ÿWPCÖ …# VUNa %¯ 0ñµU:¦ w@à 4 4 C 05K 0D€ 0JÄ 0T 0^b 0hÀ 0r( 0|š 0† 0œ 1u, 0d¡U>U*CB)m B–DC³ AMö’C˜Õv~m D3ëvÓ 0@ñ AO1Æ€ 0DF D/Š B¹˜HP LaserJet 4SiHPPCL5MS,ü,,,,,ü0nLhÎ(ÖÃ9 Z ‹6Times New Roman RegularX(Évj$¡¡Ñ  ÑÔ€X‹XXXÔÑ` XÑÑÜXÑÒ4°ÒÒX°ÒÑTR[¤ AØ'ÿ LegalPØ'3 Letter Landscape AØ'ÿ LegalØ'3 Letter LandscapeTÑÓÓ,c½¬AZ‹"Arial Regular ÈÉDÊeËDÌÍEÎÏUÐӀ܋â dd3|xÜ(å(3P$¤¤Ý ƒvj!ÝÑ  ÑÔ€X‹BXXXÔÑ` °ÑÑܰÑÒ4°ÒÒX°ÒÑTR[  AØ'ÿ Legal3Ø' AØ'ÿ Legalÿ3Ø'TÑÓÓÝ  Ýà Œ àòòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó(#Ã$òòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó2 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)P ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ< Œ 9p`(&Times New Roman< Œ 9p`(Arial% Line 7 d d####7Border 1dd€-%Cþÿ << Gÿÿ ˆÝ ƒ!ÝÔ€!ÔÑ  ÑÔ€"ÔÑ ` ÑÑ Ü ÑÒ 4 ÒÒ X ÒÑ\R AØ'\ÑÓÓÝ  ÝÔ€"ÔÓ  ÓÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€"XÔÌÌò òSeptemberÏ2,Ï1997ÌÌCecilÏCrowson,ÏJr.ÌÔ€"ôÔAppellateÏCourtÏClerkó ó ŽÝ ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€!ÔÑ  ÑÔ€"ÔÑ ` ÑÑ Ü ÑÒ 4 ÒÒ X ÒÑ\R AØ'\ÑÓÓÝ  ÝÝ ƒ $Ýà àòòÚ  ÚÚ  ÚóóÝ  ÝÔ€"ôÔMs.€Bennett€received€a€three„year€sentence.€€ÌPtPtHHÚ(ÿáÿâùFG(üHHÚ(d'h$$$$'ÿÿdxdStyl{WP}01•ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃà Ãà Ãà Ãà Ãà ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÐ ÐÐHHÐÐ  ÐÐ2ÐÐÿÿ¸æ$ÿÐÐHHÐÐÐÐÐÐÐÐ  ÐÐ ÐÐ ÐÑÑÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÑ € ÑÑ<Px–ÈÑÒÒÒ443!#4ÒÒ$ *$ÒÒ$*$ÒÒ ÿKK ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÓ.,ÓÓÓÓ6ÓÓ ÓßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÒ  h HD: Geneva ÒÒ  h HD: Geneva Ò("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò€-‚ƒCþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5($$””ò òÚ  Ú2Ú  Úó ó„„'÷ÿ dxdüÿP PdÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€!ÔÑ  ÑÔ€"ÔÑ ` ÑÑ Ü ÑÒ 4 ÒÒ X ÒÑ\R AØ'\ÑÓÓÝ  Ý›œÙ€€ÙßR€&'%A1-j|µÿ–` ´- `€€@ÿRß›Þ ÞÌà@ àòòIN€THE€COURT€OF€CRIMINAL€APPEALS€OF€TENNESSEEÌà@ àAT€NASHVILLEÌóóà@ àAPRIL€1997€SESSIONÌœÌÌ›ÌSTATE€OF€TENNESSEE€à àà à*à àNO.€01C01„9606„CC„00279Ìà àà àAppellee,à àà à*à àMACON€COUNTYÌVS.à àà àà àà àà à*à àHon.€J.€O.€Bond,€Judge€ÌSHANNON€KNIGHT,à àà à*à à(Forgery€and€Theft€Under€$500)Ìà àà àAppellant.à àà à*ÌÌòòFor€Appellant:óóà àà àà àà àòòFor€Appellee:óóÌÓÓComer€L.€Donnellà àà àà àà àCharles€W.€BursonÌDistrict€Public€Defenderà àà àà àAttorney€General€&€ReporterÌÌKaren€G.€Chaffinà àà àà àà àSarah€M.€BranchÌAssistant€Public€Defenderà àà àà àCounsel€for€the€StateÌ213€North€Cumberland€Streetà àà à450€James€Robertson€ParkwayÌP.O.€Box€888à àà àà àà àNashville,€TN€€37243„0493ÌLebanon,€TN€€37087Ì(on€appeal)à àà àà àà àà àJohn€D.€Wootten,€Jr.€Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àAsst.€District€Attorney€General€ÌBobby€Ellis€à àà àà àà àà à203€Greentop€StreetÌAssistant€Public€Defenderà àà àà àP.O.