ÿWPC …# VUNa %¯ 0(µw@Ý4 1 @ 0JH 0T’ 0^æ 0hD 0r¬ 0| 0†š 0 1u° 0d% U>‰ U*Ç B)ñ DC AM]îª B˜v~µvÓ3 D3 0@9 AOyÆÈ 0DŽ D/Ò B˜HP LaserJet 4Si/4SiMX PS 600dpiPSCRIPTÀÌÀääÀÀÌ0 (ÖÃ9 Z ‹6Times New Roman RegularX($¡¡ ’E“[”•[–—˜e™DšÓ€¦»{s 3|x¨2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô2" ÿÿ0Indent2à0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2, ÿÿ0Indent3à0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô26 ÿÿ0Indent4à0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2@ ÿÿ0Indent5à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2J ÿÿ0Indent6à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2T ÿÿ0Indent7à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2^ ÿÿ0Indent8à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô ÿÿ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)P ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ< Œ 9p`(&Times New Roman< Œ 9p`(Arial% Line 7 d!!!!7Border 1dd€-"Cþÿ << Gÿÿ äÝ ƒ!ÝÔ€ÔÝ  ÝÔ€ ÔÔ€ ÔÓ  ÓÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€ XÔÌÌò òSeptember€30,€1996ÌÌCecil€Crowson,€Jr.ÌÔ€ ôÔAppellate€Court€Clerkó ó dPtPtHHÚ(ÿáÿâùFG(üHHÚ(d'@Styl{WP}01•ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃà Ãà Ãà Ãà Ãà ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÐ ÐÐHHÐÐ  ÐÐ2ÐÐÿÿ¸æ$ÿÐÐHHÐÐÐÐÐÐÐÐ  ÐÐ ÐÐ ÐÑÑÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÑ € ÑÑ<Px–ÈÑÒÒÒ443!#4ÒÒ$ *$ÒÒ$*$ÒÒ ÿKK ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÓ.,ÓÓÓÓ6ÓÓ ÓßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÒ  BA Op Geneva ÒÒ  BA Op Geneva Ò%%%%'ÿÿdxd("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò€-‚ƒCþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó„„'÷ÿ dxdüÿP PdÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€ÔÝ  ÝÒ  ÒÒ X ÒÙ€€ÙÓ  ÓÔ€ ÔÑ\R AØ'\Ñ›œßL€#$";+'h|ïÿÃ` Å `€€Lß›IN€THE€COURT€OF€CRIMINAL€APPEALS€OF€TENNESSEEÌÌAT€JACKSONÌÓ  ÓÌÌÌÌGEORGE€L.€McGHEE,à àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àAPPELLANT,à à)ÌÓ` °‰X©x‘XÓà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àNo.€02„C„01„9607„CR„00213Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àShelby€CountyÌv.à àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àChris€Craft,€JudgeÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)ÌÓ  Óà àà àà àà àà àà à)à à(Application€for€Permission€to€Appeal)ÌSTATE€OF€TENNESSEE,à àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà à€€€APPELLEE.à à)ÌÌÌÌÌÌÌFOR€THE€APPELLANT:à àà àà àà àFOR€THE€APPELLEE:ÌÌW.€Mark€Wardà àà àà àà àà àCharles€W.€BursonÌAttorney€at€Lawà àà àà àà àà àAttorney€General€&€ReporterÌ147€Jefferson€Avenue,€Suite€900à àà àà à450€James€Robertson€ParkwayÌMemphis,€TN€38103à àà àà àà àNashville,€TN€37243„0497ÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà àWilliam€David€BridgersÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà àAssistant€Attorney€GeneralÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà à450€James€Robertson€ParkwayÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà àNashville,€TN€37243„0493ÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌOPINION€FILED:________________________ÌÌÌÌAPPLICATION€FOR€PERMISSION€TO€APPEAL€DENIEDÌÌÌÌJoe€B.