State v. Burrus

693 S.W.2d 926, 1985 Tenn. Crim. App. LEXIS 2666
CourtCourt of Criminal Appeals of Tennessee
DecidedApril 24, 1985
StatusPublished
Cited by9 cases

This text of 693 S.W.2d 926 (State v. Burrus) 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 v. Burrus, 693 S.W.2d 926, 1985 Tenn. Crim. App. LEXIS 2666 (Tenn. Ct. App. 1985).

Opinion

OPINION

DWYER, Judge.

Appellant was convicted for the offense of aggravated assault, see T.C.A. § 39-2-101, for which he received a sentence of five (5) years. He appeals as of right, asserting several issues.

First, we will review the evidence. State’s witness Jeanette Scott testified that in late August, 1983, she, her one-year-old son, appellant, and his two sons left Fresno, California, en route to Clarksville, Tennessee, to visit Ms. Scott’s brother. She related that in Nevada, appellant gambled away their money, refused to let her leave, and beat her. In Oklahoma, when she re[928]*928turned to her son, who she had left alone with appellant, the child’s mouth was bleeding, and there was blood on a wash cloth in the bathroom. Appellant told her that her son had been “bad.” During the trip, appellant spanked the child several times.

They arrived in Jackson, Tennessee, and took a room at the Regency Inn. She had been driving, appellant was on the passenger side, and the children were in the back of the car. Ms. Scott went in to the clerk. Soon thereafter appellant came in with Ms. Scott’s son. Ms. Scott took her son up to the room. She then noticed that her child’s leg was swollen.

She wanted to take him to the doctor but appellant said there was no need to do that. After she put ice on the child’s knee, he fell asleep. A few hours later, the child began crying, and Ms. Scott took him to the Jackson-Madison General Hospital.

The examining physician at the hospital testified that she found the child to have middle ear infections in both ears, a small, healing cut on the tip of his tongue, and another on his lower lip. She noticed swelling around the left knee, bruises on the left arm, chest, and both thighs, bruises and abrasions on the buttocks, and bruises and swelling of the scrotum. X-ray examinations revealed that the child’s leg was fractured in two places. The doctor was of the opinion that the fractures had occurred recently and at the same time.

A Jackson police officer testified that after receiving the child abuse complaint, he proceeded to the Regency Inn and questioned appellant. Appellant, at first, told the officer his name was Joe Scott, but later he gave his correct name.

Appellant testified that the child’s lip injury, which occurred in Oklahoma, was caused when he tripped while carrying the child, and the child struck the toilet. He related that Ms. Scott jerked her son out of the car by the legs during the trip to Jackson. He denied abusing the child. When he noticed that the child’s leg was swollen at the Jackson motel, he told Ms. Scott to take the child to the hospital.

An employee of the Madison County Department of Human Services testified that during visits with his mother, the child on some, but not all occasions, fretted, cried, and resisted going to his mother. An employee of the Madison County Sheriff’s Department testified that on many visits the child cried and reached out for others present when the mother held him.

We have examined the “similar situation,” as described by appellant, in State v. Hix, Macon County No. 83 — 99—III, (Tenn. Crim.App., Nashville, February 29,1984). In Hix we reversed the convictions for child abuse of a husband and wife due to the insufficiency of the evidence. In that case the evidence supported a finding that their child had been abused, but it did not support a finding “that either or both of appellants inflicted the injuries.” The case sub judice is distinguishable from the situation presented in Hix. In both cases, there were no eyewitnesses to the crime. However, in Hix we noted that none of the appellants’ various statements as to how the injuries might have occurred was significantly incriminating. In the case sub judice, the victim’s mother testified as to incidences which inferred that appellant was responsible for breaking the child’s leg.

The jury’s guilty verdict accredits the testimony of the State’s witnesses. State v. Hatchett, 560 S.W.2d 627, 630 (Tenn.1978). Under the strongest legitimate view of the evidence in favor of the State’s theory, State v. Cabbage, 571 S.W.2d 832, 836 (Tenn.1978), we conclude that any rational trier of fact could have found the essential elements of the crime beyond a reasonable doubt. State v. Williams, 657 S.W.2d 405, 410 (Tenn.1983); T.R.A.P. 13(e). This issue is overruled.

Appellant also asserts that the element of venue was not established. The victim’s mother testified that upon arriving in Jackson, she left her son with appellant while she obtained a motel room. After going to the room she noticed that her son’s leg was swollen. A few hours later, at the hospital, it was determined that the child’s leg was fractured and the fractures [929]*929appeared to the examining doctor to have occurred recently. We conclude that this evidence is sufficient to show that the aggravated assault was committed in Jackson, Tennessee, based on a preponderance of the evidence. State v. Baker, 639 S.W.2d 670, 672 (Tenn.Crim.App.1982). We may take judicial notice of the fact that Jackson, Tennessee, is in Madison County. Tennessee Blue Book 1983-1984, p. 465; Hopson v. State, 201 Tenn. 337, 299 S.W.2d 11 (1957). This issue is overruled.

In the next issue, appellant contends that the trial court erred in admitting evidence that concerned acts that occurred outside Tennessee. The State’s witness, the victim’s mother, testified concerning incidents where appellant mistreated her and the child outside Tennessee during the week or so preceding the discovery in Jackson that the child had a fractured leg. We conclude that the evidence’s probative value was not outweighed by its prejudicial effect. Bunch v. State, 605 S.W.2d 227, 229 (Tenn.1980). The evidence was relevant to show intent and absence of mistake or accident. This issue is overruled.

Next, appellant contends that a fatal variance exists between the indictment and the proof. See, State v. Moss, 662 S.W.2d 590 (Tenn.1984). He contends the proof does not support a finding that the child’s injury was connected to an intentional or reckless act by appellant. For the reasons set forth in the first two issues, we conclude that there is no fatal variance between the proof and the indictment charging appellant with aggravated assault, such that he could have been misled at trial or subject to another prosecution for the same offense. See State v. Moss, supra at 592. This issue is overruled.

Appellant asserts that the prosecution was involved in a conflict of interest because the wife of the prosecuting assistant attorney general represented the co-indicted state’s witness, Jeanette Scott. See A.B.A., Standards for Criminal Justice 3-1.2 (1980). Assuming, arguendo, that a conflict was present, we fail to see how appellant was prejudiced. This issue is overruled.

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Bluebook (online)
693 S.W.2d 926, 1985 Tenn. Crim. App. LEXIS 2666, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-burrus-tenncrimapp-1985.