Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District / Dec 10, 2024
Raymond F. Garcia, Appellant, vs. State of Missouri, Respondent.
Raymond F. Garcia appealed the denial of his Rule 24.035 motion for post-conviction relief without an evidentiary hearing. Garcia claimed his plea counsel was ineffective for failing to investigate exculpatory evidence related to self-defense, which led him to lack sufficient knowledge of the direct consequences of his guilty plea. The appellate court affirmed the motion court's judgment, holding that Garcia failed to allege the requisite prejudice by not stating that, but for counsel's error, he would not have pleaded guilty and would have insisted on proceeding to trial.