Tennessee v. Hatcher
Tennessee Supreme Court
310 S.W.3d 788 (2010)
Shawn Hatcher (defendant), along with his brother and two others, opened fire inside a Memphis apartment, killing one occupant and wounding two others. Arrested roughly eight months later, Hatcher gave police a detailed statement admitting he had been drinking alcohol and smoking marijuana earlier that day but not for several hours before the shooting, and he provided a clear, coherent timeline of the day's events, including his presence during the shooting. Convicted of first-degree premeditated murder, felony murder, and attempted premeditated murder, Hatcher appealed the trial court's refusal to instruct the jury on voluntary intoxication.
Whether a defendant is entitled to a jury instruction on voluntary intoxication when his own statement shows detailed, coherent memory of events and hours had passed since he last consumed alcohol or drugs.