Missouri Court of Appeals, Southern District / Jul 25, 2023
STATE OF MISSOURI, Plaintiff-Respondent v. LOUIS ANTHONY MEALER, Defendant-Appellant
Louis Anthony Mealer was convicted of multiple counts including first-degree statutory sodomy and child molestation. On appeal, Mealer claimed the circuit court erred by not allowing him to testify about his belief that the victim fabricated allegations and by failing to provide a functioning auxiliary listening device, thus warranting a mistrial. The appellate court affirmed the judgment, finding no reversible error in either claim, concluding that the trial court did not abuse its discretion in limiting testimony and declining plain error review for the mistrial request.