Ruff v. State

OPINION

BIRCH, Justice.

We granted the appellants, George Ruff and Billy Joe Smith, permission to appeal and consolidated their cases to address the validity of indictments that failed to charge a specific culpable mental state. For the reasons set forth herein, under the controlling case of State v. Hill, 954 S.W.2d 725 (Tenn.1997), we hold that the indictments are sufficient. Accordingly, the convictions resulting from these indictments are valid.

In addition to the above issue, each appellant raises a separate second issue. Ruff contends that the testimony of a Department of Human Services…