WPC$ X0njƦ:?\t:mS}%J;p%rkiɋFB=i=tuwK/PjK ۪H~v4+ocѲDc1`65Y9wdžsL'X>[S`Et_! <(R7$:8cHs9Vd\H]%2FQvn8L:RЬ <5X_`foѽ %N >L7' DjSG%/aR,^@ӷ=xqoZs@ڶ l4 uO̊de: *U3"Ţ AZgJ'v`Qc?ʁ,%u]G5rd= EporlJ#;SEkMuy(0còED@&dF9t2"[#!F UNg % 0( U : b 0% U : 0 U: w@ 4/ C R "&U:HN m B D3 0D 0D99999999999999999999999999999999 AQ} 0D D/ BHP LaserJet 8000 DN PS0(hH  Z 6Times New Roman RegularX($,|AZ"Arial Regular- -(AeE$XXXX XX  0  ,  AZ"Arial Regular(*2[M$ !   XXXX &A5%X X   `   0  ,  AZ"Arial Regular gEhijkDlmDnopӀ{Z='"|xp  S2$ XStXXX &&X XSt   `   1    Tenn.CodeAnn.3914202. XXXXXX   Ad FILED+   September8,1999  CecilCrowson,Jr. +AppellateCourt  Clerk ,cAZ"Arial RegularU d 'dxd(3$ !  (3$ !  _-*C<<CLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5($$   1  ' dxdP Pd !  pp` XXoTR[A' Legal3'A' Legal3'T8XXdd8      pr*<,(j 8 `@E<f tt0(t` rp_INTHECOURTOFCRIMINALAPPEALSOFTENNESSEE `  ATKNOXVILLEJULYSESSION,1999  STATEOFTENNESSEE,  )  C.C.A.NO.03C019807CC263 n  `     h   )  p  ` Appellee,   h   ) r   `     h   ) `     h   )  SEVIERCOUNTY v  VS. `     h   )   x   `     h   )  HON.RICHARDR.VANCE,  z   LILLIERUSSELL,  h   )  JUDGE  |  `     h   )  ~  ` Appellant.   h   )  (CrueltytoAnimals)       ONAPPEALFROMTHEJUDGMENTOFTHECIRCUITCOURTOFSEVIERCOUNTY  FORTHEAPPELLANT:     p FORTHEAPPELLEE: j  JAMESW.GREENLEE h     PAULG.SUMMERS b" 118BruceStreet   h     AttorneyGeneralandReporter ^# Sevierville,TN37862 `     h     MARVINS.BLAIR,JR. `     h     AssistantAttorneyGeneral `     h     425FifthAvenueNorth `     h     Nashville,TN37243 `     h     ALSCHMUTZER,JR. `     h     DistrictAttorneyGeneral `     h     STEVEHAWKINS `     h     AssistantDistrictAttorneyGeneral `     h     Courthouse `     h     Sevierville,TN37862OPINIONFILED________________________AFFIRMEDDAVIDH.WELLES,JUDGE   8./   J o 8gdXXd8OPINION o J `     ` TheDefendantwastriedbeforeaSeviercountyjuryandconvictedoftwocountsofcrueltytoanimals. eEb ;b  b  1      ׀Herconvictionsgrewoutofthepoisoningdeaths  oftwoofherneighborsdogs.FortheseClassAmisdemeanorconvictions,shewassentencedtoconcurrenttermsofelevenmonthsandtwentyninedays,withallbuttwentydayssuspended.TheDefendantappealsherconvictionsandhersentences.Weaffirmthejudgmentofthetrialcourt. `  ` Inthisappeal,theDefendantarguesthattheevidencepresentedattrialisinsufficienttosupportherconvictionsbecausethecircumstantialevidencepresenteddidnotexcludealltheoriesotherthanherguilt.Shefurtherarguesthatthereisnotsufficientproofcorroboratingthestatementwhichsheallegedlymadeimplicatingherselfinthecommissionofthecrimes. ` ; b TennesseeRuleofAppellateProcedure13(e)prescribesthat v(  [f]indingsofguiltincriminalactionswhetherbythetrialcourtorjuryshallbesetasideiftheevidenceisinsufficienttosupportthefindingsbythetrieroffactofguiltbeyondareasonabledoubt.Tenn.R.App.P.13(e).Inaddition,becauseconvictionbyatrieroffactdestroysthepresumptionofinnocenceandimposesapresumptionofguilt,aconvictedcriminaldefendantbearstheburdenofshowingthattheevidencewasinsufficient.McBeev.State,372S.W.2d173, 4** 