€Jones,€Presiding€JudgeÌÌÌÌÌÓ  Óò òÔ€ ¼ÔO€P€I€N€I€O€NÔ€ îÔó óÌÓ  ÓÔ€ XÔÌÑ7€¶XXdìXXdì7ÑØØÙ  ÙÌÓÓà àThe€appellant,€George€L.€McGhee,€has€filed€an€application€for€permission€toÏappeal€pursuant€to€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€40„30„217(c).€€He€seeks€relief€from€a€judgmentÏof€the€trial€court€dismissing€his€motion€to€reopen€a€prior€post„conviction€suit.€€He€asksÏthis€Court€to€grant€his€application€for€permission€to€appeal,€hear€the€matter€on€theÏmerits,€and,€if€relief€is€granted,€waive€the€notice€of€appeal€requirement.€€This€CourtÏfinds€that€the€trial€court€did€not€abuse€its€discretion€in€denying€the€motion€to€reopen.€ÏThe€appellant€failed€to€state€a€ground€that€is€cognizable,€and€the€suit€is€barred€by€theÏstatute€of€limitations.€€Consequently,€the€application€for€permission€to€appeal€is€denied.Ìà àThe€appellant€was€convicted€of€murder€in€the€second€degree€and€sentenced€toÏlife€on€November€8,€1986.€€This€Court€affirmed€the€appellantððs€conviction€and€sentenceÏon€February€24,€1988.€€òòState€v.€George€Lester€McGhee€and€George€Washingtonóó,ÏShelby€County€No.€11€(Tenn.€Crim.€App.,€Jackson,€February€24,€1988).€€The€SupremeÏCourt€denied€the€appellantððs€application€for€permission€to€appeal€on€June€27,€1988.Ìà àOn€March€4,€1991,€the€appellant€timely€filed€a€petition€for€post„conviction€relief.€ÍThe€€State€of€Tennessee€filed€a€motion€to€dismiss€the€suit.€€The€motion€alleged€that€theÏsuit€was€barred€by€the€statute€of€limitations.€The€State€of€Tennessee€alleged€that€theÏstatute€of€limitations€commenced€on€February€24,€1988,€the€date€the€judgment€wasÏfiled€by€this€Court.€€€On€March€26,€1991,€the€trial€court€found€that€the€suit€was€barred€byÏthe€statute€of€limitations.€€The€trial€court€found€that€the€statute€of€limitations€commencedÏon€February€24,€1988.€The€appellant€did€not€appeal€as€of€right€from€the€judgment.Ìà àOn€December€28,€1992,€the€appellant€filed€his€second€suit€for€post„convictionÏrelief.€€The€State€of€Tennessee€moved€to€dismiss€the€suit€on€the€ground€that€theÏpetitioner€had€previously€filed€a€petition€for€post„conviction€relief,€and€the€trial€courtÏdenied€the€petition.€€The€State€concluded€that€any€issues€not€raised€in€the€first€petitionÏhad€been€waived.€€On€April€20,€1993,€the€trial€court€granted€the€Stateððs€motion€toÏdismiss.€€The€trial€court€found€that€the€suit€was€barred€by€the€statute€of€limitations.€€TheÏcourt€stated€in€its€order:ÌÒ ¸ ÒÒ  ÒÓÓÌ2.€€The€issues€alleged€in€this€Petition€were€that€PetitionerððsÏprior€Petition€for€Post„Conviction€Relief€.€.€.€was€wrongfullyÏdismissed€by€Division€8€[of€the]€Criminal€Court.€€Specifically,ÏPetitioner€alleges€that€he€mailed€[the]€petition€.€.€.€in€time€butÏit€was€not€timely€filed€by€the€Criminal€Court€Clerkððs€Office.ÌÌ3.€€The€Court€finds€that€it€does€not€have€authority€toÏreconsider€Division€8€[of€the]€Criminal€Courtððs€dismissal€ofÏ[that]€case.€.€.€.€€Furthermore,€the€Court€states€that€ifÏPetitioner€believes€[the€prior€suit]€was€dismissed€in€error,Ïthat€the€proper€remedy€is€to€appeal€that€decree€to€the€CourtÏof€[Criminal]€Appeals.ÌÌÌÒ  ÒÒ X ÒÓÓThe€appellant€did€not€appeal€as€of€right€from€this€judgment.