Missouri Court of Appeals, Southern District / Mar 4, 2024
COURTNEY DUANE BLADE, Appellant v. STATE OF MISSOURI, Respondent
Courtney Duane Blade appealed the denial of his Rule 29.15 motion for post-conviction relief, which alleged ineffective assistance of trial counsel. Blade claimed his counsel failed to object to the prosecutor's cross-examination regarding a witness's veracity. The appellate court affirmed the motion court's denial, finding that counsel's decision was a reasonable trial strategy to support a sudden-passion defense and that Blade failed to demonstrate prejudice due to overwhelming evidence of guilt.