Court Opinion

ID: 9770817
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-29 16:22:15.953817+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:31:21.027729
License: Public Domain

HOLSTEIN, Judge,
dissenting.
Insofar as the majority is granting an outright reversal of the judgment without remand for further hearing, I respectfully dissent.
In a post-conviction proceeding, the trial court may choose to believe all, part, or none of the testimony of any witness. See Sanders v. State, 738 S.W.2d 856, 857 (Mo. banc 1987). This is true even though such testimony is uncontradicted. Id. Defendant was the only person to testify regarding his conversations with his attorney pri- or to trial. The majority opinion assumes that defendant was truthful in his testimony “that he repeatedly asked counsel that tests be conducted to establish his innocence.” The majority also assumes counsel “was mistaken as to the availability of test procedures.” The motion court specifically declined to make findings on those issues. The motion court is required to make findings of fact and conclusions of law on all issues presented. Rule 27.26.
The majority, without benefit of findings by the motion court, concludes that counsel made incompetent mistakes contrary to the wishes of his client. But if the fact finder disbelieved defendant, the record here does not exclude reasonable explanations for counsel’s conduct. For example, counsel may have been supplied with reliable information by defendant or others indicating that such testing would do more harm than good to the defendant’s case. If counsel had such information, he might have made a reasonable, strategic decision not to conduct the tests. Counsel might wisely have made an informed decision to argue that defendant’s poverty prohibited obtaining the tests and that the state had the burden of proof. Under such circumstances, counsel’s conduct would be the result of a sound, strategic decision. The state has no burden to persuade the fact finder that counsel’s investigation and representation was reasonable. Defendant has the burden of establishing that counsel’s decision *217not to further investigate was unreasonable. Chambers v. State, 745 S.W.2d 718, 721 (Mo.App.1987). This Court should not take on the mantle of fact finder.
Especially noteworthy is the unexplained failure to call defense counsel as a witness at the Rule 27.26 hearing. He is obviously in the best position to explain his motives for not requesting the tests. I will not assume the trial court believed the defendant’s testimony regarding what he asked his lawyer to do. I am also unwilling to assume the trial court believed counsel’s arguments at trial were the result of a mistaken notion that test procedures were unavailable to defendant. In this proceeding, the defendant has the burden of establishing all issues by a preponderance of the evidence. Rule 27.26(f). The case should be remanded to the trial court for further hearing and a finding as to whether the defendant requested counsel to obtain the tests and whether counsel’s decision not to obtain the tests was based upon a mistake. There may be evidence that is more persuasive than defendant’s self-serving testimony. Both defendant and the state should be given the opportunity to submit additional evidence on the questions if such evidence is available.
For these reasons, I would reverse and remand for additional hearing, findings of fact, conclusions of law, and entry of judgment consistent therewith.