State of Tennessee v. Trameisha L. Farris

06/09/2025 IN THE COURT OF CRIMINAL APPEALS OF TENNESSEE AT NASHVILLE May 13, 2025 Session STATE OF TENNESSEE v. TRAMEISHA L. FARRIS Appeal from the Criminal Court for Davidson County No. 2022-B-1141 Steve R. Dozier, Judge ___________________________________ No. M2024-01016-CCA-R3-CD ___________________________________ A Davidson County jury convicted the Defendant, Trameisha L. Farris, of first degree felony murder, and the trial court imposed a sentence of life imprisonment. On appeal, the Defendant challenges the legal sufficiency of the evidence supporting her conviction. More specifically, she argues that (1) the evidence is legally insufficient to prove that a robbery occurred; and (2) even assuming that a robbery occurred, the State failed to prove that she participated in that crime. Upon our review, we respectfully disagree with the Defendant and affirm the judgment of the trial court. Tenn. R. App. P. 3 Appeal as of Right; Judgment of the Criminal Court Affirmed TOM GREENHOLTZ, J., delivered the opinion of the court, in which J. ROSS DYER and KYLE A. HIXSON, JJ., joined. Manuel B. Russ (on appeal) and James G. King (at trial), Nashville, Tennessee, for the appellant, Trameisha L. Farris. Jonathan Skrmetti, Attorney General and Reporter; Garrett D. Ward, Senior Assistant Attorney General; Glenn R. Funk, District Attorney General; and Jenny Charles, Wesley King, and Chantley Frazier, Assistant District Attorneys General, for the appellee, State of Tennessee.  OPINION FACTUAL BACKGROUND This case arises from the fatal shooting of the victim on February 4, 2021, in Davidson County, Tennessee. The Defendant, Trameisha Farris, and her boyfriend and co- defendant, Wilton Alexander, were charged in connection with the incident. The State alleged that the victim had taken possession of a firearm that originally belonged to Mr. Alexander’s father and that Mr. Alexander, with the assistance of the Defendant, sought to recover the weapon. According to the prosecution, the Defendant lured the victim into meeting with her under false pretenses, facilitating a confrontation during which Mr. Alexander shot and killed the victim and took the firearm from his body. The following summary outlines the evidence presented at trial. A. T HE V ICTIM ’ S M URDER On February 3, 2021, the Defendant sent flirtatious messages to the victim telling him she thought he was cute. When the victim questioned her advances, the Defendant told him that her boyfriend and co-defendant, Wilton Alexander, “has been in the way,” and she was interested in the victim. The victim repeatedly expressed concern about Mr. Alexander finding out about their conversation, but then agreed that he would go to the home of the Defendant’s family the next day for an intimate encounter. Eventually, when the victim indicated he could not find transportation, the Defendant arranged to meet him at the residence of his family instead. The next morning, the Defendant was with Mr. Alexander when he solicited a ride from his friend, Antonio Anthony. Mr. Alexander told Mr. Anthony that he and the Defendant needed a ride so he could “jack” the victim for a gun. Mr. Anthony, who later testified that the term “jack” referred to committing a robbery, agreed to help by using a car that belonged to his girlfriend, Jamaya Broyles. Ms. Broyles accompanied Mr. Anthony during the trip. After picking up the Defendant and Mr. Alexander, Mr. Anthony drove to the victim’s address. When they arrived, Mr. Alexander instructed Mr. Anthony to park down the street rather than in front of the house. Mr. Alexander then instructed the Defendant to enter the residence while he waited outside. During that time, surveillance footage showed Mr. Alexander concealing himself in nearby bushes before briefly returning to the vehicle. The Defendant stayed in the house for approximately half an hour. At one point, the Defendant walked outside, stood in the front yard for a short time, and went back inside. 2 After she went back inside, Mr. Alexander again left the vehicle and approached the house, eventually returning to the bushes. The Defendant went outside a second time and began walking towards where Mr. Alexander was hiding. When someone—possibly the victim— emerged onto the porch, she ran back to the front of the house, which prevented Mr. Alexander from being seen. At some point, the Defendant and the victim began talking on the porch. After talking for a few seconds, the Defendant and the victim started walking to the side of the porch opposite from where Mr. Alexander wa