Ìà àThe€appellant€initiated€the€present€suit€on€June€24,€1996.€€While€the€pleading€isÍentitled€ð ðPetition€for€Relief€from€Conviction€or€Sentence,ðð€the€appellant€seeks€to€reopenÏhis€prior€suit.€€The€trial€court€treated€the€petition€as€a€motion€to€reopen€pursuant€toÏTenn.€ÌCode€Ann.€ðð€40„30„217€and€dismissed€the€motion.€The€trial€court€found€that€the€statuteÏdoes€not€provide€for€the€reopening€of€a€post„conviction€suit€based€on€the€groundsÏasserted€by€the€appellant.€€The€order€of€the€trial€court€states€in€part:ÌÓÓÌÒ ¸ ÒÒ  ÒThis€Court€finds€that€petitioner€is€deserving€of€relief.€€TheÏruling€of€the€trial€court€on€his€first€petition€was€clearly€inÏerror,€and€at€the€time€of€the€ruling€petitioner€was€notÏrepresented€by€counsel,€and€did€not€appeal.€€All€furtherÏpetitions€were€dismissed€due€to€the€erroneous€ruling€of€thatÏcourt,€fostered€by€an€erroneous€response€filed€by€the€StateÏof€Tennessee.€€In€this€Courtððs€opinion,€the€judgment€of€theÏtrial€court€in€[the€first€suit]€should€be€set€aside,€and€PetitionerÏshould€be€appointed€an€attorney,€be€allowed€to€amend€hisÏpetition€and€have€a€hearing€on€the€merits.ÌÌThis€Court€would€like€to€grant€a€delayed€appeal€in€[the€priorÏsuit],€pursuant€to€T.C.A.€40„30„213,€but€feels€that€since€thisÏfact€situation€is€not€covered€in€T.C.A.€40„30„21[7]€as€one€ofÏthe€reasons€for€the€granting€of€a€Motion€to€Reopen,€that€thisÏCourt€must€deny€the€motion.€.€.€.€€Petitioner€would€have€hadÏan€opportunity€to€present€his€claims,€had€he€successfullyÏappealed€the€trial€judge€in€his€first€petition.€.€.€.€€Therefore,Ïthis€Court€cannot€grant€relief.€.€.€.ÌÌSince€this€Court€has€no€jurisdiction€to€overrule€the€priorÏdecision€of€the€trial€court€in€[the€prior€suit]€and€also€cannotÏgrant€the€motion€to€€reopen,€it€is€finding€petitioner€indigentÏfor€purposes€of€appeal,€and€is€appointing€attorney€MarkÏWard€to€represent€petitioner€on€appeal.€€He€has€ten€daysÏfrom€this€date€to€file€an€application€in€the€Court€of€CriminalÏAppeals€seeking€permission€to€appeal€pursuant€to€T.C.A.Ï40„30„217(c).ÌÌÌÒ  ÒÒ X ÒÓÓà àThe€appellant€has€timely€filed€an€application€for€permission€to€appeal.€€TheÍState€of€Tennessee€has€filed€a€response€in€opposition€to€the€application.Ìà àThe€first€question€this€Court€must€resolve€is€the€procedure€that€governs€Ïapplications€for€permission€to€appeal€seeking€relief€from€a€judgment€of€the€trial€courtÏdenying€a€motion€to€reopen€a€prior€post„conviction€suit.€€The€applicable€statute,€Tenn.ÏCode€Ann.€ðð€40„30„217(c),€simply€refers€to€ð ðan€application€in€the€court€of€criminalÏappeals€seeking€permission€to€appeal.ðð€Ì€à àThe€Tennessee€Rules€of€Appellate€Procedure€provide€for€two€types€of€appealsÏby€permission.€€Rule€9€provides€for€an€interlocutory€appeal.€€Rule€10€provides€for€anÏextraordinary€appeal.€€The€Tennessee€Rules€of€Post„Conviction€Procedure€adopt€theÏlanguage€of€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€40„30„217(c).€€Tenn.€Sup.€Ct.€R.€28,€ðð€10(B).Ìà àThe€remedy€provided€by€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€40„30„217(c)€parallels€Rule€10,ÏTenn.€R.€App.€P.€€This€rule€provides€in€part:ÌÒ ¸ ÒÒ  ÒÓÓÌò ò(c)€Content€of€Application.