176(Tenn.1963);seealsoStatev.Evans,838S.W.2d185,191(Tenn.1992) 6,, (citingStatev.Grace,493S.W.2d474,476(Tenn.1976),andStatev.Brown, `  551S.W.2d329,331(Tenn.1977));Statev.Tuggle,639S.W.2d913,914 P  (Tenn.1982);Holtv.State,357S.W.2d57,61(Tenn.1962). @   ` Initsreviewoftheevidence,anappellatecourtmustaffordtheState thestrongestlegitimateviewoftheevidenceaswellasallreasonableandlegitimateinferencesthatmaybedrawntherefrom.Tuggle,639S.W.2dat914(citing   Statev.Cabbage,571S.W.2d832,835(Tenn.1978)).Thecourtmaynot re   weighorreevaluatetheevidenceintherecordbelow.Evans,838S.W.2dat  191(citingCabbage,571S.W.2dat836).Likewise,shouldthereviewingcourt p findparticularconflictsinthetrialtestimony,thecourtmustresolvetheminfavorofthejuryverdictortrialcourtjudgment.Tuggle,639S.W.2dat914. P #R a #a R ` Acrimemaybeestablishedbycircumstantialevidencealone.Statev. "H Tharpe,726S.W.2d896,899900(Tenn.1987).However,beforeanaccused $8 maybeconvictedofacriminaloffensebasedonlyuponcircumstantialevidence,thefactsandcircumstances mustbesostrongandcogentastoexcludeeveryotherreasonablehypothesissavetheguiltofthedefendant.Statev.Crawford, h*!" М470S.W.2d610,612(oTenn.o1971).Inotherwords,a webofguiltmustbewovenaroundthedefendantfromwhichhecannotescapeandfromwhichfactsandcircumstancesthejurycoulddrawnootherreasonableinferencesavetheguiltofthedefendantbeyondareasonabledoubt.Id.at613.#R aX# (2(*  ` Apersoncommitstheoffenseof CrueltytoAnimalsbyintentionallyorknowinglytorturingananimal.Tenn.CodeAnn.3914202. Tortureincludes (8.0 anyact wherebyunreasonablephysicalpain,sufferingordeathiscaused.Tenn.CodeAnn.3914201(4). ` TheevidencepresentedattrialshowedthattheDefendanthadbeeninvolvedinaratherlongstandingandongoingfeudordisputewithoneofherneighbors.CindyTaylor,theneighborandtheownerofthedeceaseddogs,explainedthatthepartiesresidedinruralSevierCounty, inKodak,uponTucahoeRoad...notfarfromtheDumplinValleyFleaMarket.TheDefendant,whoraisedgoats,chickensanddogsC,CbecameupsetwithMs.Taylorsdogsbecauseshesaidtheycameonherproperty,threateningheranimalsandattimesdisturbinghergarbagecans.TheDefendantadmittedthatshehadshotatthedogswithashotgunonseveraloccasions,althoughshesaidshewasonlytryingtoscarethemawayandwasnottryingtokillthem.D x DMs.TaylortestifiedthattheDefendanthadtoldTaylorsdaughterthatshe(theDefendant)wasgoingtoshootthedogsiftheywerenotkeptup.TaylorsaidthattheDefendanthadalsotoldherthatshewasgoingtokillthedogs.̛ ` Ms.TaylortestifiedthatinDecemberof1995,withinaboutatwodaytimespan,bothher chowmixnamed BearandherLabradorretrievernamed Ubusuddenlybecameverysick.ShetooktheanimalstoDoctorThomasS.Crawford,aveterinarianinKnoxville.Bothanimalsdiedshortlythereafter.DoctorCrawfordtestifiedthatbothdogsdiedfrom antifreezepoisEonEing. ` ChristopherPaulTrammell,whoatthetimealsolivedintheneighborhood,testifiedthattheDefendanthadgivenhimaridetohishouseataboutthetime  :00 thedogshaddied.WhentheywentbyMs.Taylorshouse,theDefendanttoldhimthatshehad spikedthreehotdogsbyinjectingthemwithantifreezefromasyringeandhadplacedthecontaminatedhotdogsonTaylorspropertyforthose FFG..