€Defendant€pointed€the€gun€at€him€for€approximately€two€minutes€with€hisÏfinger€on€the€trigger.€€In€addition,€Defendant€ð ðchamberedðð€a€round,€which€ejectedÏinto€the€air€over€a€parked€car.€€ÌÌà ` àOn€cross„examination€Mears€acknowledged€his€intent€to€assault€DefendantÏfurther€if€he€did€not€leave€the€premises.€€When€asked€whether€Defendant€hit€him,ÏMears€stated€that€he€ð ðgot€hit,ðð€but€he€did€not€know€whether€Defendant€hit€him.€ÏMears€never€expressed€that€he€feared€bodily€injury,€but€he€stated,€ð ðWhen€a€manððsÏgot€a€gun€on€you€pointing€straight€at€you,€you€donððt€count€the€seconds€or€theÏminutes.€€You€donððt€look€to€see€where€the€other€people€is€[sic]€at.ðð€€Mears€alsoÏagreed€that€Defendant€ð ðhad€the€potential€to€squeeze€the€trigger€and€shoot€[him].ðð€Ï€€€Ìà ` àThe€State€next€called€Larry€Wolcott€to€testify,€who€recounted€that€he€sawÏDefendant€point€the€gun€at€Mears,€heard€the€ð ðclickðð€of€the€ejected€round€from€theÏgun€and€Defendantððs€threat€to€kill€Mears,€ran€around€the€crowd€and€cars€in€theÏparking€lot,€and€seized€the€gun€from€Defendantððs€hand.€€He€struck€DefendantððsÏforehead€with€the€gun,€and€Defendant€then€fled€the€scene.€€Wolcott€estimatedÏthat€Defendant€had€held€the€gun€for€approximately€thirty€to€forty€seconds.€€OnÏcross„examination,€Defendant€impeached€Wolcott€with€his€testimony€from€theÏpreliminary€hearing,€œduring€ñjñ›€ñjñwhich›€he€was€asked€whether€he€heard€DefendantÏthreaten€Mears,€and€he€responded,€ð ðNo.€€There€was€too€much€noise€going€on€outÏthere€to€start€with.ðð€€On€rebuttal,€the€State€called€Diane€Wolcott,€Larry€WolcottððsÏwife,€who€testified€consistently€with€her€husbandððs€statements.€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ìâ âÐ à7€.0 Ðà ` àDefendant€testified€on€his€own€behalf,€describing€how€Mears€ordered€himÏâ âto€leave€the€funeral€home,€saying,€ð ðGet€your€black€ass€up,ðð€struck€his€œthen„¼fiance,›€and€then€struck€him€two€or€three€times€on€the€side€of€his€face€and€head.€ÏAccording€to€Defendant,€he€and€his€fiance€attempted€to€get€into€their€car€whenÏMears€began€to€beat€Defendant€again.€€For€this€reason,€Defendant€removed€œñkñtheñkññlñfromÏbehind€the€seats€añlñ›€.22€caliber€pistol€that€he€had€not€before€œseenñtñ€between€theÏseatsñtñ,›€and€he€held€itÏð ðdown€besideðð€him€for€protection€against€the€several€men€who€descended€uponÏhim.€€He€denied€pointing€the€gun€at€anyone.€€Defendant€testified€that€the€car€heÏdrove€belonged€to€his€brother€and€that€the€gun€had€not€been€in€the€car€when€heÏdrove€to€the€funeral.€€€ÌÌà ` àJennifer€Gillespie,€Defendantððs€wife€and€Mearsððs€niece,€affirmedÏDefendantððs€testimony.€€She€stated€that€Mears€ð ðhit€[her]€and€knocked€[her]€out€ofÏthe€way€and€started€hitting€œRobert,ðð›€then€ð ðchased€him€out€of€the€funeral€home.