Missouri Court of Appeals, Western District / Jan 21, 2025
Josiah S. Wright vs. State of Missouri
Josiah Wright appealed the denial of his Rule 29.15 motion for postconviction relief, arguing his appellate counsel was ineffective for failing to raise a Batson challenge regarding Venireperson 47. The motion court found counsel was not ineffective because the Batson claim lacked merit, as the State provided a race-neutral explanation for the strike. The appellate court affirmed, agreeing that Wright failed to demonstrate pretext by showing a similarly situated non-struck Caucasian juror, and thus counsel's decision was reasonable legal strategy.