Tyrone Chalmers was sentenced to death by the State of Tennessee for the murder of Randy Allen
According to court documents Tyrone Chalmers and accomplices were driving around looking for someone to rob
The group spotted Randy Allen who was forced to strip down before he was fatally shot and robbed
Tyrone Chalmers would be arrested, convicted and sentenced to death
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Where Is Tyler Chalmers Now
Tyler Chalmers is incarcerated at Riverbend Maximum Security Prison
Tyrone Chalmers Case
At approximately 5:00 a.m. on August 20, 1994, the body of the African-American victim, 28-year-old Randy Allen, was discovered lying face down on the sidewalk next to Netherwood Street in Memphis. His pants and underwear had been pulled down around his ankles, and he had been shot five times. Two of the wounds, one to the head and another to the back, were fatal.
Ten days after the shooting, the 21-year-old African-American defendant admitted to Memphis police that he had killed the victim during a robbery. The defendant stated:
I met up with “Dre” and “Black” on Orleans and So. Parkway near the park. “Black” was driving something like a[sic] Oldsmobile, “Dre” was in the front passenger seat and I got in the back seat. We were just riding around looking for somebody to rob. I had some kind of automatic rifle, it had a clip in it, black and brown color. “Dre” had a .380 automatic or something, look [sic] black to me. I think “Black” had a shotgun. “Black” was driving down Netherwood, and me and “Dre” jumped out on two boys.2 We tried to rob them. We made them strip, then I had hit the one that was killed with the rifle and it went off, and I couldn’t let the rifle go. Then me and “Dre” jumped in the car and left, with “Black” driving. Then “Black” dropped me and “Dre” off near a house, close to Southside School.
The defendant, who robbed Murphy and the victim of $3.00, estimated that he had fired six times. The defendant concluded his statement by remarking, “I’m sorry it ever happened. If I could go through it again, I wouldn’t.”
Based on this proof, the jury convicted the defendant of felony murder and especially aggravated robbery.3
During the sentencing phase, the State introduced evidence of the defendant’s previous convictions for attempted especially aggravated robbery and attempted first degree murder for a criminal episode occurring on the same date as the present offenses. The Deputy Clerk for the Shelby County Criminal Court Clerk’s Office testified that, according to the court records, Tyrone Chalmers was convicted of attempted especially aggravated robbery and attempted first degree murder on July 8, 1996, for offenses committed against Joseph Hunter on August 20, 1994. During cross-examination, defense counsel contested the clerk’s identification of the defendant, asking, “[Y]ou have no way of knowing whether or not those documents that you have are in fact, belong to [sic ] Tyrone Chalmers, do you? You have no personal knowledge yourself, do you?” Hunter, the victim of those prior crimes, then testified that he was driving home at approximately 2:55 a.m. on August 20, 1994, when the defendant stepped in front of his car, pointed a rifle at him, and told him to “give it up.” According to Hunter, the defendant fired approximately fifteen rounds at him as he drove away, striking Hunter in the leg and arm.
The defendant presented the testimony of his mother and sister. His mother testified that the defendant was one of seven children, had graduated from high school, and had never given her any trouble. At the time of these offenses, the defendant was employed and was caring for his mother who suffered from diabetes. The defendant’s sister described the defendant as “a very caring person” and her best friend. She conceded that he had been in juvenile court once but claimed that the victim of that offense had “actually committed a crime” against the defendant.
The last witness was the defendant, who testified that only hours before he committed these offenses he had been drinking alcohol and had smoked crack cocaine for the first time. He claimed that he could not remember what happened but did recall that the gun he used belonged to one of the accomplices. He admitted having been in juvenile court but asserted that the only criminal charges he had ever faced were those arising from the events of the early morning hours of August 20, 1994. The defendant told the victim’s family that he was sorry and expressed his desire to take the victim’s place if he could. On cross-examination, the defendant admitted that he tried to rob Hunter before he ever met up with Dre and Black.
Based on this proof, the jury sentenced the defendant to death.
https://caselaw.findlaw.com/court/tn-supreme-court/1171659.html