€Box€178Ì(at€sentencing)à àà àà àà àHartsville,€TN€€37074„0178€ÌÌLisa€C.€CothronÌAssistant€Public€DefenderÌ(at€trial)ÌÌÌÌÌOPINION€FILED:€€__________________ÌÌÌÌREVERSED€AND€DISMISSED€ÌÌÌÌGARY€R.€WADE,€JUDGEÇÑ7€=óXXdðXXdð7Ñà@ àòòò òOPINIONÌÌÓÓó óóóà àà àThe€defendant,€Shannon€Knight,€originally€charged€with€four€countsÏof€passing€forged€checks€and€one€count€of€theft€over€$1,000,€was€found€guilty€ofÏone€count€of€forgery€and€one€count€of€theft€under€$500.€€The€trial€court€determinedÏthat€the€defendant€was€a€multiple€offender€and€imposed€Range€II€sentences€of€fourÏyears€and€eleven€months,€twenty„nine€days€respectively.€€While€the€sentencesÏwere€ordered€to€be€served€concurrently,€they€are€consecutive€to€a€prior€six„yearÏsentence.ÌÌà àà àIn€this€appeal€of€right,€the€defendant€challenges€the€sufficiency€of€theÏevidence€and€complains€that€the€sentence€is€excessive.€€Because€the€evidenceÏwas€insufficient€to€support€either€conviction,€the€judgments€are€reversed€and€theÏcauses€dismissed.€€ÌÌà àà àIn€October€of€1994,€several€blank€checks€were€discovered€missing€byÏVickie€Hudson€at€Bray's€Trucking,€Inc.,€of€Red€Boiling€Springs.€€Four€of€the€checks,Ïnone€of€which€bore€an€authorized€signature,€had€been€passed€at€different€groceryÏstores€in€the€area.€€The€defendant's€girlfriend,€Rebecca€Bennett,€entered€a€plea€ofÍguilt€to€passing€the€four€forged€instruments.× ƒ( ××  ×€€She€claimed€that€Jeff€Hines,€and€notÏthe€defendant,€had€written€the€checks€and€that€Hines€had€remained€in€the€car€whenÏshe€cashed€checks€at€two€of€the€grocery€stores;€she€testified€that€Hines€was€notÏpresent€when€a€check€(which€resulted€in€the€convictions)€was€cashed€at€the€Sav„A„Lot€Store€in€Lafayette.ÌÌà àà àOn€October€25,€1994,€Linda€Coulter,€a€cashier€at€the€Sav„A„Lot,Ïaccepted€a€$349.53€Bray's€Trucking,€Inc.,€check€dated€October€21€from€Ms.ÏBennett.€€The€check€was€used€to€purchase€$19.98€in€groceries;€Ms.€BennettÏreceived€as€change€$329.55€in€cash.€€Another€cashier€at€Sav„A„Lot,€RobinÏTrobaugh,€saw€Ms.€Bennett€leave€the€store€and€enter€the€passenger's€side€of€a€carÏwhich€was€being€driven€by€someone€else€whom€he€could€not€identify.€€The€storeÏmanager,€Gary€Eads,€testified€that€he€had€seen€the€defendant€in€the€Sav„A„LotÏparking€area€several€days€earlier€while€in€the€company€of€Ms.€Bennett.€€EadsÏspecifically€remembered€the€defendant's€long€hair€and€the€tattoos€on€his€arms.€€ÌÌà àà àDouglas€Baldwin€was€an€employee€at€Charlotte's€Auto€Parts€inÏLafayette€at€the€time€Ms.€Bennett€passed€the€check€at€the€Sav„A„Lot.€€He€testifiedÏthat€between€1:00€P.M.€and€2:00€P.M.€on€October€25,€he€sold€Ms.€Bennett€a€decal,Ïa€license€plate,€anti„freeze,€and€other€similar€items.€€Ms.€Bennett,€who€wasÏaccompanied€by€the€defendant€at€the€time€of€the€purchase,€paid€cash€for€the€items.