Opinion ID: 1893812
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Failure to Object to Admission of T-shirt

Text: Tisius alleges that trial counsel was ineffective for failing to object to the admission of and references to a T-shirt emblazoned with the slogan Guardians of Paradise and the image of a snarling, winged, tiger-like animal, his talons extended over the yin and yang sign, and his taloned wings encircling his body. He alleges that the slogan and associated imagery improperly allowed the jury to speculate that Tisius was associated with an anti-social group. Trial counsel testified at the evidentiary hearing that he did not find the T-shirt objectionable because he had no idea what the `Guardians of Paradise' is and had never heard of it. The motion court found that Tisius had introduced no evidence regarding the identity or existence of the Guardians of Paradise or how the jury would have concluded it was an anti-social group. Tisius bears the burden of proving his claims of ineffective assistance of counsel. Rule 29.15(i). Without evidence as to what, if anything, the shirt referenced or meant, the motion court could have only sustained Tisius' point through speculation. Tisius did not carry his burden, and there is no reasonable probability that Tisius was convicted and sentenced based upon the images on the shirt. The motion court did not clearly err in denying relief on this claim.