ó ó€€The€application€shallÏcontain:€(1)€€a€statement€of€the€facts€necessary€to€anÏunderstanding€of€why€an€extraordinary€appeal€lies,€(2)€aÏstatement€of€the€reasons€supporting€an€extraordinaryÏappeal,€and€(3)€the€relief€sought.€€The€application€shall€beÏaccompanied€by€copies€of€any€order€or€opinion€or€parts€ofÏthe€record€necessary€for€determination€of€the€application.€ÏThe€application€may€also€be€supported€by€affidavits€or€otherÏrelevant€documents.ÌÌÌÒ  ÒÒ X ÒÓÓThis€Court€recommends€that€the€petitioner,€or€counsel€representing€the€petitioner,€useÏsubsection€(c)€as€a€guide€when€drafting€an€application€pursuant€to€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ððÏ40„30„217(c).€€Such€a€format€permits€the€petitioner€to€present€the€application€in€anÏintelligent,€understandable,€and€orderly€manner.€€It€will€also€permit€this€Court€toÏdetermine€the€specific€reason€why€the€trial€court€erred€in€denying€the€motion€to€reopen;Íand€this€Court€will€be€able€to€rule€on€the€application€with€dispatch.Ìà àIt€is€obvious€that€the€Tennessee€General€Assembly€wanted€to€provide€theÏpetitioner€with€a€simple€and€plain€remedy€for€review€of€the€trial€courtððs€decision.€ÏTherefore,€the€technical€requirements€of€Rule€10(c),€Tenn.€R.€App.€P.,€may€not€beÏinvoked€to€deny€an€application.€€So€long€as€the€application€is€filed€timely,€ten€(10)€daysÏfrom€the€entry€of€the€order€denying€the€motion,€and€the€application€is€accompanied€ð ðbyÏall€the€documents€filed€by€both€parties€in€the€trial€court€and€the€order€denying€theÏmotion,ðð€this€Court€is€obligated€to€hear€and€determine€the€application€on€the€merits.€€Ìà à€€The€second€question€this€Court€must€resolve€is€the€standard€of€review€thatÏgoverns€€these€cases.€€The€statute,€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€40„30„217(c),€provides€that€theÏð ðcourt€of€criminal€appeals€shall€not€grant€the€application€unless€it€appears€that€the€trialÏcourt€abused€its€discretion€in€denying€the€motion€[to€reopen].ðð€€Thus,€this€Court€mustÏreview€the€present€application€to€determine€whether€the€trial€court€abused€itsÏdiscretion€in€denying€the€appellantððs€application€to€reopen€the€previous€post„conviction€case.€This€Court€must€either€deny€the€petition,€or,€in€the€alternative,€grantÏthe€petition€and€remand€the€case€to€the€trial€court€for€an€evidentiary€hearing.€€TheÏstatute€does€not€contemplate€the€procedure€provided€by€Rules€9€and€10,€TennesseeÏRules€of€Appellate€Procedure,€namely,€grant€the€application,€permit€the€parties€to€briefÏthe€issues,€and€either€hear€oral€argument€or€decide€the€matter€on€briefs.€€This€isÏconsistent€with€the€Tennessee€General€Assemblyððs€desire€to€have€a€quickÏdetermination€of€the€issue€so€that€the€proceeding€may€be€expedited.€€This€is€one€of€theÏgoals€of€the€new€Post„Conviction€Procedure€Act.Ìà àThe€statute€of€limitations€barred€the€right€of€the€appellant€to€post„convictionÍrelief.€€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€40„30„102€(Repl.€1995).€€The€statute€of€limitationsÏcommenced€on€June€27,€1988,€the€date€the€Supreme€Court€denied€the€appellantððsÏapplication€for€permission€to€appeal.€€òòSeeóó€òòErnest€Lawson€v.