Missouri Court of Appeals, Southern District / Nov 27, 2024
TERRY D. MORRISON, Movant-Appellant v. STATE OF MISSOURI, Respondent-Respondent
Terry D. Morrison appealed the denial of his Rule 29.15 motion for post-conviction relief, arguing ineffective assistance of trial counsel. Morrison claimed his counsel was ineffective for offering lesser-included offense instructions (second-degree murder and voluntary manslaughter) when the defense strategy was an "all or nothing" approach. The appellate court affirmed the motion court's judgment, holding that offering lesser-included instructions was a reasonable trial strategy and Morrison failed to demonstrate prejudice.