Forshee v. State

763 S.W.2d 352, 1988 Mo. App. LEXIS 1781, 1988 WL 138464
Missouri Court of Appeals·Decided December 28, 1988·No. 15755·Published·Cited by 13 cases

Opinion

HOLSTEIN, Chief Judge.

Movant Roy Dale Forshee was convicted following a jury trial of first degree robbery, § 569.020, 1 first degree burglary, § 569.160, and two counts of armed criminal action, § 571.015. The trial court sentenced him to a total of seventy years on all four counts. The sentence was affirmed on appeal. State v. Forshee, 723 S.W.2d 480 (Mo.App.1986).

On January 17, 1985, movant filed a motion for post-conviction relief under former Rule 27.26. 2 After counsel was appointed, three amended motions under Rule 27.26 were filed with the last being on March 18, 1988. 3

Following an evidentiary hearing on March 24, 1988, the court denied movant’s motion and filed extensive findings of fact and conclusions of law. This appeal followed.

Movant raises three points on appeal. First, he argues that he was denied a fair and impartial jury because one of his peremptory strikes was used to remove a venireman that should have been stricken for cause. Second, movant argues that his defense counsel was ineffective in at least eight specific ways. Finally, he argues that his double jeopardy rights were violated when he was charged and convicted of two counts of armed criminal action based upon the same conduct.

The basic facts are that Forshee unlawfully entered the Pyatt home outside St. James, Missouri, with the intention to commit a robbery, and, that through the use of a handgun, he forcefully took the family jewelry and Mrs. Pyatt’s wallet which contained some money. He then escaped in the Pyatt’s truck. State v. Forshee, supra, at 481. Movant’s primary theories of defense were impeachment of the victim’s identification of movant and alibi. Due to the number of issues raised by the movant, *354 other pertinent facts will be recited in addressing each point.

This court’s review of a Rule 27.26 proceeding is “limited to a determination of whether the findings, conclusions and judgment of the trial court are clearly erroneous.” Futrell v. State, 667 S.W.2d 404, 405 (Mo. banc 1984); Rule 27.26(j). The findings, conclusions and judgment are clearly erroneous “only if upon review of the entire record presented the appellate court is left with a definite and firm belief that a mistake has been made.” Brown v. State, 729 S.W.2d 54, 55 (Mo.App.1987). With these standards in mind, we turn to the points raised in the appellant’s brief.

Each of the three points in movant’s brief begins with the assertion that the court’s decision denying relief to movant was clearly erroneous. None of movant’s points make any assault on the extensive factual findings and legal conclusions filed by the court. If the findings of fact and conclusions of law are not clearly erroneous, the court was justified in denying relief. Movant’s points relied on and argument are a rehash of selected questions of fact and law presented to the motion court. He is undaunted by that court’s right to disbelieve his evidence and ignores the unfavorable findings of fact and conclusions of law. He recites facts and inferences therefrom as if found to be consistent with his theory of the case. Movant’s forty-three pages of points and argument fail to even mention the factual findings or legal conclusions, much less wherein and why they are erroneous. See Rule 84.04(d). Allegations of error not properly briefed need not be considered on appeal. An appellate court has no duty to sift through the brief and the record to identify which factual findings and legal conclusions movant believes to be erroneous and to articulate them for the movant. Turner v. State, 669 S.W.2d 642, 644 (Mo.App.1984). We doubt that movant’s points are sufficient to preserve any question for review. For now, however, we undertake a gratuitous review of the arguments presented. 4

In his first point, the movant asserts that the motion court erred in failing to grant relief because he was denied his right to trial by a fair and impartial jury in that he was not given a full panel of qualified jurors prior to making his peremptory challenges. The factual support for the complaint is that a venireman holding a deputy sheriff’s commission was not stricken for cause. The prospective juror, Kathleen Decker, had not served the sheriff in any capacity “at all for over seven years.”

Improper jury selection is generally a trial error which should be raised as soon as it is discovered. If a defendant is allowed a right to review the jury selection in post-conviction proceedings, he could take his chances with an improperly selected jury, and upon failure to acquit, raise the issue in subsequent proceedings. Benson v. State, 611 S.W.2d 538, 542 (Mo.App.1980). An improper jury selection process cannot be raised in post-conviction proceedings unless the movant has no knowledge of the improper process until after the trial. Brown v. State, supra, at 56. In this case, movant became aware of the alleged grounds for disqualification during voir dire, so this court cannot consider the issue in this proceeding.

In the alternative, movant argues that his counsel was ineffective in failing to challenge the venireman for cause. An associated claim is made in the fifth sub-point under the second point relied on. There movant argues that his attorney was ineffective in failing to conduct a complete and thorough voir dire. He cites a multitude of specific claims concerning questions asked certain prospective jurors and not asked of others.

In order to prevail on an ineffectiveness of counsel charge, appellant must show that his trial counsel failed to exercise the customary skill and diligence that a reasonably competent attorney would provide, and that he was prejudiced due to the deficient performance. Strickland v. Washington, 466 U.S. 668, 687, 104 S.Ct. *355 2052, 2064, 80 L.Ed.2d 674, 693 (1984); Sanders v. State, 738 S.W.2d 856, 857 (Mo. banc 1987).

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Forshee v. State, 763 S.W.2d 352, 1988 Mo. App. LEXIS 1781, 1988 WL 138464 (Mo. Ct. App. 1988).

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