Missouri Court of Appeals, Southern District / Nov 21, 2019
HAROLD R. STATES, Movant-Appellant v. STATE OF MISSOURI, Respondent-Respondent
Harold R. States appealed the denial of his Rule 29.15 motion for post-conviction relief without an evidentiary hearing. He argued that the motion court erred by not conducting an abandonment inquiry, claiming his appointed counsel abandoned him by raising a claim of insufficient evidence that had already been denied on direct appeal. The appellate court affirmed the denial, holding that raising a previously denied claim does not constitute abandonment under the limited circumstances recognized by Missouri law.