€€ÌÌà àà àCaptain€Ray€Gammon€of€the€Macon€County€Sheriff's€DepartmentÏexecuted€a€search€warrant€for€Ms.€Bennett's€residence€between€8:00€and€9:00€A.M.Ïon€October€27,€1994.€€When€Captain€Gammon€entered€the€residence,€theÏdefendant€and€Ms.€Bennett€were€asleep€in€bed.€€There€was€male€clothing€strewnÏabout€the€interior.€€The€Sav„A„Lot€receipt,€dated€October€25,€1994,€at€1:59€P.M.,Ïbore€the€same€date€as€the€purchase€at€Charlotte's€Auto€Parts.€€The€time€of€theÏreceipt€corresponded€with€the€date€Douglas€Baldwin€had€seen€Ms.€Bennett€with€theÏdefendant.€€ÌÌà àà àWhile€observing€that€the€state's€theory,€based€entirely€uponÏcircumstantial€evidence,€presented€a€"close€question"€of€fact,€the€trial€court€allowedÏthe€submission€of€all€counts€to€the€jury€after€the€state€argued€common€scheme€andÏplan€and€criminal€responsibility€for€the€conduct€of€another.€€The€defendant€did€notÏtestify.€€The€jury€found€the€defendant€guilty€of€the€unlawful€transfer€of€a€forgedÍdocument€to€Sav„A„Lot,€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€39„14„114,€and€theft€of€less€than€$500,ÏTenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€39„14„103.€€ÌÌà àà àIn€a€criminal€case,€a€conviction€can€be€set€aside€only€when€theÏreviewing€court€finds€that€the€"evidence€is€insufficient€to€support€the€findings€of€theÏtrier€of€fact€of€guilt€beyond€a€reasonable€doubt."€€Tenn.€R.€App.€P.€13(e).€€When€aÏsufficiency€question€is€presented€on€appeal,€the€state€is€entitled€to€the€strongestÏlegitimate€view€of€the€evidence€and€all€reasonable€inferences€which€might€beÏdrawn€therefrom.€€òòState€v.€Cabbageóó,€571€S.W.2d€832,€835€(Tenn.€1978).€€This€courtÏmay€neither€reweigh€nor€reevaluate€the€evidence.€€òòIdóó.€at€836.€€The€credibility€of€theÏwitnesses,€the€weight€to€be€given€their€testimony,€and€the€reconciliation€of€conflictsÏare€matters€entrusted€exclusively€to€the€trier€of€fact.€€òòByrge€v.€Stateóó,€575€S.W.2dÏ292,€295€(Tenn.€Crim.€App.€1978);€òòseeóó€òòJackson€v.€Virginiaóó,€443€U.S.€307€(1979).€€ÌÌà àà àAn€offense€may€be€proven€by€circumstantial€evidence€alone.€€òòPrice€v.ÏStateóó,€589€S.W.2d€929,€931€(Tenn.€Crim.€App.€1979).€€Our€scope€of€review€is€theÏsame€when€the€conviction€is€based€upon€circumstantial€evidence€as€it€is€when€it€isÏbased€upon€direct€evidence.€€òòState€v.€Brownóó,€551€S.W.2d€329,€331€(Tenn.€1977);ÏòòFarmer€v.€Stateóó,€343€S.W.2d€895,€897€(Tenn.€1961).€€ÌÌà àà àIn€convictions€such€as€these,€where€the€evidence€is€entirelyÏcircumstantial,€the€jury€must€find€that€the€proof€is€not€only€consistent€with€the€guilt€ofÏthe€accused€but€inconsistent€with€his€innocence.€€There€must€be€an€evidentiaryÏbasis€upon€which€the€jury€can€exclude€every€other€reasonable€theory€or€hypothesisÏexcept€that€of€guilt.€€òòPruitt€v.€Stateóó,€460€S.W.2d€385,€390€(Tenn.