Missouri Court of Appeals, Southern District / Oct 8, 2024
STATE OF MISSOURI, Plaintiff-Respondent v. JOHN DAVID FLEENOR, Defendant-Appellant
John David Fleenor was found guilty of unlawful use of a weapon after a bench trial and sentenced to two years in prison. On appeal, Fleenor argued the circuit court erred in denying his motion for judgment of acquittal, claiming the State failed to prove he did not act in self-defense. The Southern District affirmed the conviction, holding that Fleenor failed to inject the issue of self-defense into the trial, thus relieving the State of the burden to disprove it.