WPC  5Rd[b+MDN]eNK8{YRŭ$4R9ɤo$XR}Qa]GAb2eu3/yt:?Z˵1vPۦFddn*c4n+$݋= }K%nVdOlH\5lZch.y}#磘Ӱ9B 8' qwFrҩOμKLV&f4J9жkr KצbSTFd i{wxcs%5\@W:m Gȶug1`&[#iOЙ蘵/к%:K"X?ػeu%jX0͍PdJԾ\Bxź5^^ \16~ihAšWDfC[,)# >UNI % 0(w@4(U:0U:jU:(U: AQ@ 0DW 0D 0D D/# BR Bo D3 HP LaserJet 4SiHPPCL5MS,,,,,,0nLh(hH  Z 6Times New Roman RegularX($ D !"#$%re&e'Ӏ3n~<$3|x3, AZ"Arial Regular, AZ"Arial Regular,cAZ"Arial Regular  !"   XZ7XXX EX XZ7   Ad FILED XZ7X E   November9,1998  CecilCrowson,Jr. JX XZ7AppellateCourtClerk ,cAZ"Arial Regular !"#%C<< CLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5(3$ !  (3$ !  ($$   1  ''' dxd dP Pd&&&&'dxd !  &&&%%&%%XTR[A' Legal3'A' Legal3'T XOcXXX  Ӝ333''r (<,(j 8` `@E ` ttx$X r3''INTHECOURTOFCRIMINALAPPEALSOFTENNESSEE  3t (>.*jxE` `@E` ttx$  tߛ3ATJACKSONOCTOBER1998SESSION   'XXXX'STATEOFTENNESSEE, h   )  p   `     h   )  C.C.A.No.02C019802CC00045 `   `  Appellee, h   ) P   `     h   )  CarrollCounty @  v. `     h   ) 0   `     h   )  HonorableC.CreedMcGinley    MICHAELAARONSCOTT,  )  a/k/aERINSCOTT, h   )  (SaleofCocaine)    `     h   )    `  Appellant. h   )    FORTHEAPPELLANT: h     FORTHEAPPELLEE:  0  DwayneD.Maddox,III h     JohnKnoxWalkup ` 19695EastMainStreet h     AttorneyGeneral&Reporter P P.O.Box827   h     425FifthAvenue,North @ Huntingdon,TN38344 h     Nashville,TN372430493 0  `     h     MarvinE.Clements,Jr. `     h     AssistantAttorneyGeneral `     h     425FifthAvenue,North XOcXX XOc `     h     Nashville,TN372430493 $" # XOcXX XOc` # `     h     G.RobertRadford p&!$  `     h     DistrictAttorneyGeneral `     h     111ChurchStreet,P.O.Box686 `     h     Huntingdon,TN383440686̀   h     EleanorCahill  +p&)  `     h     AssistantDistrictAttorneyGeneral `     h     111ChurchStreet,P.O.Box686 `     h     Huntingdon,TN383440686OPINIONFILED:__________________________AFFIRMEDL.T.LAFFERTY,SENIORJUDGE  ;`6:  QX XOc  %%7<XXdXXd7O%%PINION  # XOcX Q/#N   ` Theappellant,MichaelAaronScott,referredhereinasthedefendant,appealsas  amatterofrightfromajudgmententeredbytheCarrollCountyCircuitCourtasaresultofajuryfindinghimguiltyofsaleofcocaineandimposingafineof$10,000.Inhissingleappellateissue,thedefendantaskswhethertherewassufficientcredibleevidencetosupportaconvictioninthiscaseasamatteroflaw.Afterareviewoftheevidenceinthisrecord,thebriefsofallparties,andtheapplicablelaw,wefindtherewassufficientevidencetosupportthedefendantsconvictionandaffirmthetrialcourtsjudgment.   FACTUALBACKGROUND      ` Thetestimonyattrialestablishedthefollowingfacts.SteveLee,acriminal  investigatorfortheTwentyFourthJudicialDistrictAttorneyGeneralanddirectorofthejudicialdistrictsdrugtaskforce,testifiedhewasconductingajointoperationwiththeInspectorGeneralof%%theDepartmentofHousingandUrbanDevelopment(HUD)%%tocombatdrugsinpublichousing.TheoperationcoveredHenry,Carroll,andHardinCounties.IntheCarrollCountyoperation,SteveLeebroughtinanundercoveragent,SylvesterIsland.