State of Tennessee v. Roddarrius Eugene Jenkins, M2024-01446-CCA-R3-CD

Jenkins was convicted of first degree felony murder, especially aggravated robbery, and being a felon in possession of a firearm for a May 11, 2017 shooting and robbery at Dellway Villa Apartments. 1
At the scene, Jenkins and the victim argued over Chasity Hassell, and Jenkins later made a jail call implicating himself in the shooting and taking the victim's gun. 2
Jenkins moved to appoint a second attorney, suppress his statements and jail call, and limit the codefendant's cross-examination about sentencing exposure. 3
The trial court denied suppression, allowed the codefendant to be questioned only about facing a substantial prison sentence, and later instructed the jury on self-defense. 4
At trial, the State relied on eyewitnesses, the codefendant, forensic evidence, and Jenkins's jail call; Jenkins testified that he shot in self-defense and that the codefendant fired the fatal shots. 5
The court imposed life plus thirty-five years, including consecutive sentences, and denied new trial relief. 6

Issue	Plaintiff's Argument	Defendant's Argument	Held
Second attorney appointment 7	Jenkins claimed equal protection entitled him to two publicly funded lawyers.	State said the claim became moot when a second attorney actually represented Jenkins.	Claim moot; no relief. 8
Suppression of statements and jail call 9	Jenkins argued his Miranda waiver was invalid and December interview violated his right to counsel.	State argued he knowingly waived rights and no Sixth Amendment violation occurred.	Suppression properly denied. 10
Corroboration of jail-call admissions 11	Jenkins said his jail-call statements were uncorroborated and inadmissible.	State argued independent proof showed the statements were trustworthy.	Statements were sufficiently corroborated and admissible. 12
Self-defense instruction after State's proof 13	Jenkins said he was entitled to an immediate self-defense ruling without testifying.	State argued the issue was unpreserved and the court properly waited until the proof closed.	No error; instruction issue preserved only as tried and later given. 14
Sufficiency and sentencing 15	Jenkins challenged the robbery/murder proof and the high-risk-to-life and consecutive-sentence findings.	State argued the proof and sentence were supported by the record.	Evidence and sentence affirmed. 16

Newton v. Cox, 878 S.W.2d 105 (Tenn. 1994) (Tennessee follows federal equal-protection analysis 17)
San Antonio Indep. Sch. Dist. v. Rodriguez, 411 U.S. 1 (U.S. 1973) (strict scrutiny applies to fundamental rights or suspect classes 18)
Gideon v. Wainwright, 372 U.S. 335 (U.S. 1963) (indigent defendants have a right to counsel in felony prosecutions 19)
Miranda v. Arizona, 384 U.S. 436 (U.S. 1966) (custodial interrogation requires warnings before waiver 20)
State v. McKinney, 669 S.W.3d 753 (Tenn. 2023) (valid Miranda waiver must be voluntary, knowing, and intelligent 21)
State v. Bishop, 431 S.W.3d 22 (Tenn. 2014) (extrajudicial confessions require corroboration showing trustworthiness 22)
Jackson v. Virginia, 443 U.S. 307 (U.S. 1979) (sufficiency review asks whether any rational juror could convict 23)
State v. Bise, 380 S.W.3d 682 (Tenn. 2012) (within-range sentencing reviewed for abuse of discretion with presumption of reasonableness 24)
State v. Pollard, 432 S.W.3d 851 (Tenn. 2013) (consecutive sentencing reviewed for abuse of discretion 25)