ðð€ÏShe€recalled€Mears€threatening€to€kill€Defendant€and€calling€him€a€ð ðnigger.ðð€ÏAccording€to€Ms.€Gillespie,€both€Mears€and€Larry€Wolcott€hit€DefendantÏð ðconstantly,ðð€and€they€chased€him€out€to€his€car.€€She€denied€that€DefendantÏpointed€the€gun€at€anyone,€stating€that€he€held€it€by€his€side€and€that€WolcottÏobtained€it€and€began€to€hit€him€over€the€head€with€it.ÌÌà ` àTennessee€Rule€of€Appellate€Procedure€13(e)€prescribes€that€ð ð[f]indingsÏof€guilt€in€criminal€actions€whether€by€the€trial€court€or€jury€shall€be€set€aside€if€theÏevidence€is€insufficient€to€support€the€finding€by€the€trier€of€fact€beyond€aÏreasonable€doubt.ðð€€Tenn.€R.€App.€P.€13(e).€€In€addition,€because€conviction€byÏa€trier€of€fact€destroys€the€presumption€of€innocence€and€imposes€a€presumptionÏof€guilt,€a€convicted€criminal€defendant€bears€the€burden€of€showing€that€theÐ Ð9p02 Ðevidence€was€insufficient.€€òòMcBee€v.€Stateóó,€372€S.W.2d€173,€176€(Tenn.€1963);Ð `  Ðòòsee€alsoóó€òòState€v.€Evansóó,€838€S.W.2d€185,€191€(Tenn.€1992)€(citing€òòState€v.Ð P ð ÐGraceóó,€493€S.W.2d€474,€476€(Tenn.€1976),€and€òòState€v.€Brownóó,€551€S.W.2d€329,Ð @ à Ð331€(Tenn.€1977));€òòState€v.€Tuggleóó,€639€S.W.2d€913,€914€(Tenn.€1982);€òòHolt€v.Ð 0Ð ÐStateóó,€357€S.W.2d€57,€61€(Tenn.€1962).Ð  À ÐÌà ` àIn€its€review€of€the€evidence,€an€appellate€court€must€afford€the€State€ð ðtheÏstrongest€legitimate€view€of€the€evidence€as€well€as€all€reasonable€and€legitimateÏinferences€that€may€be€drawn€therefrom.ðð€€òòTuggleóó,€639€S.W.2d€at€914€(citingÐ à€ ÐòòState€v.€Cabbageóó,€571€S.W.2d€832,€835€(Tenn.€1978)).€€The€court€may€not€ð ðre„Ð Ðp Ðweigh€or€re„evaluate€the€evidenceðð€in€the€record€below.€€òòEvansóó,€838€S.W.2d€atÐ À` Ð191€(citing€òòCabbageóó,€571€S.W.2d€at€836).€€Likewise,€should€the€reviewing€courtÐ °P Ðfind€particular€conflicts€in€the€trial€testimony,€the€court€must€resolve€them€in€favorÏof€the€jury€verdict€or€trial€court€judgment.€€òòTuggleóó,€639€S.W.2d€at€914.Ð "0 Ѐ€Ìà ` àð ðA€person€commits€an€aggravated€assault€who€.€.€.€[i]ntentionally€orÏknowingly€commits€an€assault€as€defined€in€ðð€39„13„101€and€.€.€.€[u]ses€orÏdisplays€a€deadly€weapon.ðð€€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€39„13„102(a)(1)(B).€€ð ðA€personÏcommits€assault€who€.€.€.€[i]ntentionally€or€knowingly€causes€another€toÏreasonably€fear€imminent€bodily€injury;€or€.€.€.€[i]ntentionally€or€knowingly€causesÏphysical€contact€with€another€and€a€reasonable€person€would€regard€the€contactÏas€extremely€offensive€or€provocative.ðð€€òòId.óó€ðð€39„13„101(a)(2)„(3).€€TennesseeÐ 2°(* ÐCode€Annotated€defines€self„defense€as€follows:ÌÓÓà8 ` àà ¸ àA€person€is€justified€in€threatening€or€using€force€againstÏanother€person€when€and€to€the€degree€the€person€reasonablyÏbelieves€the€force€is€immediately€necessary€to€protect€against€theÏotherððs€use€or€attempted€use€of€unlawful€force.