%%Island%%hadbeenrecommendedtoLeebytheBolivar,TennesseePoliceDepartment.AsaresultofabackgroundcheckonIsland,LeewasawarethatIslandhadbeenconvictedoffelonycheckchargesinKentucky.LeewasnotawareofanydrugusebyIsland,butknewofsomedismissedchargesofsaleofcocaineinObionCountyonthebasisIslandwasnotthecorrectindividual. ` OfficerLeewasawareIslandhadbeentestedfordrugusebyanemployer,%%which%%wasnegative.Atthetimeofthisdrugbuy,Islandwaslivingat%%6056%%WalnutCircleinMcKenzie,Tennesseewithhisgirlfriend,JerondaParker.OnDecember4,1996,LeewascontactedbyIslandandbothmetattheairport.LeesearchedIsland,accordingtostandardprocedures,foranydrugs,butcouldnotrecallifhesearchedIslandscar.Island 837 wasgiven$100.AfterplacingatransmitteronIsland,LeefollowedIslandbacktotheWalnutCircleaddress.LeeparkedhiscarattheMcKenzieDepotsohewouldnotbeseenandtomonitorthepossibledrugbuys.OfficerLeemonitoredadrugbuyandwasgivenasignalbyIslandtomeetattheairport.Attheairport,IslandgaveLeeasmallbagwhichwasinitialedandsealed.ThebagandcontentsweresenttotheTennesseeCrimeLaboratoryforanalysis.Leehadnoindependentprooftosupportthatthedefendantsoldordeliveredanycocaine,otherthantheundercoveragent.Islandsgirlfriend,JerondaParker,wasnotanundercoveragent.However,Ms.ParkeraccompaniedIslandtotheairportonDecember4,1996,butshewasnotsearchedforanydrugssincetherewerenofemaleofficerspresent. ` Mr.SylvesterIslandtestifiedhedid%%undercoverwork%%directlywithSteveLee%%in%%theTwentyFourthJudicialDistrict.Islandhaddoneundercoverworkfortenyears,beginningwiththestatetroopers.OnDecember4,1996,Islandwaslivingat6056WalnutCircleintheprojectswithJerondaParker.IslandtestifiedhemetSteveLeeattheairportontheeveningofDecember4whereLeesearchedIsland,wiredhim,andgavehim$100topurchasecrackcocaine.Islandscarwassearchedrandomly.PriortomeetingLee,IslandhadtalkedtoTracySpearsaboutpurchasingsomecocaine.Islandbelievedhecouldbuysomecocainefromthedefendant,thushecontactedLee.Islandtestifiedthiswasthefirsttimehehadmetthedefendant,andunderstoodthedefendantwasSpearsscousin.%% ` Upon%%arrivingathisapartment,IslandtestifiedthatTracySpearsandChrisNashcamebythe%%house.Spears%%attemptedtosellIslandsomecrackcocaine,whichIslandrefusedsincehehadbeen%% ripped%%%%off%%bySpears%%before.%%%%Island%%%%toldSpears,%%%% I%%didntwantthatpackage,Idbuyitfromtheguymyself.Spearsleftandreturnedlaterwiththedefendant.ChrisNashremainedinIslandsapartment.WhenSpearsreturned,thedefendantwasinthefrontpassengerseatandanunknownpersonwasintherear.Nashcame%%outside%%andgotinthe%%backseat%%ofthecar.Islandtestifiedhewenttothepassengerssideofthecarand thedopewassentout.Mr.AaronScottgaveTracythedope.Andthenthedopewasplacedinmy%%hand....%%Igave%%him[the%%%%defendant]%%directly 0948 the%%hundreddollars.%%Islandgotthetagnumberofthecarasitleft.Duringtheentirebuyandconversations,thedefendantdidnotsayoneword. ` Islandtestifiedhebecameinvolvedin%%undercover%%workasaresultofhisbrothersdruginvolvementandhanginginthestreetswithpeoplelikethedefendant.Islanddeniedanydruguse,especiallyonthenightofDecember4,andhadtakenrandomdrugscreensathisemployment.Islandtestifiedastohisinsightsincrimeintheprojects.Islandtestifiedthatsincehedidnot%%know%%thedefendantsname,SteveLeehadhimfindoutthenameofthedefendant.Island%%metTracy%%Spearsand%%wentto%%thedefendantshomewheretheydrankafewbeersandashotofCanadianMist.Islandtestifiedhehadmadeapproximately72buysinCarroll%%County,%%making$7,200.