Supreme Court of Missouri / Apr 6, 2021
State of Missouri, Respondent, vs. Matthew James Lee McCord, Appellant.
Matthew James Lee McCord, a registered sex offender, appealed his conviction for residing within 1,000 feet of a school, arguing the distance should be measured from building to building. The circuit court found him guilty, measuring from property line to property line. The Missouri Supreme Court affirmed McCord's conviction, holding that the word "school" in section 566.147 includes both the school building and the adjoining school property, reflecting the legislature's intent to protect children.