State of Tennessee v. Thomas Richardson, Jr.

CourtCourt of Criminal Appeals of Tennessee
DecidedMay 1, 2006
DocketW2004-00508-CCA-R3-CD
StatusPublished

This text of State of Tennessee v. Thomas Richardson, Jr. (State of Tennessee v. Thomas Richardson, Jr.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Criminal Appeals of Tennessee primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State of Tennessee v. Thomas Richardson, Jr., (Tenn. Ct. App. 2006).

Opinion

IN THE COURT OF CRIMINAL APPEALS OF TENNESSEE AT JACKSON Assigned on Briefs January 10, 2006

STATE OF TENNESSEE v. THOMAS RICHARDSON, JR.

Direct Appeal from the Criminal Court for Shelby County No. 02-03194 Joseph B. Dailey, Judge

No. W2004-00508-CCA-R3-CD - Filed May 1, 2006

The defendant, Thomas Richardson, Jr., appeals his conviction for first degree felony murder. In support of his appeal, the defendant presents three issues: (a) The evidence is insufficient to support the conviction; (b) Two photographs of the victim were improperly admitted; and (c) Hearsay statements were improperly admitted.

Tenn. R. App. P. 3 Appeal as of Right; Judgment of the Criminal Court Affirmed

JOHN EVERETT WILLIAMS, J., delivered the opinion of the court, in which ALAN E. GLENN , J., joined. DAVID G. HAYES, J., filed a separate concurring opinion.

Robert Wilson Jones, District Public Defender; and Tony N. Brayton, Assistant Public Defender, for the appellant, Thomas Richardson, Jr.

Paul G. Summers, Attorney General and Reporter; Sophia S. Lee, Assistant Attorney General; William L. Gibbons, District Attorney General; and Charles W. Bell, Jr., Assistant District Attorney General, for the appellee, State of Tennessee.

OPINION

Valerie Richardson, the victim in this case, died October 6, 2001, from severe burns she suffered on the previous day. Her husband, Thomas Richardson, Jr., was subsequently indicted for first degree felony murder. The indictment alleged that her murder occurred while the defendant was committing an arson.

Inez Crawford, a maternal aunt of the victim, testified concerning events preceding the fire and the victim’s death. Ms. Crawford stated that the defendant had suffered ill health for over two years before the incident. She said the defendant had become “mean” after his illness. The defendant had started drinking and smoking and was not as friendly as before. The victim had planned to move out of the defendant’s residence and, with Ms. Crawford’s financial assistance, had contracted to purchase a house. On the Friday preceding the fire, the victim met with a real estate agent to sign closing documents. Ms. Crawford said that the victim was crying and stated, “He’s not going to let me leave the house alive.” On the following Sunday the victim repeated this sentiment while meeting with another real estate agent at Ms. Crawford’s house. Ms. Crawford said that the victim expressed similar statements in their phone conversations in the intervening time before the fire. The last conversation Ms. Crawford had with the victim was the night of October 4, 2001. At that time, the victim declined Ms. Crawford’s invitation to stay at her house that evening. During cross-examination, Ms. Crawford stated that the defendant had worked two full-time jobs prior to his sickness. She said the victim had not filed divorce proceedings against the defendant.

Jeremy Crawford, the son of the victim, was fourteen at the time of the fire. He and his sister, Marquita Crawford, lived with the victim and their stepfather, the defendant. Jeremy returned home after his high school football game at approximately 10:00 p.m. on October 4, 2001. He slept on a couch in the den. His mother, the victim, slept on a facing couch on the south side of the den. He said she had been sleeping there for approximately one year. During the night, Jeremy woke and saw a fiery object sail through the air and land on the victim. Immediately the victim, her covering, and the couch area burst into flames. He stated that he did not look back toward the source of the flaming object. The victim, covered in flames, ran to the living room. Jeremy attempted to put out the flames on the victim with his hands. Fabric was melting on the victim’s skin, and her hair was burning. The victim attempted to go out the living room door but could not open it. Jeremy tried to force it open but stated that, although it opened a little, it was as if someone was holding the door. Jeremy went to the defendant’s bedroom and attempted to use the cordless phone to call for help. Jeremy was unable to get a dial tone and heard the victim screaming for him in a “little squealing voice.” The victim was still by the doorway in the living room where smoke was accumulating. Jeremy again attempted to call his sister who was staying with a friend. Unable to reach anyone by phone, he jumped out a window and ran across the street to seek help from neighbors. The victim slowly followed. A neighbor, Glenda Williams, covered the exposed victim with a blanket. The victim said, “He burned me, Glenda. He set me on fire. He did it.” Jeremy stated that he last saw the defendant at approximately 10:30 p.m. in the master bedroom watching television.

During cross-examination, Jeremy stated that the victim did not identify the “he” when she said, “He burned me.” He stated that prior to the fire, his mother had planned to move to the new residence on October 5, 2001. Jeremy stated that he had a good relationship with the defendant in earlier years, but that had changed in the last year.

Marjorie Boyland resided next door to the Richardsons. Ms. Boyland said that she had a close relationship to the defendant and the victim and that she felt like they were her children. She related a comment the defendant had made to her several weeks before the fire. The defendant said, “Mom, if you see the police over here, don’t worry, I be done killed somebody over here.” During the week preceding the fire, Ms. Boyland was having a phone conversation with the victim when the victim stated that the defendant had shoved her and had told the victim he would hurt her and kill her. On October 4, 2001, Ms. Boyland had visited the victim at the Richardson’s home. The victim told her that she believed the defendant was going to try to kill her. Ms. Boyland urged the victim to leave, but the victim declined and said she would send the children away. The victim planned to

-2- move her belongings the following day. Ms. Boyland last saw the defendant on October 4, 2001, at approximately 10:00 p.m. The defendant was standing beside the car porch. Later that night, Ms. Boyland was awakened by cries for help and noise at her back door. She saw the victim and the victim’s son Jeremy outside. The victim’s hair was “swizzled to her head,” and her face was unrecognizable. Ms. Boyland had to ask if it was Valerie. The victim said, “Margie, I told you Thomas was going to try to kill me, but he didn’t. Thank God I’m still here - thank God I’m still here.” Ms. Boyland said the victim’s hair was missing and her skin was falling off. During her cross-examination, Ms. Boyland stated that she had not notified police of the threats that the victim had related to her. She said she did not know whom the defendant was referring to in his statement to her about killing someone.

Glenda Williams lived in the same neighborhood as the defendant and the victim. Mrs. Williams testified that she was disturbed in the early morning hours of October 5, 2001, by someone beating on her door. After reporting the fire to 9-1-1, Mrs. Williams heard the victim calling for help. She recognized the victim on sight. Ms. Williams said, “She looked like a monster. She was just burned up.” Mrs. Williams threw the victim a blanket to cover herself, then Mrs. Williams started screaming from fright. She told the victim to get out of her house because skin was falling from the victim. The victim told her, “Glenda, Thomas burned me up.” Later, the victim told Mrs. Williams, “I was leaving him, and I knew he was going to try something, and he did. He tried to kill me. And he told me he was going to kill me.”

In October of 2001, Edna Ward lived diagonally across the street from the defendant and the victim. Ms.

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Bluebook (online)
State of Tennessee v. Thomas Richardson, Jr., Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-of-tennessee-v-thomas-richardson-jr-tenncrimapp-2006.