%% ` Notwithstanding%%Islandsnotesmadeafterthebuy,IslandinsistedhedidnotvisitthedefendantshomeorlearnhisnameuntilthemorningofDecember5.Islandtestifiedsomeonecameinandhadconversationwiththedefendantaboutbuyingsomestolenproperty,includingaradioscanner.Islandinsistedheboughtthecocainefromthedefendantoutsideofhisapartment,anddidnotgivethe$100to%%Spears%%to%%get%%thecocaineforhim.Ultimately,IslandadmittedhegavethebuymoneytoSpears,whointurngavethemoneytothe%%defendant%%afterreceivingthecocaine. ` Ms.LisaMays,specialagentforensicscientistfortheTennesseeBureauofInvestigation,testifiedshereceived%%abagfrom%%SteveLee%%requesting%%thatthecontentsbeexaminedfordrugs.Afterananalysis,Ms.Maysdeterminedthesubstancewascocainebase,aScheduleIIcontrolledsubstance,whichweighed0.2grams. ` Thetapeofthedrugbuywasplayedforthebenefitofthejury. ` Inbehalfofthedefendant,Tracy%%DShon%%MooretestifiedhehasneverusedthenameofTracySpears.MooretestifiedhewaspresentlyconfinedattheHardemanCountyCorrectionalFacilityasaresultofpleadingguiltytothreecountsofsaleofcocainein 0948 CarrollCounty.MooretestifiedthatonDecember4,1996,thedefendantwasnotpresentwhenMooremadeasaleofcocainetoSylvesterIsland.Mr.MooretestifiedonthemorningofDecember4heandIsland%%went%%tothedefendantshome,whereIslandintroducedhimselftothedefendant.Therewerenodrugpurchasesatthistime.At7:00p.m.onthenightofDecember4,1996,MooreandChrisNashmetIslandatIslandshome.IslandadvisedMoorethathewantedsomedrugs,soMooreofferedtogetthedrugsforhim,butIslandsaidhewantedtogetthedrugshimself.Mooreleftand%%returnedwith%% two%%guys.%%%%MooretestifiedthatIslandapproachedthecarandoneoftheguysinthefrontseatgaveIslandthe%% dope,%%%%Islandshookthe%% dope%%%%out,%%andhandedthemoneyinthedoor.Moorethenwalkedintotheapartment.MooretestifiedthedefendantwasnotpresentatthisdrugbuyandIslandhadusedcrackcocaineinhispresence.Mooretestifiedheonlyknewthefirstnamesofthetwoguyshebroughtbackto%%Islandsapartment,%%andthenadmittedIslandgavehimthe%%buymoney.%%MooretestifiedhehadseenthesetwoguysontwootheroccasionsandheardtheywerefromMemphis. ` ChrisNashtestifiedhefirstmetSylvesterIslandthroughTracySpearsinNovember,1996.NashtestifiedheandSpearswenttoIslandsapartmentabout7:30p.m.onthenightofDecember4,1996.SeveralpeoplewereattheapartmentincludingIslands%%girlfriend.%%NashobservedSpearsandIslandtalkingand%%thenSpears%%left.Approximatelytwentyminuteslater,%%Spears%%returnedandcame%%into%%thekitchen.ThenIslandandhis%%girlfriend%%purchased$100%%worthof%%cocainefrom%%Spears.%%IslandthensplitupthecocaineandNash,%%Spears,%%andIslandsmokedsomeofthecrackcocaine.Afterabouttwentyminutes,%%SpearsTracy%%andNashleft.NashknewthedefendantandinsistedthedefendantwasnotpresentonthenightofDecember4,1996. ` Basedonthistestimony,thejuryfoundthedefendantguiltyofsaleofcocaine.  %%   P726 APPELLATE%%ISSUE    ` Thedefendantmaintainsthatunderthefactsandcircumstancesofthiscase,the p evidencedoesnotjustifythefindingofguiltforthechargeofsaleofacontrolledsubstance,towit:cocaine.TheStatecontendsthatthedefendanthasfailedtocarryhisburdeninprovingthattheevidencepreponderatesagainstthejurysverdict. ` Whenreviewingatrialcourtsjudgment,theappellatecourtwillnotdisturbaverdictofguiltyunlessthefactsintherecordandinferenceswhichmaybedrawntherefromaresufficientasamatteroflawforarationaltrieroffacttofindthedefendantguiltybeyondareasonabledoubt.Tenn.R.App.P.13(e);Statev.Tuggle,639S.W.2d913(Tenn.1982); p Statev.Brewer,932S.W.2d1,19(Tenn.Crim.App.1996).Initially,adefendantis P cloakedwiththepresumptionofinnocence.%%Statev.  Tuggle,%%639S.W.2dat914.However,ajury 0 convictionremovesthepresumptionofinnocenceandreplacesitwithoneofguilt,sothatonappealaconvicteddefendanthastheburdenofdemonstratingthattheevidenceisinsufficient.Id.Indeterminingthesufficiencyofevidence,thisCourtdoesnotreweighor   reevaluatetheevidence.Statev.Cabbage,571S.W.2d832,835(Tenn.1978).On "  appeal,theStateisentitledtothestrongestlegitimateviewoftheevidenceandalllegitimateorreasonableinferenceswhichmaybedrawntherefrom.Statev.Harris,839 p&!$ S.W.2d54,75(Tenn.1992).Itistheappellatecourtsdutytoaffirmtheconvictioniftheevidenceviewedunderthesestandardswassufficientforanyrationaltrieroffacttohavefoundtheessentialelementsoftheoffensebeyondareasonabledoubt.Jacksonv. ,`'* Virginia,443U.S.307,319,99S.Ct.2781,2789,61L.Ed.2d560(1979);Statev.Cazes, -@), 875S.W.2d253,259(Tenn.1994).Thisruleisapplicabletofindingsofguiltpredicated / +. uponthedirectevidence,circumstantialevidence,oracombinationofbothdirectandcircumstantialevidence.Statev.Matthews,805S.W.2d776,779(Tenn.Crim.App. 3.2 1990). ` Thedefendantcontendstheundercoveragent,SylvesterIsland,isnotworthyof 0948 beliefduetothediscrepanciesinhistestimony.Also,thetaperecordingisunintelligibleandanyrationaltrieroffactcouldgainnousefulinformationfromit.ThereviewoftherecordestablishesthatanexcellentcrossexaminationbythedefendantbroughtoutmanydiscrepanciesinIslandstestimony.However,thejurywaswellawareofthecontradictionbetweentheStatewitness,SylvesterIsland,andthetwodefensewitnesses,TracyMooreandChrisNash.Unfortunatelyforthedefendant,thejuryresolvedthetestimonyinfavoroftheState.Theweightandcredibilityof%%!the!witnesses""%%testimonyaremattersentrustedexclusivelytothejuryas%%trier#s#%%offact.Statev.Locust,914S.W.2d554,558(Tenn.Crim.   App.),per.app.denied(Tenn.1995);State%%v$.$%%Boling,840S.W.2d944,947(Tenn.Crim.  App.),per.app.denied(1992).   ` Inconclusion,theevidenceinthisrecordsupportstheconvictionofthedefendantandthetrialcourtsjudgmentisaffirmed. XSXX X} `     h     ________________________________________    `     h     L.T.LAFFERTY,SENIORJUDGECONCUR:___________________________________JOHNH.PEAY,JUDGE___________________________________# X}XX XSUD# X}XX X} d-(, DAVIDG.HAYES,JUDGE# X}XX X}E#