Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District / Dec 14, 2021
John R. Starks III, Appellant, v. State of Missouri, Respondent.
John R. Starks III appealed the circuit court's denial of his Rule 24.035 motion for postconviction relief without an evidentiary hearing. Starks claimed his guilty plea to twelve counts of second-degree burglary was involuntary because his counsel allegedly promised him probation, but he was sentenced to ten years imprisonment. The appellate court affirmed the circuit court's judgment, finding that the record conclusively refuted Starks's allegations, as he repeatedly confirmed his understanding that sentencing was at the court's discretion and no promises were made.