CHARLOTTE, Tenn. — On July 24, 2024, the Dixon County Circuit Court heard testimony and legal argument in the prosecution of Sherrick Markey Vaughn on an indictment charging failure to appear. Judge David D. Wolfe denied a handwritten motion to dismiss filed by Vaughn, the state presented its case, the defendant waived openings and the right to testify, and jurors later returned a verdict that the transcript does not record verbatim.

The court first took up a handwritten motion to dismiss filed by Vaughn alleging "staleness of the prosecution, maliciousness, and lack of notice." Judge Wolfe told the court he would file the motion and then ruled on it before the jury was seated. "Your motion to dismiss is respectfully denied," the judge said on the record. The denial preceded jury selection and the court's reading of the indictment.

Pam Lewis, the Dixon County circuit court clerk, testified for the state about court scheduling and notice. She said Vaughn had been notified about the trial date in March 2024 after an attorney filed a motion to withdraw, and that Vaughn appeared in court on July 19, five days before the July 24 trial date. Lewis also testified that a jury panel was assembled for July 24 and that Vaughn "was not present" on that date, as reflected in court records presented to the jury.

The state rested after calling Lewis and other routine proof. Vaughn, representing himself, waived an opening statement and later waived his right to testify. The prosecutor asked jurors to find Vaughn guilty of failure to appear; the court then gave standard jury instructions, explaining the state's burden to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that (1) the defendant knowingly failed to appear, (2) he was directed to appear by a lawful authority, and (3) he had been released from custody on condition of subsequent appearance at a specified time or place.

The indictment read in court states that on or about July 24, 2024, Vaughn "did unlawfully and knowingly fail to appear in the Circuit Court for Dixon County, Charlotte, Tennessee, as directed by the Circuit Court . . . in violation of Tennessee Code Annotated 03/17500," and was signed by Ray Crouch Jr., district attorney general. The transcript contains the indictment language as read to the jury; the statute citation appears in the recording as read but may be a transcription rendering of the statutory citation.

After closing arguments and the court's final instructions, the jury retired and later returned a unanimous verdict, according to the record that the foreman announced. The available transcript does not include the foreman's exact spoken words declaring the jury's finding; the court discharged the panel and instructed them on post-service logistics.

The judge and the district attorney also discussed scheduling for Vaughn's remaining cases. The court noted a sentencing hearing was set for Jan. 28 for other charges and that prosecutors were attempting to set at least one additional trial for July 23 or 24. The court remanded Vaughn to jail pending further proceedings and instructed jail staff to notify him of any new trial dates.

Lewis and the court also addressed ancillary matters on the record, including witness subpoenas and the availability of a typewritten transcript for earlier proceedings (the clerk indicated no typewritten transcript had been produced for the appearances discussed). Vaughn told jurors he pleaded "Not guilty, your honor." He spoke briefly from the podium after the state's proof and said, "I'm asking y'all to take this and do the best y'all can. Thank you." The judge twice confirmed Vaughn had knowingly and voluntarily waived rights (to counsel for openings and to testify).

Because the transcript available for this report does not include an audible, verbatim announcement of the jury's finding, this article does not state whether the jury found Vaughn guilty or not guilty. Court scheduling entries and subsequent filings should record the jury's formal verdict and any sentencing orders.

— Pam Lewis is identified in the court record as the Dixon County circuit court clerk; Ray Crouch Jr. is identified as district attorney general. The defendant represented himself throughout the proceeding and repeatedly addressed the court as "mister Vaughn."