Loveall v. State

215 S.W.3d 753, 2007 Mo. App. LEXIS 402, 2007 WL 654838
CourtMissouri Court of Appeals
DecidedMarch 6, 2007
DocketNo. 27617
StatusPublished

This text of 215 S.W.3d 753 (Loveall v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Missouri Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Loveall v. State, 215 S.W.3d 753, 2007 Mo. App. LEXIS 402, 2007 WL 654838 (Mo. Ct. App. 2007).

Opinion

JOHN E. PARRISH, Judge.

Jeffrey L. Loveall (movant) was convicted following a jury trial of receiving stolen property, § 570.080, RSMo 1994. See State v. Loveall, 105 S.W.3d 569 (Mo.App. 2003). Following incarceration, movant filed a pro se motion for post-conviction relief as permitted by Rule 29.15. An amended motion was filed by counsel and an evidentiary hearing held. Findings of fact and conclusions of law were entered and the motion denied. This court affirms.

Following movant’s trial in the underlying criminal case, sentencing and hearing on any post-trial motions was set for March 8, 2002. The records on appeal in this case and in the underlying criminal case make no reference to any action having been taken in the criminal case on that date. On March 15, 2002, the prosecuting attorney appeared before the trial court. The attorney representing movant in the criminal case appeared. Movant failed to appear. The trial court advised those present that it would take up the motion for new trial filed on behalf of movant; [755]*755that movant’s absence precluded proceeding with sentencing.

The trial court observed that prior to the court proceeding on the record, mov-ant’s trial attorney stated that his office “had phone confirmation with [movant] in the last couple of days.” The motion for new trial was argued and overruled. Mov-ant’s trial attorney also argued a motion for acquittal notwithstanding the verdict. The trial court overruled the motion and ordered the proceedings stayed pending movant’s presence for sentencing. Mov-ant’s bond was revoked and the state directed to file a motion for forfeiture. On March 18, 2002, capias warrant was ordered for movant’s apprehension.

On May 10, 2002, movant appeared with his attorney for sentencing. The prosecuting attorney appeared on behalf of the state. The state withdrew its motion for bond forfeiture. Prior to imposing sentence, the trial court noted that movant’s mother suggested movant had been confused by the message movant received from the trial attorney’s office regarding the March 15, 2002, sentencing date. The trial court requested that movant’s trial attorney address the matter. The attorney advised the trial court that the legal assistant in his office who handled criminal cases stated she had a telephone conversation with movant a few days before March 15 in which she reiterated the court date. The trial court then imposed sentence of confinement for a term of ten years.

Movant’s claims for relief in his Rule 29.15 motion include assertions of ineffective assistance of trial counsel and ineffective assistance of appellate counsel. The motion court’s findings and conclusions include, however, that “movant’s claims are precluded due to movant’s actions after the trial in which movant absconded and assumed another identity. Movant’s actions put him squarely attempting from [sic] escaping justice and thus, bar his PCR claims.” The motion court observed that “[m]ovant and movant’s mother both testified at the PCR hearing that they failed to contact [movant’s trial attorney’s] office or the Taney County Circuit Clerk’s Office concerning the sentencing date. Additionally, movant’s mother testified that she heard that there was a warrant for movant sometime in March, 2002; however, mov-ant still proceeded to leave the Taney County area and obtain fictitious identification card from Arkansas and a fictitious driver’s license from Missouri.” The motion court held:

Through movant’s actions ..., the Court concludes that movant was attempting to abscond from the Taney County area, avoid his sentencing and escape from justice. As a result, the Court finds that movant’s actions fall squarely under the Escape Rule, and movant is not now able to collaterally attack the sentence he was attempting to thwart. Therefore, based on the Escape Rule, movant’s PCR claims are denied in their entirety.

The motion court further found, however, that a review of movant’s claims on the merits afforded no basis for relief.

This court’s review of a Rule 29.15 motion is limited to a determination of whether the motion court’s findings of fact and conclusions of law are clearly erroneous. Rule 29.15(k). “Findings and conclusions are deemed clearly erroneous only if, after reviewing the entire record, we are left with the definite and firm impression that a mistake has been made.” State v. Gilpin, 954 S.W.2d 570, 575 (Mo.App.1997).

Movant’s first point on appeal contends the motion court erred in denying his Rule 29.15 motion on the basis of the escape rule. He argues that allegations on which the motion court relied related to post-capture error to which the escape rule [756]*756does not apply and that movant’s failure to appear at the March 15, 2002, sentencing date “was not intentional and did not hinder the administration of justice.”

The state contends that the motion court properly applied the escape rule and properly exercised its discretion in concluding that the rule precluded movant’s right to post-conviction relief. The state points to the fact that movant’s escape lasted almost two months — from March 15, 2002, to May 10, 2002 — and that there was evidence that movant not only failed to appear, but intentionally sought to avoid apprehension by creating a false identity. This, suggests the state, imposed a burden on the judicial system and demonstrated movant was unwilling to abide by rules and decisions that govern the system from which movant now seeks relief.

Fogle v. State, 99 S.W.3d 63 (Mo. App.2003), explains the escape rule.

The escape rule denies the right of appeal to a defendant who escapes justice. State v. Troupe, 891 S.W.2d 808, 809 (Mo.banc 1995). The escape rule applies to appeals on the merits as well as to motions for post-conviction relief under Rules 29.15 and 24.035. Vangunda v. State, 922 S.W.2d 857, 858 (Mo.App. 1996).. The escape rule can be invoked to dismiss post-conviction appeals regardless of whether the motion court reaches the merits of the movant’s claim or it dismisses the motion based on application of the rule. Id. The escape rule only applies to errors that occur prior and up to the time of escape. Robinson v. State, 854 S.W.2d 393, 396 (Mo. banc 1993). Once a defendant escapes and has been returned to custody, he is entitled to appeal any errors that occurred post-capture. Id.

Id. at 65.

“There is no threshold amount of time an appellant must have escaped justice before dismissal is allowed. Flights justifying dismissal have ranged from ten- and-one-half years, [State v.] Gilmore, 727 S.W.2d [469 (Mo.App.1987) ] at 469, to fifteen days, State v. Janson, 964 S.W.2d 552, 554 (Mo.App.1998).” Holmes v. State, 92 S.W.3d 193, 196 (Mo.App.2002). Mov-ant’s 56-day escape permits application of the escape rule regarding any asserted errors that occurred prior and up to the time of his escape.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

State v. Buff
34 S.W.3d 856 (Missouri Court of Appeals, 2000)
State v. Troupe
891 S.W.2d 808 (Supreme Court of Missouri, 1995)
Robinson v. State
854 S.W.2d 393 (Supreme Court of Missouri, 1993)
Holmes v. State
92 S.W.3d 193 (Missouri Court of Appeals, 2002)
State v. Loveall
105 S.W.3d 569 (Missouri Court of Appeals, 2003)
Fogle v. State
99 S.W.3d 63 (Missouri Court of Appeals, 2003)
State v. Janson
964 S.W.2d 552 (Missouri Court of Appeals, 1998)
State v. Gilpin
954 S.W.2d 570 (Missouri Court of Appeals, 1997)
State v. Guidorzi
895 S.W.2d 225 (Missouri Court of Appeals, 1995)
Vangunda v. State
922 S.W.2d 857 (Missouri Court of Appeals, 1996)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
215 S.W.3d 753, 2007 Mo. App. LEXIS 402, 2007 WL 654838, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/loveall-v-state-moctapp-2007.