WPCN Sk|+F6M:iey>OcM!F P/:(US EsaOxhZ//K&0당S.h s[Y+c\4`JxTdq7|%;nf,$Pi!%Ņ^$.ʠ<DKYL3W6":v&w[9Uz9J+x4:+ڝ:uRN## F UNQ % 0( w@ 4 ! 0 U:8 br z U: 0C B     D32 2 2 0De e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e AO  0D D/ B1HP LaserJet 4SiHPPCL5MS,,,,,,0nL(9 Z 6Times New Roman RegularX($ TrUEVWeXPYDZD[D\D]Ӏh&BdZ3|xh,|AZ"Arial Regular- -  X{ XXX   X X{   Ad FILED       July13,1999  CecilCrowson,Jr. k   AppellateCourt  Clerk ,cAZ"Arial Regular(2C$ !   d%%%%'dxd(3$ !  -C<< CLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5($$   1  ' dxdP Pd !  ]]` XX TR[A' Legal3'A' Legal3'T 7XXdXXd7      ]r *<,(j 8 `@E<f  tt0"t` rߛ]INTHECOURTOFCRIMINALAPPEALSOFTENNESSEE `  ATKNOXVILLEAPRILSESSION,1999  STATEOFTENNESSEE,  )  C.C.A.NO.WTTW03UcUVCV019810cr00368 `  `     h   ) `  ` Appellee,   h   ) X   `     h   ) `     h   )  HAMILTONCOUNTY X  VS. `     h   )   X   `     h   )  HON.DOUGLASA.MEYER  X   STANLEYWARRENMILLS,   )  JUDGE  X   `     h   )  X  ` Appellant.   h   )  (DirectAppealSecondDegree (#  X  `     h X  X)  Murder) X      FORTHEAPPELLANT: h     FORTHEAPPELLEE: 8 TOMLANDIS   h     PAULG.SUMMERS (! Suite327    h     AttorneyGeneral&Reporter  " 744McCallieAvenueChattanooga,TN374063    TODDR.KELLEY $  `     h     AssistantAttorneyGeneral `     h     425FifthAvenueNorth `     h     Nashville,TN37243 `     h     BILLCOX `     h     DistrictAttorneyGeneral `     h     RODNEYSTRONG `     h     AssistantDistrictAttorney `     h     600MarketStreet `     h     Chattanooga,TN37403OPINIONFILED________________________AFFIRMEDJERRYL.SMITH,JUDGEWTTWWW  p7./S WW   V   L VOPINION# V La #   V `    WW   ` OnJuly25,1996,JuvenileCourtofHamiltonCountychargedAppellantwiththefirstdegreemurderofKeithHood.AppellantwasnearlyseventeenyearsoldatthetimeofthemurderandwastransferredtoCriminalCourttobetriedasanadult.AppellantwasindictedforfirstdegreemurderonDecember11,1996.InSeptemberofthefollowingyear,ajuryfoundAppellantguiltyofseconddegreemurder.HewassentencedtotwentyyearsincarcerationasaRangeIStandardOffender. ` Appellantraisesthefollowingthreeissuesonappeal:(1)whethertheevidencewassufficienttoconvicthimofseconddegreemurder,ratherthanvoluntarymanslaughter;(2)whetherthetrialcourterredinsustainingtheStatesobjectiontoAppellantscounselsreferencetothevictimasa drugkingpin;and(3)whetherthetrialcourtabuseditsdiscretioninfailingtosentencehimasanespeciallymitigatedoffender.[ $ [  Afteracarefulreviewofthe $ recordthejudgmentofthetrialcourtisaffirmed.Y (l  YZ& 0 Z &|   Facts  (l     ` OnMay5,1996,AppellantattendedapartyattheYMCAinChattanooga.Atapproximately2:00a.m.mostoftheattendees,includingtheAppellant,leftthepartyandgatheredataneighborhoodmarket.Whileatthemarket,acoupleofindividuals,includingAppellantsbrother,firedgunsintotheair.Appellanthadstolenagunfromhisfather.Beforeleavingthemarket,Appellantobtainedthegunfromhisbrotherandleftwithtwoofhisfriends.Hewasseatedinthebackseatofthevehicle.AsAppellantandhisfriendsrodeaway,anothervehicle,drivenbythevictim(Mr.Hood),cameuponthemand \8.0 swervedinfrontoftheirvehicle.AppellantclaimedthatMr.Hoodhadthreatenedhim,andactuallyshotathimoneweekpriortothis,sowhenhesawHoodswerveinfrontofthemAppellantclaimedhefearedforhislife.WhileMr.Hoodwasstoppedatatrafficlight,thevehicleinwhichAppellantwasapassengerapproachedMr.Hoodsvehicleintheleftturnlane.AppellantsvehiclestoppedjustbeforecomingparalleltoMr.Hoodsvehicle.Appellantaskedtobeletoutofthecarsothathecould handlesomebusiness.Appellantclaimedheattemptedtoflee,butHoodsmaneuveringofthevehicle madehimthinkitwasuseless.Therewasnoothertestimonyconcerninganattempttoflee.Appellantclaimedthatheheardthe popofHoodselectriclocksandbelievedthatHoodwasgettingoutofthecartohurthim,soheshotatHoodfromthepassengersideofHoodscar.ThebulletenteredHoodsheartandcausedinternalbleeding,whichledtodeathafteronlyafewminutes.TheinvestigationaftertheshootingrevealedthatHoodhadneverunlockedhisdoorsandnoweaponwasfoundinhiscar.Z'0` %Z̀  I.SufficiencyoftheEvidence  `(     ` Whenanappellantischallengingthesufficiencyoftheevidencethequestiontoaddressis whetherarationaltrieroffactcouldfindfromtheevidencethattheessentialelementsofthecrimesforwhichthedefendantstandsconvictedwereprovenbeyondareasonabledoubt.Jacksonv. 00&( Virginia,443U.S.307(1979). Ajuryconvictionremovesthepresumptionof  2(* innocencewithwhichadefendantisinitiallycloakedandreplacesitwithoneofguilt,sothatonappealaconvicteddefendanthastheburdenofdemonstratingthattheevidenceisinsufficient.Statev.Tuggle,639S.W.2d 7.0 913,914(Tenn.1982).TheCourtofCriminalAppealsdoesnot reweighthe 902 evidenceadducedatacriminaltrial.Aguiltyverdict,approvedbythetrialjudge,accreditsthetestimonyoftheStateswitnessesandresolvesallconflictsintestimonyinfavorofthetheoryofthestate.Statev.Hatchett,560 @  S.W.2d627,630(Tenn.1978). ` Appellantclaimsonappealthattheevidencecouldonlysupportaconvictionforvoluntarymanslaughter,ratherthanseconddegreemurder.Seconddegreemurderisa knowingkillingofanother.Tenn.CodeAnn.   3913210. Knowingis whenthepersonisawarethattheconductis   reasonablycertaintocausetheresult.Id.,3911106(a)(20).Voluntary  Manslaughteris theintentionalorknowingkillingofanotherinastateofpassionproducedbyadequateprovocationsufficienttoleadareasonablepersontoactinanirrationalmanner.Id.,3913211. x   P  ` Here,thejuryaccreditedthetestimonyoftheStateswitnessesanddiscreditedthetestimonyoftheAppellantanddeterminedthattherewasinsufficientprovocationtowarrantaverdictfindingAppellantguiltyofvoluntarymanslaughter.Thiswastheprerogativeofthejuryandwewillnotsecondguessthedecisionofthatpanelonthequestionofprovocation.Thisissueiswithoutmerit. `   @,"$   II.ReferencetoVictimas DrugKingpin  0.