State v. Pender

687 S.W.2d 714
CourtCourt of Criminal Appeals of Tennessee
DecidedDecember 19, 1984
StatusPublished
Cited by37 cases

This text of 687 S.W.2d 714 (State v. Pender) 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. Pender, 687 S.W.2d 714 (Tenn. Ct. App. 1984).

Opinion

OPINION

DUNCAN, Judge.

The defendant, Frank James Pender, was convicted of aggravated kidnapping and aggravated rape, receiving Range II sentences of fifty (50) years for each offense. His sentences are to be served concurrently-

In this appeal, the defendant contests the evidence, says both of his convictions cannot stand, insists that the aggravated rape statute is unconstitutional, complains that one of the jurors should not have sat on his case, alleges error concerning the admission into evidence of his statement, his post-arrest silence and his green trousers, says the trial court erred in failing to charge the missing witness rule, and contends his sentences were improperly imposed. We find merit to his sentencing complaint, but find no reversible error incident to his other complaints.

According to the testimony of the eighteen (18) year old victim in this case, on December 16, 1982, at approximately 11:30 p.m., she and her fiancé, Darrell McCready, were travelling through Tennessee on Interstate 40 when their car broke down at the edge of Fayette County. Two black men, the defendant and James Shaw, stopped to ask if help was on the way. They left a few minutes later. Since they could not get assistance until the next morning, the victim and McCready decided to sleep in the car.

The defendant and Shaw returned a little later and told McCready to open the door or they would force it open because they wanted to “borrow his old lady for a little bit.” After McCready got out of the car, the victim was forced into the men’s truck and driven down the road into Haywood County. The defendant and Shaw took the victim’s clothing off and took turns raping her while holding her down. The victim fought with the men and said that some of *717 her hair was ripped out because it had gotten caught in the window handle when she tried to jump out the window.

About one-half (½) hour later, the victim was able to get out of the truck. Her assailants threw her clothes out on the road and left. The victim went to a nearby house where she called the police. Later that night, the victim identified a truck at the defendant’s house as the one in which she had been raped. She also identified the defendant as one of the men who kidnapped and raped her.

The victim further testified that she did not know what happened to McCready after he got out of the car. He did not testify at the trial.

Sam Croom testified that at approximately 2:00 a.m., the victim knocked on his door and said that she had had a wreck and killed her cat. After he told the victim to go to another house, she became very upset and started crying and yelling for help. The police were then called. Mr. Croom said that the victim was very upset when she came to his house.

Dr. David Stewart examined the victim at 6:00 a.m. He testified that her vulva was moderately swelled and that he found spermatazoa in her vagina. He observed a knot on the back of her head, many scratches, and an abrasion on her toe. Dr. Stewart described the victim as upset and nervous.

Officers Jeffrey Holt, Lemuel Marlar, and Phillip Grey all testified that the victim described the truck in which the rapes had occurred and later identified it as the one in front of the defendant’s house. After the defendant gave his permission, the officers opened the truck and discovered hair, the same color as the victim’s, entangled around the window handle. The defendant was arrested at that time.

Lucien English, Special Agent for the Tennessee Bureau of Criminal Investigation, interviewed the victim the next morning and described her as emotionally drained, highly nervous, and fidgety. He further testified that he interviewed and took a sworn statement from the defendant later that day. In his statement, the defendant said that he and Shaw picked the victim up because they thought they wanted to have sex with her. According to the statement, the victim entered the truck on her own free will and took off her clothes herself. The defendant said that he got out of the truck and did not have intercourse with the victim.

A serologist with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Crime Laboratory, conducted tests on the pants taken from the defendant and discovered the presence of blood stains and spermatazoa. The serologist also found the presence of spermata-zoa on the victim’s underwear and jeans.

James Shaw testified as a State’s witness. He testified that he had been indicted with the defendant in this matter, but that he had negotiated a plea of guilty. Shaw stated that the victim was not forced into the truck but that after she got in, she “hollered a few times,” and tried to get out. Shaw tried to have intercourse with the victim, but said that the defendant told him to get out of the way. Shaw further testified that the defendant removed the victim’s clothes and that when the victim begged them not to hurt her, the defendant told her that if she cooperated, they would not hurt her.

From the foregoing summary of the evidence, it is clear that the jury was well warranted in finding the defendant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt of aggravated kidnapping and aggravated rape. The evi-dentiary tests outlined in T.R.A.P. 13(e) and Jackson v. Virginia, 443 U.S. 307, 99 S.Ct. 2781, 61 L.Ed.2d 560 (1979) are fully satisfied by the proof in this case.

Further, the defendant’s argument that the evidence failed to show any personal injury within the meaning of T.C.A. §§ 39-2-603, 39-2-602, and 39-2-101 is without merit. The evidence that the victim sustained bodily injuries was clearly showed by the proof.

Additionally, the defendant’s venue complaint is not meritorious. The evi *718 dence showed that the victim was abducted in Fayette County and taken to Haywood County where she was raped. With respect to the offense of kidnapping, there is wide latitude in trying a defendant in either county where the victim is taken from one county to another county. State v. Holtcamp, 614 S.W.2d 389 (Tenn.Cr.App.1980). We find that the evidence clearly established Haywood County as the proper county of venue for both offenses.

Further, contrary to the defendant’s insistence, the defendant’s convictions for both aggravated kidnapping and aggravated rape were proper. State v. Black, 524 S.W.2d 913 (Tenn.1975); Morgan v. State, 582 S.W.2d 94 (Tenn.Cr.App.1979).

Also without merit is the defendant’s argument that the aggravated rape statute is unconstitutionally vague. Our Supreme Court has previously ruled that this statute is not unconstitutionally vague. State v. Wilkins, 655 S.W.2d 914 (Tenn.1983); State v. Thomas, 635 S.W.2d 114 (Tenn.1982).

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Bluebook (online)
687 S.W.2d 714, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-pender-tenncrimapp-1984.