€€The€person€mustÏhave€a€reasonable€belief€that€there€is€an€imminent€danger€of€deathÐ Ð9p02 Ðor€serious€bodily€injury.€€The€danger€creating€the€belief€of€imminentÏdeath€or€serious€bodily€injury€must€be€real,€or€honestly€believed€toÏbe€real€at€the€time,€and€must€be€founded€upon€reasonable€grounds.€ÏThere€is€no€duty€to€retreat€before€a€person€threatens€or€uses€force.Óî*ÓÐ ` ü!` ü! ÐòòId.óó€ðð€39„11„611(a).€Ð 8Ø ÐÌà ` àThis€case€involves€a€conflict€of€testimony€regarding€the€events€œñmñwhichÏñmñoccurrñnñingñnññoñedñoñ›€at€Defendantððs€car.€€Mears€stated€that€he€ð ðgot€hitðð€during€the€altercation,Ïalthough€he€did€not€know€whether€Defendant€hit€him.€€According€to€Mears,€LarryÏWolcott,€and€Diane€Wolcott,€Defendant€pointed€a€gun€at€Mears€and€ð ðchamberedððÏa€round€of€ammunition.€€Mears€and€Larry€Wolcott€testified€that€DefendantÏthreatened€to€kill€Mears€while€he€pointed€the€gun.€€Although€Mears€admitted€thatÏhe€would€have€continued€to€beat€Defendant€had€Defendant€refused€to€leave€theÏpremises,€he€testified€that€he€œñqñdid€not€strike€ñqññqñ›ñqññpñwas€not€striking€ñpñDefendant›€in€the€parking€lot.€ÏFurthermore,€Mears€stated€that€he€ð ðfollowedðð€Defendant€outside,€ð ðwalk[ing]€outÏthere€where€he€was€getting€into€the€car.ðð€€Mears€believed€that€Defendant€had€theÏpotential€to€shoot€him€from€a€short€distance.€€ÌÌà ` àAccording€to€Defendant€and€his€wife,€Mears€and€several€other€menÏð ðchasedðð€him€out€of€the€funeral€home€and€to€his€car,€continuously€striking€himÏuntil€the€time€he€displayed€the€gun,€which€he€claimed€œñsñhe€ñsññsñ›ñsññrñto€be€ñrñheld›€at€his€side.€ÏDecisions€regarding€whether€Defendant€committed€aggravated€assault€andÏwhether€his€actions€constituted€defense€of€his€life€must€be€made€by€the€trier€ofÏfactð"ðin€this€case,€the€jury.€€The€jury€found€that€Defendant€did€indeed€commit€anÏaggravated€assault€and€that€he€was€not€justified€by€self„defense.€€We€concludeÏthat€the€jury€was€within€its€purview€to€accredit€the€Stateððs€witnesses€andÏdetermine€(1)€that€Mears€reasonably€feared€for€his€life€while€Defendant€held€aÐ Ø8x/1 Ðgun€pointed€at€him,€and€(2)€that€Defendant€was€not€justified€by€a€œreasonablñmñ›ñmñe›Ïbelief€of€an€imminent€danger€of€death€or€serious€bodily€injury€to€himself.ÌÌà ` àWe€affirm€Defendantððs€conviction€and€sentence€for€aggravated€assault.ÌÌÓ  ÓÌÌÓÓà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À à____________________________________Ìà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àDAVID€H.€WELLES,€JUDGEÌÌÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌÌÌ___________________________________ÌœJAMES€CURWOOD€WITT,€JR.,€JUDGE›ÌÌÌ___________________________________ÌœL.T.€LAFFERTY,€SENIOR€JUDGE›