$&    ` AppellantnextcontendsthatsustainingtheStatesobjectiontoAppellantscounselsreferenceinhisclosingargumenttothevictimasa drugkingpinhadtheeffectofmakingthejurydiscountHoodsactionsandforeclosedconsiderationofthehomicideasvoluntarymanslaughter.However,wedisagree.TheStatecontendedattrialthat kingpin,whilenotalegalterm,isatermthatcarriesahighprejudicialconnotationandtherewas 902 noevidenceintheprooftosupportit.Whileevidenceofthereputationofthevictimforpeaceorviolenceinthecommunityis generallyadmissibleasisproofofspecificactsofviolencedirectedtowardthedefendantbythepersonheisaccusedofkillingifthedefendantclaimstohavebeenmotivatedtoselfdefense,byfearsengenderedbysuchknowledge,Brozv.State,472S.W.2d   907,910(Tenn.Crim.App.1971),evidenceofthevictimsdrugrelatedactivitiesareirrelevant.Seee.g.,Statev.Copenny,888S.W.2d450(Tenn.   Crim.App.1993).Appellantwasallowedtotestifyregardingtheincidentoneweekbeforethekilling,whenthevictimallegedlyshotatAppellant.Eveniftherehadbeenevidencethatthevictimwasa drugkingpin,suchinformationisnotrelevantanditisnotajustificationforakilling.Appellantwasnotentitledtocharacterizethevictiminapejorativemannerinordertocreateaninferencethatthehomicidewasjustifiable.Thisissueiswithoutmerit.WWWWWW  III.Sentencing  `(     ` AppellantnextassertsthatratherthanbeingsentencedasaRangeIstandardoffender,heshouldhavebeensentencedasanespeciallymitigatedoffender.Ourreviewofthetrialcourtssentencingis denovowitha @.$& presumptionofcorrectnessconditionedupontheaffirmativeshowingintherecordthatthetrialcourtconsideredthesentencingprinciplesandallrelevantfactsandcircumstances.Statev.Ashby,823S.W.2d166,169(Tenn.1991). 4*, Appellanthastheburdenofestablishingthatthesentenceimposedbythetrialcourtiserroneous.Indeterminingwhetherthisburdenhasbeenmet,wemustconsidertheevidencereceivedattrialandthesentencinghearing,the 902 presentencereport,theprinciplesofsentencing,argumentsofcounsel,thenatureandcircumstancesoftheoffense,existingmitigatingandenhancingfactors,statementsmadebytheoffender,andpotentialforrehabilitation.Tenn.CodeAnn.4035210.Appellanthasnotsatisfiedthisburden.The 0 evidence,sentencingprinciples,andrelevantfactsandcircumstancesdonotshowthatthesentenceimposedbythetrialcourtwaserroneous. ` Forthisoffense,whichisaClassAfelony,thepresumptivesentenceistwentyyears.Thesentenceisthenraisedorloweredafterbalancingmitigatingandenhancementfactors.Tenn.CodeAnn.4035210(d),(e).   Theweightaffordedmitigatingorenhancementfactorsderivesfrombalancingrelativedegreesofculpabilitywithinthetotalityofthecircumstances....Inotherwords,theweightthatisgiventoanyexistingfactorislefttothetrialcourtsdiscretionsolongas...itsfindingsaresupportedbytherecord.Statev.Marshall,870S.W.2d,532,541. "0  ` The trialcourtmayfindthedefendanttobeanespeciallymitigatedoffenderifhehasnopriorfelonyconvictionsandthecourtfindsmitigating,butnoenhancingfactors.Tenn.CodeAnn.4035109(a). Thewordmay `(  whenusedinastatuteorruleusuallyindicatesthattheacttowhichitrefersisdiscretionaryratherthanmandatory,andwillbesoconstruedunlessthecontextindicatesadifferentmeaning.Statev.Braden,867S.W.2d750,762 0.