Nelson v. State

Aug 2, 1972
Reporters:
Before:
Templeton
JOHN D. TEMPLETON, Special Judge.

OPINION

Thomas P. Nelson complained in his petition for post ‍‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‍conviction relief that he was denied due process of law when convicted of two felonies in Sullivan County and sent to the penitentiary because the ‍‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‍foreman of the grand jury that indicted him had been in office six or eight years. The petition argues that this makes the foreman a professional ‍‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‍juryman and his actions in connection with the indictments void. The Judge dismissed the petition without an evidentiary hearing and petitioner appealed.

We find no authority ‍‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‍holding and can think of no valid reason why a grand jury foreman appointed for two years under T.C.A. 40-1506 is disqualified to serve longer ‍‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‍either by reappointment or holding over.

We affirm the judgment.

RUSSELL and OLIVER, JJ., concur.