HOWARD HAWK WILLIS v. STATE OF TENNESSEE - Articles

All Content

HOWARD HAWK WILLIS v. STATE OF TENNESSEE

Posted by: Azya Thornton on Jan 22, 2025

Court: TN Court of Criminal Appeals

Attorneys 1: Joshua D. Hedrick and Cullen M. Wojcik, Knoxville, Tennessee, for the appellant, Howard Hawk Willis.

Attorneys 2: Jonathan Skrmetti, Attorney General and Reporter; Garrett D. Ward, Senior Assistant Attorney General; Charme P. Allen Pro Tempore, District Attorney General; and Leland L. Price, Assistant District Attorney General, for the appellee, State of Tennessee.

Judge(s): HOLLOWAY

In 2010, a Washington County jury found Petitioner, Howard Hawk Willis, guilty of two counts of premeditated first degree murder and one count of felony murder in the perpetration of a kidnapping. The jury sentenced Petitioner to death on each conviction.1 After his convictions and sentences were affirmed by the Tennessee Supreme Court on direct appeal, Petitioner sought post-conviction relief. The post-conviction court denied relief after extensive hearings. On appeal, Petitioner raises numerous arguments assailing his convictions and sentences based primarily on ineffective assistance of counsel as well as several stand-alone claims. After a thorough review of the record, the applicable law, the parties’ briefs, and oral arguments, we affirm the judgment of the post-conviction court.

Attachments: