Title: McLemore v. State

State: missouri

Issuer: Missouri Supreme Court

Document:

SUPREME COURT OF MISSOURI
en banc 
RONALD MCLEMORE, 
  ) 
  ) 
Appellant, 
  ) 
  ) 
v. 
  ) 
No.  SC98987 
  ) 
STATE OF MISSOURI, 
  ) 
  ) 
Respondent. 
  ) 
APPEAL FROM THE CIRCUIT COURT OF TANEY COUNTY 
The Honorable Eric D. Eighmy, Judge 
Ronald McLemore appeals from the circuit court’s judgment overruling his Rule 
29.15 motion for postconviction relief without an evidentiary hearing.  Mr. McLemore 
failed to show on appeal that the circuit court clearly erred in overruling his Rule 29.15 
motion without an evidentiary hearing.  While the record does not refute his claims that 
trial counsel’s failure to object to statistics not in evidence, elicitation of unfavorable 
testimony, and presentation of a deficient opening statement were not reasonably 
competent, trial counsel’s actions did not prejudice Mr. McLemore, and the record refutes 
his claim that trial counsel failed to present a coherent theory of defense in closing 
argument.  The circuit court, therefore, did not clearly err in determining Mr. McLemore 
Opinion issued December 21, 2021
2 
 
failed to plead facts not refuted by the record that, if true, resulted in prejudice entitling 
him to an evidentiary hearing.  The judgment is affirmed. 
Factual and Procedural Background 
 
In 2016, the state charged Mr. McLemore with six felony sexual offenses:  count I, 
enticement of Victim 1, a child younger than 14; count II, sexual misconduct by exposing 
his genitals to Victim 1, a child younger than 15; count III, enticement of Victim 2, a child 
younger than 14; count IV, sexual misconduct by exposing his genitals to Victim 2, a child 
younger than 15; count V, attempted sodomy in the first degree by trying to make Victim 
1 touch his penis; and count VI, attempted sodomy in the first degree by trying to make 
Victim 2 touch his penis.    
At trial, Mr. McLemore’s counsel reserved his opening statement until after the 
close of the state’s case-in-chief.  During the defense’s case, trial counsel called the 
victims’ mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother and elicited testimony from the 
grandmother and great-grandmother that Victim 1 did not have a reputation for 
truthfulness.  The victims’ mother, however, testified Victim 1 did have a reputation for 
truthfulness.   
During the state’s closing argument, the prosecutor referred to statistics that one in 
four girls and one in six boys are sexually molested as children; roughly 90 percent of 
offenders are male acquaintances; and only 3 to 5 percent of perpetrators are prosecuted or 
convicted.  These statistics were not in evidence, but trial counsel did not object to the 
reference.  Instead, trial counsel responded during closing argument that, although the state 
was right as to the statistics, the jury was obligated to decide the case on its facts.  
3 
 
The jury found Mr. McLemore guilty of Counts I, II, IV, and V but acquitted him 
of Counts III and VI.  Mr. McLemore waived jury sentencing, and the circuit court 
sentenced him to 10 years’ imprisonment for Count I and Count V, to be served 
consecutively, and four years’ imprisonment for Count II and Count IV, to be served 
concurrently. 
In 2018, the office of chief disciplinary counsel filed an information against 
Mr. McLemore’s trial counsel that included allegations trial counsel “failed to present 
evidence on Mr. McLemore’s behalf” and “purposely let the prosecutor put it all out there 
so when it came to retrial, [Mr.] McLemore would have a better defense.”  The information 
also alleged trial counsel failed to file Mr. McLemore’s direct appeal, and Mr. McLemore 
was unable to contact him for three months after sentencing.  Trial counsel never filed a 
response to the information, so its allegations were deemed admitted, and he was disbarred 
in 2019. 
 
Represented by new counsel, Mr. McLemore appealed, and the court of appeals 
affirmed the convictions.  See State v. McLemore, 574 S.W.3d 342, 346 (Mo. App. 2019).  
Mr. McLemore then filed a Rule 29.15 motion to vacate, set aside, or correct the judgment, 
alleging trial counsel was ineffective for:  (1) failing to object to the prosecutor’s use during 
closing argument of statistics not in evidence, (2) eliciting testimony from the victims’ 
mother that Victim 1, who provided most of the evidence against Mr. McLemore, had a 
reputation for truthfulness; and (3) failing to present a coherent theory of defense in his 
opening statement and closing argument, failing to discuss Victim 1’s reputation for 
untruthfulness in his opening statement and closing argument, and arguing in closing that 
4 
 
he had no idea how the victims knew about ejaculation, supporting the state’s theory of the 
case.1   
The circuit court overruled Mr. McLemore’s motion without an evidentiary hearing, 
concluding:  
Here, Movant’s claims of ineffective assistance all derive from the trial 
record and can be analyzed without additional evidence.  The record shows 
that all of the claims lack merit.  In none of these claims did Movant 
demonstrate both incompetence and prejudice.  Movant failed to overcome 
the legal presumption that trial counsel behaved reasonably. 
 
Mr. McLemore appealed the circuit court’s judgment, and this Court granted transfer after 
an opinion by the court of appeals.  Mo. Const. art. V, sec. 10.  On appeal, Mr. McLemore 
asserts the circuit court erred in overruling his ineffective assistance of counsel claims 
without an evidentiary hearing. 
Standard of Review 
Appellate review of the circuit court’s ruling is limited to determining whether the 
circuit court’s findings and conclusions are clearly erroneous, Rule 29.15(k), and a 
“movant is entitled to an evidentiary hearing only if:  (1) [the movant] pleaded facts, not 
conclusions, warranting relief; (2) the facts alleged are not refuted by the record; and           
(3) the matters complained of resulted in prejudice to the movant,” Booker v. State, 552 
S.W.3d 522, 526 (Mo. banc 2018).  The facts Mr. McLemore asserts warrant relief are trial 
                                              
1 Mr. McLemore raised two other claims in his motion:  (1) that the circuit court’s judgment 
failed to accurately describe the crime for which the jury found him guilty and (2) that trial 
counsel was ineffective for eliciting and failing to object to inadmissible expert testimony.  
Mr. McLemore withdrew the first claim prior to the circuit court’s judgment and 
abandoned the second claim by failing to raise it on appeal.  See Rule 84.13(a). 
5 
 
counsel’s actions allegedly resulting in ineffective assistance of counsel.  To state a claim 
for ineffective assistance of counsel, the movant must allege facts “demonstrating:  (1) that 
counsel’s performance did not conform to the degree of skill, care, and diligence of a 
reasonably competent attorney, and (2) that counsel’s deficient performance actually 
prejudiced the movant.”  Id. at 531.   
In determining whether a movant has met his or her burden to show ineffective 
assistance of counsel, courts must indulge a strong presumption “that, under the 
circumstances, the challenged action might be considered sound trial strategy.”  Strickland 
v. Washington, 466 U.S. 668, 689 (1984) (internal quotation omitted). And whether 
counsel’s performance conformed to the degree of skill, care, and diligence of a reasonably 
competent attorney is an “inquiry into the objective reasonableness of counsel’s 
performance, not counsel’s subjective state of mind.”  Harrington v. Richter, 562 U.S. 86, 
110 (2011).  Because the inquiry is an objective inquiry into the reasonableness of 
counsel’s performance, an evidentiary hearing will not always be necessary to adjudicate 
claims of ineffective assistance of counsel.2 
                                              
2 In its opinion handed down prior to transfer, the court of appeals reversed the circuit 
court’s judgment and remanded the cause for an evidentiary hearing, holding 
Mr. McLemore should be afforded the opportunity to present evidence his trial counsel’s 
actions were not the result of strategic choices.  Trial counsel’s subjective state of mind  is 
irrelevant, however, to whether his actions were objectively reasonable.  Harrington, 562 
U.S. at 110.  As long as trial counsel’s actions could be considered sound trial strategy – 
as they are presumed to be – then trial counsel’s performance was competent.  Strickland, 
466 U.S. at 689.  In other cases, whether trial counsel’s actions could be considered sound 
trial strategy may depend on facts outside the record, such as the extent and fruits of trial 
counsel’s pretrial investigation.  In such cases, an evidentiary hearing is necessary to 
establish such facts because they do not appear in the record.  Cf. Rule 29.15(h).  But 
 
6 
 
Analysis 
In Mr. McLemore’s first claim of error, he asserts the circuit court clearly erred in 
overruling his amended motion without an evidentiary hearing because his trial counsel 
provided ineffective assistance when he failed to object to the state reciting to the jury 
statistics not in evidence about the prevalence of the sexual abuse of children.  During 
closing argument, the prosecutor stated: 
Most of our population doesn’t understand why an adult would want to do 
that to two little kids.  And perhaps that’s part of why it makes these cases 
difficult to prosecute.  Part of our brains perhaps don’t [sic] want to accept 
that this happens in our society, but we need to get over that as a society, 
because it’s prevalent.  In 2005 the center for disease control released 
findings from a study.  And those findings were that one in four girls will be 
sexually molested or sexually abused before they turn 18.  One in six boys.  
The Department of Justice tell [sic] us that 90 percent roughly of offenders 
are males who are acquaintances of the child.  And that 3 to 5 percent of 
sexual abusers are ever prosecuted or convicted, 3 to 5 percent.  People that 
each of us knows has [sic] been a victim of sexual abuse as a child in the 
past.  We may not know it, but they’re all around us. 
 
These statements were harmful to Mr. McLemore’s defense because the prosecutor was 
using statistics not in evidence to suggest to the jury it was likely Mr. McLemore 
committed the offenses with which he was charged.   
Mr. McLemore claims his trial counsel was ineffective for failing to object, but the 
circuit court found trial counsel was not because counsel responded with “well-reasoned 
argument.”  The circuit court was correct that it can be reasonable trial strategy not to object 
to improper statements in the state’s closing argument.  Tisius v. State, 519 S.W.3d 413, 
                                              
Mr. McLemore does not allege any such facts that would change the analysis.  As a result, 
he did not have a right to an evidentiary hearing to decide whether trial counsel’s conduct 
was objectively reasonable. 
7 
 
428 (Mo. banc 2017).  Trial counsel may decide to forego an objection in favor of later 
responding in the defendant’s closing argument to avoid creating the impression that the 
defense is concealing evidence from the jury.   
But the record shows trial counsel did not respond to the state’s improperly argued 
statistics with “well-reasoned argument.”  Trial counsel’s response was as follows:     
The State’s right.  This – these sort of things, and these accusations and 
allegations, my goodness, what’s our society gone to or where has it been?  
You know, where’s our morality?  I agree.  I agree.  Those statistics that 
Mr. Merrell was talking about, those are just statistics.  This is this case.  This 
case is to be decided on the facts as you see them in this case.  This fact – 
this case will not join those statistics in – in showing, uh, that there was an 
error of parallax, because I am sure that you are looking straight on now. 
    
It is questionable whether failing to object, agreeing with the accuracy of the statistics, and 
then merely reminding the jury to decide the case on the facts conforms to “the degree of 
skill, care, and diligence of a reasonably competent attorney.”  Booker, 552 S.W.3d at 531. 
 
Nevertheless, even assuming trial counsel’s response was not reasonably 
competent, Mr. McLemore did not suffer sufficient prejudice to warrant reversal of the 
judgment denying him relief.  “An error by counsel, even if professionally unreasonable, 
does not warrant setting aside the judgment of a criminal proceeding if the error had no 
effect on the judgment.”  Strickland, 466 U.S. at 691.  For that reason, a movant must show 
“that counsel’s deficient performance actually prejudiced the movant.”  Booker, 552 
S.W.3d at 531.  It is not enough “to show that the errors had some conceivable effect on 
the outcome of the proceeding.  Virtually every act or omission of counsel would meet that 
test, and not every error that conceivably could have influenced the outcome undermines 
the reliability of the result of the proceeding.”  Strickland, 466 U.S. at 693 (internal citation 
8 
 
omitted).   A movant must show there is a probability sufficient to undermine confidence 
in the outcome “that, but for counsel’s unprofessional errors, the result of the proceeding 
would have been different.”  Id. at 694.  Because the prosecutor’s reference to the statistics 
was isolated and brief and the jury found Mr. McLemore not guilty of two offenses, the 
circuit court did not clearly err in finding trial counsel’s failure to object did not result in 
prejudice.     
Likewise, the circuit court did not clearly err in overruling Mr. McLemore’s second 
claim – that he received ineffective assistance of counsel when his counsel elicited 
testimony from the victims’ mother that Victim 1 had a reputation for truthfulness.  While 
the record confirms trial counsel elicited testimony from the mother that Victim 1 has a 
reputation in the community for truthfulness, trial counsel had previously elicited 
testimony from the victims’ grandmother and great-grandmother that Victim 1 did not have 
a reputation for truthfulness.  As the circuit court noted, “Counsel’s quest for reputation 
evidence to impeach [Victim 1] was successful with two witnesses and unsuccessful with 
one.”  The fact two witnesses, both of whom were also Victim 1’s family members, testified 
that Victim 1 had a reputation for untruthfulness mitigated the possibility that prejudice 
resulted from the mother’s contrary testimony.  The circuit court, therefore, did not clearly 
err in determining Mr. McLemore failed to show a reasonable probability that, but for trial 
counsel’s elicitation of the mother’s testimony, the outcome of the trial would have been 
different.  See id.     
In his last claim of error, Mr. McLemore asserts the circuit court clearly erred in 
overruling his amended motion for postconviction relief without an evidentiary hearing 
9 
 
because his trial counsel provided ineffective assistance when he reserved opening 
statement and failed to present a coherent theory of defense in either his opening statement 
or closing argument.  After the state’s case in chief, trial counsel delivered the following 
opening statement:   
It’s good to see you today.  Uh, I was think [sic] about this case. I – the 
weather's moving in.  I was watching the weather today, Griffey, the weather 
dog.  What’s bothered me about this case, I’m going to present testimony 
here today, and I want you to know it’s just kind of make sure that everybody 
is still looking at things in the right way. 
  
I was a meteorologist at one time.  I don’t know if you know about 
the air of parallax. A barometer, when one reads a barometer, the needle is 
in front of a mirror.  
 
See, when you read your barometer reading, if you are not standing 
right there looking at it just right, your altimeter setting in an airplane is going 
to be off.  Because you can be looking at like this, could be like this 
(gesturing).  
 
All right.  So – and so very important, and you’d say [] why – what 
kind of analogy are you trying to draw?  This is what I’m talking about.  
 
To insure [sic] that you are not looking this way or that way, this is 
called to correct and make sure that you are looking at that barometer correct 
to give that airplane the proper altimeter setting, so he may land and not 
crash, you must be looking straight at it.  All right. 
  
How do – how do I relate that to a jury?  Well, I relate that to a jury 
in this way:  I feel as though that that method, that standard of looking at 
something, all right, I would call it impartiality. 
  
You could be a little too far to this side, during this stage especially, 
or too far to this side, as you view this evidence.  Because I know, and you 
know too, that you haven’t made your mind up about this case.  Okay.  
 
So I’m going to present testimony here today in the defense of Ron 
McLemore and the allegations that have been made against him. What do I 
intend to show?  I believe that the evidence will show that Mr. McLemore 
10 
 
and his paramour, Ms. Cheryl Mick, cohabited together for eight years in 
somewhat peacefully beside – close to in proximity to the grandchildren. 
  
They were not married.  However, Mr. McLemore was in these 
children’s lives, basically since they were either born or as they were growing 
up very much.  There was a change, though, in the relationships.  Um, and it 
happened when Mr. McLemore was watching the children, I suppose.  And 
I don’t know if the change came in, uh, one of the children, or perhaps it was 
Mr. McLemore, perhaps a change in him was after his operation, perhaps he 
did change.  He no longer worked.  Perhaps he was depressed. 
  
So, therefore, what I was to show the jury is that these events that 
happened to this family – and I’m saying that all the parties that you have 
seen here today, even though they weren’t married, I would consider them 
family inasmuch as they have been sharing their lives here together – and 
you hear their testimony about how it’s kind of really put a strain on that. 
  
You are going to hear Mr. McLemore defend himself against the 
accusations in which you have heard in these past two days.  And after 
hearing that, then you will be instructed after a closing argument to render a 
verdict.  And that’s where we go. 
  
So at this time I would like to start presenting my evidence. Thank 
you. 
  
Mr. McLemore claims trial counsel was ineffective due to his failure to provide the 
jury with a coherent theory of defense in his opening statement.  He avers the jury “was 
never given a roadmap on what evidence to look for, or the importance of the evidence as 
it was being adduced because counsel did not, at any point in the trial, articulate a coherent 
theory of defense.”  The circuit court found trial counsel was not ineffective for reserving 
opening statement until after the state’s case-in-chief, trial counsel “did present a 
competent opening statement,” and the record rebutted the claim that trial counsel failed to 
present a coherent theory of defense during closing argument.  The circuit court was correct 
to find trial counsel was not ineffective merely for reserving opening statement, but the 
11 
 
record does not show “that, under the circumstances, the challenged action might be 
considered sound trial strategy.”  Id. at 689. 
 
At best, trial counsel’s opening statement reminded the jury to be impartial, stated 
Mr. McLemore would testify in his defense, informed the jury Mr. McLemore had a close 
relationship with the children, and suggested Mr. McLemore became depressed after 
surgery.  Those facts, if true, do not make it any less likely Mr. McLemore committed the 
offenses with which he was charged, and the fact he was depressed after surgery could be 
found to make it more likely he committed the offenses.  Trial counsel’s statement that 
there was a change in Mr. McLemore’s relationship with the children when he was 
watching the children and trial counsel’s inability to explain the change tended to support 
the state’s theory of the case rather than a defense.  Additionally, the fact trial counsel had 
so little to say on Mr. McLemore’s behalf and in his defense would have been apparent to 
the jury and reflected negatively on Mr. McLemore.  While a defendant is not required to 
present an opening statement, when trial counsel chooses to do so, it should not harm the 
defense.  The record, therefore, does not clearly refute Mr. McLemore’s claim that trial 
counsel’s opening statement was objectively unreasonable.  
Nevertheless, the circuit court correctly found Mr. McLemore did not establish 
prejudice entitling him to postconviction relief.  In his amended motion, Mr. McLemore 
alleges only the conclusion that he “was prejudiced because had counsel articulated his 
theory of defense to the jury during the trial there was a reasonable probability of a different 
outcome at trial.”  Without more, a conclusory allegation is insufficient to establish a claim 
of ineffective assistance of counsel.  State v. Starks, 856 S.W.2d 334, 336 (Mo. banc 1993).  
12 
 
Furthermore, the fact the jury acquitted Mr. McLemore of two charges shows the deficient 
opening statement did not influence the jury to find him guilty regardless of the evidence.  
The circuit court, therefore, did not clearly err in finding counsel was not ineffective for an 
incoherent opening statement.  
The second ground for Mr. McLemore’s third claim relates to his trial counsel’s 
closing argument.  He alleges trial counsel provided ineffective assistance of counsel when 
he failed to present a coherent theory of defense in closing argument and argued a point 
that supported the state’s theory of the case.3  The circuit court found the record rebutted 
the claim because trial counsel made “multiple, reasonable points during closing,” 
including: 
(a) 
The [forensic] interviewer lacked impartiality and had planted the 
descriptions of Movant’s genitalia in the victims’ mind by showing them 
pictures of male anatomy during the interview; 
(b) 
The forensic interviewer and the State were predisposed to look for a 
“negative” or “the bad” in everything; 
                                              
3 In his brief’s final point relied on, Mr. McLemore also alleges his trial counsel provided 
ineffective assistance of counsel by “failing to mention to the jury the most important 
evidence in Mr. McLemore’s defense in his opening statement and closing argument” – 
that Victim 1 had a reputation for untruthfulness.  He claims the allegations of professional 
misconduct resulting in his trial counsel’s disbarment show his failure to mention important 
evidence to the jury in closing argument was an intentional ploy to give Mr. McLemore “a 
better defense” on retrial.  This claim goes beyond the issue Mr. McLemore raised in his 
motion, which was that trial counsel failed to mention evidence to the jury only in his 
opening statement.  Whether trial counsel was also ineffective for failing to mention 
evidence in closing argument is an issue raised for the first time on appeal, and “[i]ssues 
raised for the first time on appeal are not preserved for appellate review.”  Heifetz v. Apex 
Clayton, Inc., 554 S.W.3d 389, 397 n.10 (Mo. banc 2018).  The Court also notes the 
allegations of professional misconduct were not that trial counsel intentionally failed to 
mention important evidence to the jury in closing argument.  The allegations were that he 
“failed to present evidence on Mr. McLemore’s behalf” and “let the prosecutor put it all 
out there” so Mr. McLemore would have “a better defense” on retrial. 
13 
 
(c) 
Movant’s lack of questions for the investigator, which the State had 
implied to be evidence of guilt, were in reality due to the facts that Movant 
loved the children and was already aware of their accusations, which the 
family was addressing; 
(d) 
An increase in false accusations of sexual abuse as children are 
increasingly exposed to pornography on electronic devices, which was an 
alternative explanation for the victims’ knowledge of mature sexual matters; 
(e) 
An excessive similarity in the victims’ statements, suggestive of 
coordination; 
(f) 
The defense’s explanation for the victims’ motivation to falsely 
accuse Movant, which was that Movant had scolded them; 
(g) 
The testimony of the victims’ older sister, who denied witnessing any 
abuse or inappropriate behavior despite having been often present in 
Movant’s home with the victims; 
(h) 
The victims’ exposure to sexual activity by animals, as an alternative 
source for knowing a penis’s appearance, and their comparison of 
[Mr. McLemore’s] anatomy to a dog’s penis; 
(i) 
The victims’ failure to ever describe the penis as erect despite 
claiming to have seen ejaculation—as a matter of common sense, Movant’s 
penis would have been erect prior to ejaculation and victims should have 
been able to see that if they had observed this activity in real life; instead they 
had obtained their incomplete sexual education elsewhere; 
(j) 
The victims may have seen Movant’s flaccid penis while spying on 
him in the bathroom; 
(k) 
Mere accusations are not evidence; 
(l) 
Movant’s paramour and her mother, who were both related to the 
victims[,] had stood by Movant; 
(m) 
A final, renewed call for impartiality, which tied back to counsel’s 
opening statement. 
 
(Internal citations to the transcript omitted).  In view of these detailed findings, it was not 
clearly erroneous for the circuit court to conclude the record rebutted Mr. McLemore’s 
claim that his trial counsel failed to present a coherent theory of defense during closing 
argument.  Even assuming other “arguments would unquestionably have supported the 
defense, it does not follow that counsel was incompetent for failing to include them.”  
Yarborough v. Gentry, 540 U.S. 1, 7 (2003).    
14 
 
 
The only portion of the record Mr. McLemore cites to demonstrate trial counsel 
failed to provide a coherent theory of defense in closing is trial counsel’s following 
statement to the jury:  
I had not heard one bit of testimony describing that penis as erect.  However, 
there is one fact that would state that that penis should have been erect and 
should have been described as an erect penis in as much as it was said there 
was ejaculation.  Uh-oh.  That must make it true.  How could these children 
know about ejaculation?  I don’t know.  God, I don’t know.  But I guaranty 
[sic] you their grandmothers would like to know. 
 
As the circuit court found, however, this argument emphasized the “victims’ failure to ever 
describe the penis as erect despite claiming to have seen ejaculation—as a matter of 
common sense, Movant’s penis would have been erect prior to ejaculation and victims 
should have been able to see that if they had observed this activity in real life.”  Trial 
counsel’s argument, therefore, presented a coherent theory of defense – that however the 
victims knew about ejaculation it was not because Mr. McLemore engaged in sexual 
misconduct with the victims or else they would have described an erect penis.4  
 
 
                                              
4 Mr. McLemore recasts this argument on appeal as an ineffective assistance of counsel 
claim based on arguing a point that “undercut the evidence he produced suggesting the 
children learned about sexual matters from their fascination with sex and animals’ 
genitalia.”  Mr. McLemore did not allege in his motion that trial counsel’s argument 
undercut the evidence he produced to explain the victims’ knowledge of sexual matters.  
Rather, he included trial counsel’s argument in his motion to demonstrate his failure to 
present a coherent theory of defense – that trial counsel, in Mr. McLemore’s words, “ha[d] 
no idea how the children would have knowledge of ejaculation.”  This Court, therefore, 
analyzes the claim as whether trial counsel failed to present a coherent theory of defense, 
as it was presented to the circuit court. 
15 
 
Conclusion 
 
Trial counsel’s failure to object to statistics not in evidence, elicitation of 
unfavorable testimony, and presentation of a deficient opening statement did not give rise 
to a reasonable probability that, but for trial counsel’s actions, the result of the proceeding 
would have been different.  And the record refutes the claim that trial counsel failed to 
present a coherent theory of defense in closing argument.  The circuit court, therefore, did 
not clearly err in denying Mr. McLemore’s postconviction claims without an evidentiary 
hearing.  The circuit court’s judgment is affirmed.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
___________________________________ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   PATRICIA BRECKENRIDGE, JUDGE 
 
Russell, Ransom and Draper, JJ., concur; 
Fischer, J., concurs in separate opinion filed; 
Wilson, C.J., and Powell, J., concur in opinion 
of Fischer, J. 
 
