Todd B. Fonville Missouri Cases

Todd B. Fonville appealed the denial of his Rule 29.15 motion for post-conviction relief, arguing ineffective assistance of counsel. Fonville claimed his trial counsel was ineffective for failing to raise jury misconduct in a motion for new trial and for not presenting juror testimony about alleged coercion during deliberations. The motion court denied relief, finding the juror testimony inadmissible to impeach the verdict. The appellate court affirmed, holding that trial counsel was not ineffective for failing to present inadmissible evidence, as juror testimony about internal deliberations is generally prohibited.