Missouri Court of Appeals, Southern District / Aug 21, 2018
JOSEPH V. WILLIAMS, Movant-Appellant, v. STATE OF MISSOURI, Respondent-Respondent.
Joseph V. Williams, serving a lengthy sentence, appealed the denial of his Rule 29.15 motion for post-conviction relief. He claimed his trial counsel was ineffective for failing to object to his appearance in jail clothing during his trial for assaulting a DOC employee. The appellate court affirmed the motion court's decision, finding that counsel's choice not to object was a reasonable trial strategy to elicit jury sympathy or nullification, especially given Williams's admission of the crime and his existing long sentence.