VONDA STAR SMITH v. STATE OF TENNESSEE - Articles

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VONDA STAR SMITH v. STATE OF TENNESSEE

Posted by: Azya Thornton on Apr 14, 2026

Court: TN Court of Criminal Appeals

Attorneys 1: Cody T. Knight, Erwin, Tennessee, for the appellant, Vonda Star Smith.

Attorneys 2: Jonathan Skrmetti, Attorney General and Reporter; Park Huff, Assistant Attorney General; Dan E. Armstrong, District Attorney General; and Ritchie D. Collins and Cecil C. Mills, Jr., Assistant District Attorneys General, for the appellee, State of Tennessee.

Judge(s): AYERS

Petitioner, Vonda Star Smith, appeals the denial of her petition for post-conviction relief, arguing that the post-conviction court erred in denying her claim that the State withheld exculpatory evidence in violation of Brady v. Maryland. Petitioner also argues that the post-conviction court erred in denying her claims that trial counsel was ineffective for failing to (1) obtain a DNA expert, (2) object to a comment made by the trial court, (3) object to the State’s introduction of an undisclosed impeachment statement, and (4) call a corroborating witness. Upon review of the entire record, the briefs of the parties, and the applicable law, we affirm the judgment of the post-conviction court.

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