(GblankH)..HIIJJ񛀜dogs.KK ` TheDefendanttestifiedanddeniedmakinganystatementtoMr.TrammelltotheeffectthatshehadspikedhotdogswithantifreezeandplacedthemonMs.Taylorsproperty.ShesLiaLMaiMdMNsNOrO.Trammellhadliedduringhistestimony.Shedeniedpoisoningthedogsandstatedthatshe wouldntbelieveinbeingcrueltoanyanimal.Shedidadmit,however,thatshehadshotatthedogswithashotgunseveraltimes. ` Therewasmuchmoretestimonyconcerningtheongoingdisputebetweenthesepartiesinadditiontowhatwehavesummarizedinthisopinion.Thecredibilityofsomeofthewitnesseswasclearlyplacedatissue.TheevidencepresentedbytheState,ifbelievedbythejury,wassufficienttoestablishthattheDefendantcausedthedeathofthetwodogs.Thejury,byitsverdict,creditedthetestimonyoftheStateswitnesses.ItisapparentthatthejurydidnotfindtheDefendantsdenialofresponsibilityforthepoisoningoftheanimalstobeworthyofbelief.Inourview,theevidencepresentedaclassiccredibilityissueforthejurytoresolve,whichthejuryresolvedinfavorofthestate.Weconcludethattheevidenceissufficienttosupportthefindingsbythetrieroffactofguiltbeyondareasonabledoubt.  8..  ` TheDefendantalsoarguesthatthetrialjudgeerredorabusedhis discretionwhenheorderedthattwentydaysofhersentencesbeservedinconfinement.Shearguesthatsheisentitledtofullprobationbecauseshehasnopriorcriminalrecordandbecausealternativestoincarcerationshouldbeemployedwheneverpossible.̜u PPPP ` Whenanaccusedchallengesthelength,range,ormannerofserviceofa 0  sentence,thisCourthasadutytoconductadenovoreviewofthesentencewith   apresumptionthatthedeterminationsmadebythetrialcourtarecorrect.Tenn.CodeAnn.4035401(d).Thispresumptionis conditionedupontheaffirmativeshowingintherecordthatthetrialcourtconsideredthesentencingprinciplesandallrelevantfactsandcircumstances.Statev.Ashby,823S.W.2d166,169 @ (Tenn.1991). ` Whenconductingadenovoreviewofasentence,thisCourtmust % consider:(a)theevidence,ifany,receivedatthetrialandsentencinghearing;(b)thepresentencereport;(c)theprinciplesofsentencingandargumentsastosentencingalternatives;(d)thenatureandcharacteristicsofthecriminalconductinvolved;(e)anystatutorymitigatingorenhancementfactors;(f)anystatementmadebythedefendantregardingsentencing;and(g)thepotentialorlackofpotentialforrehabilitationortreatment.Statev.Smith,735S.W.2d859,863 0P'( (Tenn.Crim.App.1987);Tenn.CodeAnn.X= Xu#u XX=\1#X= Xu#u XX=1#Ԁ4035102,103,210. 2@)*  ` Ifourreviewreflectsthatthetrialcourtfollowedthestatutorysentencingprocedure,thatthecourtimposedalawfulsentenceafterhavinggivendue p8/0 considerationandproperweighttothefactorsandprinciplessetoutunderthesentencinglaw,andthatthetrialcourtsfindingsoffactareadequatelysupportedbytherecord,thenwemaynotmodifythesentenceevenifwewouldhavepreferredadifferentresult.Statev.Fletcher,805S.W.2d785,789(Tenn.Crim. 0 App.1991).