Missouri Court of Appeals, Southern District / Sep 19, 2023
JOHNNY LEE COOPER, Appellant v. STATE OF MISSOURI, Respondent
Johnny Lee Cooper appealed the denial of his amended Rule 29.15 motion for post-conviction relief, arguing ineffective assistance of trial counsel. The appellate court determined that Cooper's amended motion was not timely filed, and the abandonment doctrine did not apply because retained counsel filed the initial motion. Consequently, the motion court lacked authority to rule on the merits of the amended motion and failed to adjudicate the claims in the initial motion. The appeal was dismissed for lack of a final, appealable judgment.