€Crim.€App.€1970).€ÏThe€trial€court€has€the€duty€to€charge€the€jury€on€the€weight€and€significance€ofÏcircumstantial€evidence€when€it€is€the€only€basis€upon€which€the€state's€case€rests.€ÏòòBishop€v.€Stateóó,€287€S.W.2d€49,€52€(Tenn.€1956).€€ÌÌà àà àThe€jury€is€governed€by€four€rules€when€testing€the€value€ofÏcircumstantial€evidence:€€(1)€the€evidence€should€be€acted€upon€with€caution;€(2)Ïall€of€the€essential€facts€must€be€consistent€with€the€hypothesis€of€guilt;€(3)€the€factsÏmust€exclude€every€other€reasonable€theory€except€that€of€guilt;€and€(4)€the€factsÏmust€establish€such€a€certainty€of€guilt€as€to€convince€beyond€a€reasonable€doubtÏthat€the€defendant€is€the€perpetrator€of€the€crime.€€òòMarable€v.€Stateóó,€313€S.W.2dÏ451,€456€(Tenn.€1958).€€ÌÌà àà àEven€when€our€scope€of€review€is€so€limited,€however,€there€isÏprecedent€for€overturning€verdicts€which€are€not€supported€by€sufficientÏcircumstances:ÌÓÓà8 àà8 àà àIn€order€to€convict€on€circumstantial€evidenceÏalone,€the€facts€and€circumstances€must€be€so€closelyÏinterwoven€and€connected€that€the€finger€of€guilt€isÏpointed€unerringly€at€the€defendant€and€the€defendantÏalone.€€A€web€of€guilt€must€be€woven€around€theÏdefendant€from€which€he€cannot€escape€and€from€whichÏfacts€and€circumstances€the€jury€could€draw€no€otherÏreasonable€inference€save€the€guilt€of€the€defendantÏbeyond€a€reasonable€doubt....€€ÌÌà@ à*€*€*ÌÌà8 àà8 àWe€cannot€speculate€a€defendant€into€the€penitentiary€orÏpermit€a€jury€to€do€so.ÌÌòòÓÓState€v.€Crawfordóó,€470€S.W.2d€610,€613€(Tenn.€1971).€€ÌÌà àà àOne€who€"forges€a€writing€with€intent€to€defraud€or€harm€another"€isÏguilty€of€forgery.€€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€39„14„114(a).€€The€term€"forge"€includesÏaltering,€making,€completing,€executing€or€authenticating€any€writing€so€it€purportsÏto€be€the€act€of€another€who€did€not€authorize€that€act.€€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€39„14„114(b)(1)(A)(i)„(ii).€€A€theft€occurs€when€one€knowingly€obtains€or€exercises€controlÏover€the€property€of€another€without€the€owner's€effective€consent€and€with€theÏintent€to€deprive€the€owner€of€his€property.€€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€39„14„103;€òòseeóóÏòòState€v.€Colemanóó,€891€S.W.2d€237€(Tenn.€Crim.€App.€1994).ÌÌà àà àIn€the€light€most€favorable€to€the€state,€the€most€condemning€evidenceÏagainst€the€defendant€as€to€each€of€these€crimes€is€that€he€was€with€Ms.€BennettÏbetween€1:00€and€2:00€P.M.€on€the€day€she€cashed€the€forged€Bray's€TruckingÏcheck€at€the€Sav„A„Lot€at€1:59€P.M.€€Also,€the€defendant€appeared€to€be€sharing€aÏtrailer„type€residence€with€Ms.€Bennett€œtwo€days›€later€when€a€search€warrantÏyielded€two€customer€receipts,€one€from€the€Sav„A„Lot€and€the€other€from€an€autoÏparts€store€located€nearby.