A Dixon County jury on Monday convicted Sharique Marquis Vaughn of retaliation for past action after witnesses and video recorded statements prosecutors said showed Vaughn threatened a police officer while being booked into the county jail.

Corporal Lindsey Javins of the Dixon Police Department testified that while she and jail staff were removing Vaughn’s handcuffs at the booking area on June 18, 2022, Vaughn became agitated and said, “I’m a threat. I’m a threat for a reason,” and later, while the cuff removal continued, told officers, “when her jaw gets broke, it’s your fault,” the officer testified. Sergeant Justin Stewart of the Dixon Police Department told the court he later heard Vaughn make similar remarks in the booking area and said he “had bullets for all of you,” Stewart testified.

The jury found Vaughn guilty of the retaliation charge after hearing body‑camera video the state introduced as evidence and testimony from Javins and Stewart. The court then ordered a presentence report and set further scheduling for sentencing and related cases, the judge said.

Why it matters: The conviction turned on whether jurors concluded Vaughn knowingly threatened a law enforcement officer in retaliation for the officer’s official actions. The case highlights how recorded on‑scene statements and officers’ testimony about threats made during booking can form the core of a retaliation prosecution.

Evidence and trial course

Prosecutors played body‑camera footage from the booking area and introduced a transcript the officer said she prepared after reviewing the recording. Javins testified she and jail staff had been trying to remove Vaughn’s patrol handcuffs and replace them with jail restraints when Vaughn became agitated and made a series of statements the state characterized as threats directed at her.

Assistant District Attorney Ray Crouch Jr. (signature on the indictment) and the prosecutor who handled much of the trial described for the jury what they said the video showed: contemporaneous comments by Vaughn that the state argued were retaliatory and referenced Javins’ official role in his arrest. Sergeant Stewart testified that, later in booking, he overheard continued threatening comments and advised Javins to document them in her report.

Vaughn’s procedural decisions and defense proof

Vaughn pleaded guilty on the driving‑on‑a‑revoked license count before the jury phase and entered a not guilty plea to the retaliation count, which proceeded to trial. The court discussed that the driving‑on‑a‑revoked charge would be handled in a bifurcated manner because prior convictions determine the sentencing range on later counts; the court confirmed for the record that Vaughn pleaded to a third‑offense driving‑on‑revoked charge.

Vaughn represented himself at trial and waived an opening statement and, later, his right to testify. His advisory counsel, identified for the record as Mr. Spratt, consulted with him during the proceedings. The defense presented one witness, Jennifer Nicole Dozier, who testified about Vaughn’s character and said she did not think he would harm the children who were present in the vehicle at the initial contact; the witness also acknowledged she was aware of Vaughn’s prior convictions.

Court rulings and post‑verdict steps

The court denied a defense motion for judgment of acquittal brought under Rule 29, finding sufficient evidence for a jury to resolve the issues. During trial the court also overruled a defense objection and allowed testimony about later statements Vaughn made in booking (the court concluded those statements were relevant to the charged offense because they were part of the same course of conduct and showed continued animus toward law enforcement).

After the guilty verdict the judge ordered a presentence investigation report and discussed scheduling for sentencing and for other pending criminal matters; the judge advised Vaughn to consider whether to accept appointed counsel for those upcoming, more serious cases.

What the key witnesses said (direct quotes from trial)

- Defendant Sharique Marquis Vaughn: recorded saying, “I’m a threat. I’m a threat for a reason.”
- Corporal Lindsey Javins (Dixon Police Department): testified about the same exchange and that Vaughn said, “when her jaw gets broke, it’s your fault,” while staff were removing handcuffs.
- Sergeant Justin Stewart (Dixon Police Department): testified he later heard Vaughn say something to the effect of, “I have bullets for all of you,” and recommended the officer document the threats.

Court context and next steps

The jury’s verdict was unanimous. The court excused the alternate juror and instructed the remaining jurors on the law before they began deliberations. The judge will set a sentencing hearing after the presentence report is prepared; the court also scheduled a future status date to address Vaughn’s related pending cases and whether he will continue to represent himself.

The case is recorded in the Dixon County Circuit Court docket; the indictment and transcript excerpts entered at trial reference Tennessee Code Annotated provisions alleged by the state in the charging instrument. The court transcript and exhibits remain the official record for any post‑trial motions or appellate review.

Ending

A sentencing date and the timetable for Vaughn’s other pending cases were left for the court to set after preparation of a presentence report. The judge advised Vaughn to consider whether to accept appointed counsel for those matters. No sentencing was imposed at the hearing reported in this transcript.