State of Tennessee, Appellee v. Byron Lewis Black, Defendant-Appellant

Summary

The court affirmed the defendant's three first-degree murder convictions, his death sentence for one murder, consecutive life sentences for two murders, and an additional firearm-related sentence. It held that the evidence was sufficient, the challenged evidentiary and jury-related rulings were either proper or harmless, the applicable aggravating circumstances were constitutionally adequate, and the death penalty statute and electrocution method did not violate the state or federal constitutions. Chief Justice Reid, joined by Justice Daughtrey, concurred in affirming the convictions but would have reversed the death sentence and remanded for resentencing and consideration of electrocution evidence.