€€The€auto€parts€purchase,€totaling€approximatelyÏ$40.00,€was€paid€in€cash;€there€was€no€time€indicated€on€that€purchase.€€ÌÌà àà àAs€indicated,€the€jury€considered€other€charges€against€the€defendantÏin€addition€to€the€counts€related€to€the€Sav„A„Lot.€€In€this€appeal,€we€are€able€toÏisolate€upon€the€evidence€of€the€defendant's€guilt€of€the€particular€crimes€at€issue.€ÏIn€that€context,€it€becomes€more€apparent€that€the€evidence€was€insufficient€toÏsupport€the€convictions.€€While€the€cumulative€evidence€on€all€charges,€includingÏthose€which€did€not€result€in€a€conviction,€might€indicate€the€probable€guilt€of€theÏdefendant€as€to€both€the€forgery€and€the€theft,€probable€guilt€is€not€enough.€€ÌÌà àà àIn€our€view,€a€rational€trier€of€fact€could€not€have€found€the€essentialÏelements€of€either€offense.€€The€state€was€simply€unable€to€establish€that€all€otherÍhypothesis€other€than€the€guilt€of€the€defendant€had€been€excluded.€€òòState€v.ÏTharpeóó,€726€S.W.2d€896€(Tenn.€1987).€€ÌÌà àà àMs.€Bennett€confessed€to€the€crimes.€€While€it€may€be€that€she€wasÏattempting€to€protect€the€defendant€from€any€criminal€responsibility,€the€burdenÏremains€with€the€state€to€establish€guilt€beyond€a€reasonable€doubt.€€Other€than€theÏdefendant's€personal€relationship€with€Ms.€Bennett€and€being€in€her€companyÏwithin€an€hour€of€the€Sav„A„Lot€incident,€the€state€had€little€other€evidence€toÏconnect€the€defendant€with€the€specific€crimes.€€There€was€no€handwriting€analysisÏlinking€the€defendant€to€the€crimes.€€None€of€the€employees€at€any€of€the€storesÏwhere€the€checks€were€passed€could€identify€the€defendant€as€being€involved€inÏpassing€the€forged€instruments.€€The€cashier€at€Sav„A„Lot€never€saw€the€defendantÏor€any€other€male€with€Ms.€Bennett€at€the€time€the€check€was€passed.€€We€reachÏour€conclusion€that€the€evidence€was€insufficient€even€though€we€consider€all€ofÏthe€evidence€by€the€state€to€be€fully€accredited.€€ÌÌà àà àHad€there€been€sufficient€evidence€to€support€the€convictions,€thisÏcourt€would€not€have€found€the€sentences€to€be€excessive.€€The€defendant,Ïapproximately€28€years€of€age,€had€an€extensive€prior€record.€€Many€of€thoseÏcrimes€were€similar€to€the€charges€in€this€case.€€Moreover,€the€defendant€was€onÍparole€for€burglary€at€the€time€of€these€charges.€€He€qualified€as€a€Range€II,€multipleÏoffender.€€Maximum€sentences€would€have€been€appropriate.Ìà àà àÌà àà àAccordingly,€the€convictions€are€reversed€and€dismissed.€ÌÌÓÓà àà àà àà àà àà à__________________________________Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àGary€R.€Wade,€JudgeÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌÌÌ________________________________ÌDavid€H.€Welles,€JudgeÌÌÌÌ_________________________________ÌCurwood€Witt,€Judge€ÌÌÌ