$& (Tenn.Crim.App.1993).ThequestionofwhethertheAppellantshouldhavebeensentencedasanespeciallymitigatedoffender restswithinthesounddiscretionofthetrialcourt.Id.Here,thecourtfoundthreemitigatingfactors 4*, listedinsection4035113oftheTennesseeCode:(1)Appellantactedunderstrongprovocation;(2)substantialgroundsexistedtendingtoexcuseorjustifyhiscriminalconduct,thoughfailingtoestablishadefense;and(3)becauseof 9p02 hisyouth,Appellantlackedsubstantialjudgmentincommittingtheoffense.However,thetrialcourtalsofoundanenhancementfactorunder4035114.TheenhancementfactorthatthetrialcourtfoundwasAppellantsprevioushistoryofcriminalbehavior.Ifthetrialcourtsfindingofanenhancementfactorwascorrect,Appellant didnotqualifyasanespeciallymitigatedoffender.Tenn.CodeAnn.Sec.4035109(a)(2);Braden,867S.W.2dat   763. ` Appellantarguesthatwhilehedidhavejuvenilearrestsforcriminaltrespass,evadingarrest,criminalimpersonationanddisorderlyconductafterthecommissionoftheinstantoffense,theyarestillpendinginJuvenileCourt;therefore,thetrialcourtshouldnothaveconsideredthemasenhancingfactorsofthisoffense.Weagreewiththisargument.Section4035114statesthatthedefendantsprevioushistoryofcriminalconvictionsorcriminal  @ behaviormaybeconsideredenhancementfactors.Tenn.CodeAnn.40 "0 35114(1).ThetrialcourtconcludedthatAppellantsjuvenilearrestsforthe $  aforementionedconductconstituted criminalbehaviorunderthestatute. ` WeaddressedasimilarsituationinStatev.Buckmeir,wherethiscourt `(  heldthatitwasimproperforatrialjudgetoconsiderpendingcriminalchargesasevidenceof previouscriminalbehaviortoenhanceasentenceunderSection4035114(1).Weheldthattherewas noevidenceintherecordthatthesechargesagainstthedefendantwereanythingmorethancharges,thedefendantispresumedinnocentuntilconvicted.Statev.Buckmeir,902 2(* S.W.2d418,424(Tenn.Crim.App.1995).Suchisthecasehere.Thechargespendinginjuvenilecourtare nothingmorethanchargesandthetrialcourtshouldnotuseevidencemerelyshowingarrests,withoutmore,toenhanceasentence.Statev.Marshall,870S.W.2d532,541(Tenn.Crim. 9p02 App.1994)(citingStatev.Newsome,798S.W.2d542,543(Tenn.Crim.App. `  1990));seealsoStatev.Miller,674S.W.2d279(Tenn.1984).Therefore,the P  trialcourtshouldnothaveconsideredthesechargesasanenhancementfactor.WW ` However,thisdoesnotendtheinquiry.ItisclearthatAppellantusedafirearminthecommissionoftheinstantoffense,afactorthatthetrialjudgeinexplicablyfailedtoconsider.Thisisclearlyandappropriatelyanapplicableenhancementfactorinthiscase.See,Tenn.CodeAnn.Sec.403514(a);Statev.Butler,900S.W.2d305(Tenn.Crim.App.1994).Thepresenceof  thisvalidenhancementfactordisqualifiesAppellantfromconsiderationasanespeciallymitigatedoffenderandamplysupportshistwentyyearsentence.Thisissueiswithoutmerit.̜W񜛜W\\WW\̛\WW\\ ` HavingreviewedtheissuespresentedwefindnoreversibleerrorandAFFIRMthejudgmentofthetrialWWcourt.WWW񜛜W `     h   ____________________________________ `     h   WWJERRYL.SMITH,WWJUDGECONCUR:___________________________________WWJOEG.RILEY,JUDGEWW___________________________________WWNORMAMCGEEOGLE,JUDGEWW