€Stateóó,€McMinn€County€No.Ï03„C„01„9401„CR„00037€(Tenn.€Crim.€App.,€Knoxville,€July€7,€1994).€€The€appellantÏhad€three€years€from€that€date€to€file€a€suit€for€post„conviction€relief.€Ì€à àThis€Court€agrees€with€the€appellant€that€the€first€suit€was€filed€within€the€timeÏconstraints€of€the€statute.€€The€assistant€district€attorney€general€erroneously€alleged€inÏthe€answer€that€the€statute€of€limitations€began€to€run€on€February€24,€1988,€the€dateÏthis€Court€entered€its€judgment.€€The€statute€in€effect€clearly€stated€that€the€statute€ofÏlimitations€commenced€to€run€on€the€date€of€ð ðthe€final€action€of€the€highest€appellateÏcourt€to€which€an€appeal€has€been€taken.ðð€€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€40„30„102€(Repl.€1995).€ÏThe€trial€court€erroneously€adopted€this€date€in€its€order€dismissing€the€first€suit.€ÏHowever,€the€appellant€did€not€appeal€the€erroneous€judgment€of€the€trial€court.€€ThereÏis€no€allegation€that€either€counsel€or€the€state€impaired€his€right€to€appeal€as€of€rightÏto€this€Court.Ìà àThe€second€suit€was€filed€on€December€23,€1992.€€The€trial€court€properlyÏdismissed€this€suit€on€the€ground€it€was€barred€by€the€statute€of€limitations.€TheÏjudgment€of€the€trial€court€was€not€appealed.€€Again,€there€is€no€allegation€that€eitherÏcounsel€or€the€state€impaired€his€right€to€appeal€as€of€right€to€this€Court.Ìà àThe€present€suit€was€filed€on€June€24,€1996.€€It€is€clear€that€the€statute€ofÏlimitations€had€expired.€€The€trial€court€properly€dismissed€the€suit€on€the€ground€that€itÏwas€barred€by€the€statute€of€limitations.Ìà àThis€Court€also€finds€that€the€grounds€alleged€in€the€petition€and€asserted€in€thisÍCourt€are€not€cognizable€in€a€post„conviction€suit.€The€substance€of€his€motion€is€theÏreopening€of€a€prior€post„conviction€suit€for€the€purpose€of€filing€a€delayed€appeal.€€ÏThis€Court€has€held€on€numerous€occasions€that€the€remedy€provided€by€Tenn.€CodeÏAnn.€ðð€40„30„120€(Repl.€1995)€[now€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€40„30„213]€cannot€be€invokedÏto€obtain€a€delayed€appeal€in€a€post„conviction€case.€€€Moreover,€if€such€relief€could€beÏobtained,€the€remedy€must€be€commenced€before€the€statute€of€limitations€expires.€ÏOtherwise,€the€statute€of€limitations€will€bar€relief€based€upon€this€remedy.€€òòSeeóóÏòòHandley€v.€Stateóó,€889€S.W.2d€223,€225€(Tenn.€Crim.€App.),€òòperóó.€òòappóó.€òòdeniedóó€(Tenn.Ï1994);€òòThomas€A.€Hartley€v.€Stateóó,€Hamilton€County€No.€03„C„01„9301„CR„00006Ï(Tenn.€Crim.€App.,€Knoxville,€September€15,€1993),€òòperóó.€òòappóó.€òòdeniedóó€(Tenn.€1994).Ìà àThis€Court€concludes€that€the€trial€court€did€not€abuse€its€discretion€in€denyingÏthe€appellantððs€motion€to€reopen€the€prior€post„conviction€suit.€€Therefore,€theÏapplication€for€permission€to€appeal€is€denied.ÌÌÌÓÓà àà àà àà àà àà à________________________________________Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à€€€€€€€€JOE€B.€JONES,€PRESIDING€JUDGEÌœ›ÌCONCUR:ÌÌÌÌ___________________________________Ì€€€€€€€€€€€PAUL€G.€SUMMERS,€JUDGEÌÌÌÌ___________________________________Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€DAVID€G.€HAYES,€JUDGEÌà à