SUPREME COURT OF MISSOURI 
en banc 
 
RONALD MCLEMORE,  
 
  ) 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  ) 
 
 
 
APPELLANT, 
  ) 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  ) 
v. 
 
 
 
 
 
  ) 
No.  SC98987 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  ) 
STATE OF MISSOURI, 
 
 
  ) 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  ) 
 
 
 
RESPONDENT. 
  ) 
 
CONCURRING OPINION 
I agree with the majority opinion's conclusion that the motion court did not clearly 
err in overruling Ronald McLemore's Rule 29.15 motion without an evidentiary hearing. 
Standard of Review 
 
"This Court reviews [McLemore's] claims for the limited purpose of determining 
whether the circuit court clearly erred in making its findings of fact and conclusions of 
law."  Barton v. State, 432 S.W.3d 741, 748 (Mo. banc 2014); Rule 29.15(k).                 
"A judgment is clearly erroneous when, after reviewing the entire record, the court is left 
with the definite and firm impression the motion court made a mistake."  Barton, 432 
S.W.3d at 748.  "This Court presumes the motion court's findings are correct."  Id.   
A motion court clearly erred in overruling a Rule 29.15 motion's request for 
an evidentiary hearing only if movant can show 1) that his motion alleged 
facts, not conclusions, warranting relief; 2) the facts alleged were not 
 
2 
conclusively refuted by the files and records in the case; and 3) the matters 
complained of resulted in prejudice to the movant.   
Williams v. State, 386 S.W.3d 750, 752 (Mo. banc 2012) (alterations omitted). 
To be entitled to post-conviction relief for ineffective assistance of counsel, a 
movant must show by a preponderance of the evidence that (1) his or her trial counsel 
failed to exercise the level of skill and diligence that a reasonably competent counsel 
would in a similar situation, and (2) he or she was prejudiced by that failure.  Strickland 
v. Washington, 466 U.S. 668, 687 (1984).  Prejudice occurs when "there is a reasonable 
probability that, but for counsel's unprofessional errors, the result of the proceeding 
would have been different."  Id. at 694.  
The majority opinion correctly concluded defense counsel's performance did not 
prejudice McLemore and the analysis should have ended with that conclusion.                
In Strickland, the bedrock ineffective assistance of counsel case, the United States 
Supreme Court specifically instructed: 
[T]here is no reason for a court deciding an ineffective assistance claim to 
. . . address both components of the inquiry if the defendant makes an 
insufficient showing on one.  In particular, a court need not determine 
whether counsel's performance was deficient before examining the 
prejudice suffered by the defendant as a result of the alleged deficiencies.  
The object of an ineffectiveness claim is not to grade counsel's 
performance.  If it is easier to dispose of an ineffectiveness claim on the 
ground of lack of sufficient prejudice, which we expect will often be so, 
that course should be followed.  Courts should strive to ensure that 
ineffectiveness claims not become so burdensome to defense counsel that 
the entire criminal justice system suffers as a result. 
Id. at 697 (emphasis added).  In this case, the motion court found defense counsel's 
performance did not prejudice McLemore.  The Supreme Court of the United States in 
 
3 
Strickland instructs that is where the analysis should end.   
It can be tempting Monday morning quarterback, meaning in this context to look 
back at defense counsel's performance and imagine what could have been done better, but 
that is not this Court's role.  In this case, the jury acquitted McLemore of two of the six 
felony charges.  The motion court's findings, that defense counsel was not ineffective, are 
presumed correct and this presumption exists because it possesses the great advantage of 
having witnessed in-person trial counsel's performance.   
Conclusion 
For these reasons, I concur. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
___________________________ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Zel M. Fischer, Judge