State of Tennessee v. Samuel Ward, Jr.

In this case involving an issue of first impression pertaining to the exclusion of evidence of a victim’s biological sex, Defendant, Samuel Ward, Jr., was convicted by a Shelby County jury of voluntary manslaughter. The trial court sentenced Defendant to six years’ incarceration. On appeal, Defendant argues 1) the trial court erred by excluding evidence of the victim’s assigned sex at birth; 2) the evidence was insufficient to support Defendant’s conviction; 3) it was plain error for the State to make improper comments during its closing argument; 4) the trial court erred by not allowing Defendant to impeach a State’s witness; and 5) the trial court erred by imposing the maximum sentence of incarceration and denying an alternative sentence. Becausewe conclude that the trial court erred by granting the State’s motion to exclude evidence of the victim’s biological sex, we reverse and remand this case for a new trial.