# uB,#u  ` MisdemeanorsentencingiscontrolledbyTennesseeCodeAnnotatedRRTS    STUURRRRQsectionQ4035302,whichprovidesinpartthatthetrialcourtshallimposeaspecificsentenceconsistentwiththepurposesandprinciplesofthe1989CriminalSentencingReformAct.Inmisdemeanorsentencing,aseparatesentencinghearingisnotmandatory,butthecourtisrequiredtoprovidetheDefendantwithareasonableopportunitytobeheardastothelengthandmannerofthesentence.Tenn.CodeAnn.4035302(a).Thetrialcourtretainstheauthoritytoplacethedefendantonprobationeitherimmediatelyorafteratimeofperiodicorcontinuousconfinement.Tenn.CodeAnn.4035302(e).Misdemeanorsentencingisdesignedtoprovidethetrialcourtwithcontinuingjurisdictionandagreatdealofflexibility.Oneconvictedofamisdemeanor,unlikeoneconvictedofafelony,isnotentitledtoapresumptionofaminimumsentence.Statev. P* " Creasy,885S.W.2d829,832(Tenn.Crim.App.VVWV#VWX1994)XY)Y\,\].]^^[[[[Zperm.toappealdenied, @,"$ id.(Tenn.1994).Z# u[4#Z񀀜ZThisCourthasalsoheld @,"$ thatthestatutorypresumptionregardingalternativesentencingdoesnotapplytoa_D_`d`efendantwhohasbeenconvictedofamisdemeanor.Statev.Williams, X0&( 914S.W.2d940,949(Tenn.Crim.App.1995).OurlawdoesnotmandatethatatrialjudgemakespecificfindingsoffactinmisdemeanorsentencingwhendeterminingwhatportionofaaDabdbefendantssentencethecDcdddefendantwillserveinconfinement.Statev.Troutman,979S.W.2d271,274(Tenn.1998). x8/0 Ї ` Inthecaseatbar,thetrialjudgeconductedaseparatesentencinghearing.ϜeIefTherecordfgfffghreflectsthatihnsentencingtheDefendant,itherecordreflectsthatithetrialjudgeconsideredthesentencingprinciples,includingenhancementandmitigatingfactors,andtherelevantfactsandcircumstancesofthecase.ThejudgenotedthattheDefendantwasfiftyeightyearsofageandthatshehadnohistoryofcriminalconvictions.However,thetrialjudgeobservedthattheproofestablishedapatternofpoisoningofanimalswithintheDefendantscommunity.ThejudgeϜpointedoutthatatthesentencinghearingtheStatehadpresentedtestimonyfromanotherindividualwhosaidtheDefendantadmittedtohimthatshewasresponsibleforthepoisoningdeathofhisdog.ThedirectoroftheSevierCountyHumaneSocietytestifiedthatheragencywouldnotplacedogsforadoptionintheDefendantsneighborhoodbecausesomanypoisoningshadoccurredinthatarea.ThejudgenotedhisconcernwiththeDefendantsactioninsettingjojutpoisonedfoodbecause kPkl[p]loisondoesnttakeaim.Poisonisthereforanyanimalorcreature,orevenperson.Inemphasizingtheneedfordeterrenceandtoavoiddepreciatingtheseriousnessoftheoffense,thejudgefoundthattheproofshowedthattheDefendantsneighborswereafraidofherduetotheescalatingconflictinthecommunity. ` Trialjudgesaretraditionallyvestedwithmuchdiscretioninmisdemeanorsentencing.Thetrialjudge,whohasobservedfirsthandthedemeanorandresponsesofamDmndnefendantincourt,mustbealloweddiscretioninarrivingattheappropriatesentence.ThisCourtmaynotsubstituteitsdiscretionforthat exercisedbythetrialcourt,unlesswefindanabuseofdiscretion.Fromour 8.. reviewofthisentirerecord,wecannotconcludethatthetrialjudgeabusedhisdiscretioninorderingtheDefendanttoservetwentydaysinconfinement.  ` Thejudgmentofthetrialcourtisaffirmed. `     h   ____________________________________ `     h   DAVIDH.WELLES,JUDGECONCUR:___________________________________GARYR.WADE,PRESIDNGJUDGE___________________________________JOEG.RILEY,JUDGE