Tennessee Code Annotated
Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-13-304 (2026)
Aggravated kidnapping
✓ current as of May 2026
- (a) Aggravated kidnapping is false imprisonment, as defined in § 39-13-302, committed:
- (1) To facilitate the commission of any felony or flight thereafter;
- (2) To interfere with the performance of any governmental or political function;
- (3) With the intent to inflict serious bodily injury on or to terrorize the victim or another;
- (4) Where the victim suffers bodily injury; or
- (5) While the defendant is in possession of a deadly weapon or threatens the use of a deadly weapon.
- (b)
- (1) Aggravated kidnapping is a Class B felony.
- (2) If the offender voluntarily releases the victim alive or voluntarily provides information leading to the victim's safe release, such actions shall be considered by the court as a mitigating factor at the time of sentencing.
Acts 1989, ch. 591, § 1; T.C.A., § 39-13-301; Acts 1990, ch. 982, § 1.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 167
cases (25 in the last 5 years), 1993–2025 · leading case: State v. Davidson, 121 S.W.3d 600 (Tenn. 2003).
State v. Davidson, 121 S.W.3d 600 (Tenn. 2003). “See Tenn.Code Ann. § 39-13-304 (1991). When viewed in a light most favorable to the State, it is clear from the evidence discussed above that a rational trier of fact could find the elements of aggravated kidnapping beyond a reasonable doubt.”
State v. White, 362 S.W.3d 559 (Tenn. 2012). “§ 39-13-304(a) (2006). Subsections (1), (2), and (3) are drawn from the Model Penal Code’s kidnapping provision.”
Ruff v. State, 978 S.W.2d 95 (Tenn. 1998). “Unlike the aggravated rape statute in Hill , the aggravated kidnaping statute, Tenn.Code Ann. § 39-13-304 (1991), refers to a culpable mental state by defining kidnaping as “false imprisonment, as defined in § 39-13-302,” accompanied by certain aggravating circumstances.”
State v. Taylor, 63 S.W.3d 400 (Tenn. Crim. App. 2001). “See Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-13-304 (1997). According to Tenn.”
State of Tennessee v. Jerome Maurice Teats, 468 S.W.3d 495 (Tenn. 2015). “Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-13-304 (a)-(b)(1) (1990).”
State v. Bonestel, 871 S.W.2d 163 (Tenn. Crim. App. 1993). “§ 39-17 — 417(i), (c) aggravated kidnapping, Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-13-304 , (d) aggravated robbery, Tenn.”
State of Tennessee v. Larry Jereller Alston, Kris Theotis Young, & Joshua Edward Webb, 465 S.W.3d 555 (Tenn. 2015). “Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-13-304 (a)-(b)(1) (1990).”
State v. Parker, 932 S.W.2d 945 (Tenn. Crim. App. 1996). “Tenn.CodeAnn. § 39-13-304. 62 . Tenn.Code Ann.”
Rashe Moore v. State of Tennessee, 485 S.W.3d 411 (Tenn. 2016). “§ 39-13-304(a)(5) (1997). '' For purposes of our analysis, especially aggravated kidnapping and aggravated kidnapping differ in whether the defendant uses a deadly weapon or merely possesses (or threatens to use) a deadly weapon.”
State v. Samuel, 243 S.W.3d 592 (Tenn. Crim. App. 2007). “T.C.A. § 39-13-304(b)(1). The defendant’s presentence report contains two Class C felonies and two Class D felonies, which would qualify him as a Range II Multiple Offender.”
State v. Cureton, 38 S.W.3d 64 (Tenn. Crim. App. 2000). “” In Ruff , the indictment alleged that the defendant had committed aggravated kidnapping, in violation of Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-13-304 , which, in turn, defined kidnapping as “false imprisonment, as defined in § 39-13-302.”
State v. Martin, 146 S.W.3d 64 (Tenn. Crim. App. 2004). “§ 40-35-303(a) states as follows: A defendant shall be eligible for probation under the provisions of this chapter if the sentence actually imposed upon such defendant is eight (8) years or less; provided, that a defendant shall not be eligible for probation under the provisions…”
— Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-13-304(2) — 1 case
State v. Steven Arrington (Tenn. Ct. App. 2002).
— Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-13-304(3) — 1 case
State of Tennessee v. Cornelius Banks (Tenn. Crim. App. 2016).
— Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-13-304(4)(5) — 1 case
State of Tennessee v. Jay W. Edwards (Tenn. Crim. App. 2021).
— Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-13-304(a) — 9 cases
State v. White, 362 S.W.3d 559 (Tenn. 2012). “§ 39-13-304(a) (2006). Subsections (1), (2), and (3) are drawn from the Model Penal Code’s kidnapping provision.”
State of Tennessee v. Jerome Maurice Teats, 468 S.W.3d 495 (Tenn. 2015). “Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-13-304 (a)-(b)(1) (1990).”
State of Tennessee v. Larry Jereller Alston, Kris Theotis Young, & Joshua Edward Webb, 465 S.W.3d 555 (Tenn. 2015). “Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-13-304 (a)-(b)(1) (1990).”
State v. Legg, 9 S.W.3d 111 (Tenn. 1999).
State of Tennessee v. Cornelius Banks (Tenn. Crim. App. 2016).
— Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-13-304(a)(1) — 18 cases
Billy J. Coffelt v. State of Tennessee (Tenn. Crim. App. 2010).
State of Tennessee v. Stephano Lee Weilacker (Tenn. Crim. App. 2018).
State of Tennessee v. Kelley Hufford (Tenn. Crim. App. 2019).
State of Tennessee v. Nemon Omar Winton (Tenn. Crim. App. 2020).
State of Tennessee v. Ricky L. Helmick, Jr. (Tenn. Crim. App. 2021).
— Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-13-304(a)(3) — 7 cases
State v. Lujan, 911 P.2d 562 (Ariz. Ct. App. 1995).
State of Tennessee v. Michael Green (Tenn. Crim. App. 2019).
Patrick Lamar Moore v. Mike Parris, Warden (Tenn. Crim. App. 2022).
State of Tennessee v. Jaylun Malik Currie (Tenn. Crim. App. 2024).
State of Tennessee v. Marquez Winters (Tenn. Crim. App. 2002).
— Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-13-304(a)(4) — 14 cases
State of Tennessee v. Bobby Marable II (Tenn. Crim. App. 2024).
State of Tennessee v. Herbert B. Ward (Tenn. Crim. App. 2014).
State of Tennessee v. Christopher Lee Williams (Tenn. Crim. App. 2017).
State of Tennessee v. Jamie Lynn Moore (Tenn. Crim. App. 2018).
State of Tennessee v. Jordan Ballard (Tenn. Crim. App. 2024).
— Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-13-304(a)(5) — 19 cases
Rashe Moore v. State of Tennessee, 485 S.W.3d 411 (Tenn. 2016). “§ 39-13-304(a)(5) (1997). '' For purposes of our analysis, especially aggravated kidnapping and aggravated kidnapping differ in whether the defendant uses a deadly weapon or merely possesses (or threatens to use) a deadly weapon.”
State of Tennessee v. Cleotha Abston a/k/a Cleotha Henderson (Tenn. Crim. App. 2025).
State of Tennessee v. Jay W. Edwards (Tenn. Crim. App. 2021).
Billy J. Coffelt v. State of Tennessee (Tenn. Crim. App. 2010).
State of Tennessee v. Cedric Jones (Tenn. Crim. App. 2016).
— Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-13-304(b)(1) — 5 cases
State v. Samuel, 243 S.W.3d 592 (Tenn. Crim. App. 2007). “T.C.A. § 39-13-304(b)(1). The defendant’s presentence report contains two Class C felonies and two Class D felonies, which would qualify him as a Range II Multiple Offender.”
State Of Tennessee v. Stephen R. Mayes (Tenn. Crim. App. 2020).
State of Tennessee v. Sylvester Smith (Tenn. Crim. App. 2013).
State of Tennessee v. Andrea Spencer (Tenn. Crim. App. 2003).
State of Tennessee v. Aaron Tate (Tenn. Crim. App. 2013).
— Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-13-304(b)(2) — 11 cases
State v. White, 362 S.W.3d 559 (Tenn. 2012). “§ 39-13-304(a) (2006). Subsections (1), (2), and (3) are drawn from the Model Penal Code’s kidnapping provision.”
Dearice Cates v. State of Tennessee (Tenn. Crim. App. 2011).
State of Tennessee v. Brandon Frost (Tenn. Crim. App. 2017).
State of Tennessee v. Joseph D. Taylor (Tenn. Crim. App. 2005).
Joseph D. Taylor v. State of Tennessee (Tenn. Crim. App. 2004).
— Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-13-304(b)(l) — 1 case
State v. White, 362 S.W.3d 559 (Tenn. 2012). “§ 39-13-304(a) (2006). Subsections (1), (2), and (3) are drawn from the Model Penal Code’s kidnapping provision.”
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