State of Tennessee v. Kenny Kimble - Concurring

IN THE COURT OF CRIMINAL APPEALS OF TENNESSEE
AT JACKSON
STATE OF TENNESSEE v. KENNY KIMBLE
Direct Appeal from the Criminal Court for Shelby County
No. 10-04024 Paula Skahan, Judge
No. W2012-00407-CCA-R3-CD - Filed July 22, 2013
JUDGE JERRY L. SMITH, Concurring in Results.
CONCURRING OPINION
I am writing separately to express my disagreement with the majority opinion's
assertion that a trial judge's ruling with regard to hearsay is subject to review under an abuse
of discretion standard. I am persuaded that the analysis of State v. Gilley, 297 S.W.3d 739(Tenn. Crim. App. 2008), perm. app. denied, (Tenn. Feb. 17, 2009), is the appropriate method
for reviewing issues involving hearsay. Although this analysis has been questioned by our
supreme court in the Pylant and Franklin decisions cited by the majority, Gilley has never
been overruled by that court. Until such time as our supreme court sees fit to overrule Gilley,
I feel compelled to follow it. See Tenn. Sup. Ct. R. 4(G)(2) (requiring that published appellate
opinions be considered controlling authority unless reversed or modified by a court of
competent jurisdiction).
In the instant case, in my opinion, the victim's statement to his mother concerning the
soiled shirt clearly falls under Tennessee Rule of Evidence 803(2) and is admissible as an
excited utterance exception to the rule against the admission of hearsay. Thus, I am able to
concur with the results reached by the majority with respect to this issue. In all other respects
I concur fully with the judgment of the Court.
JERRY L. SMITH, JUDGE