Lyons v. Luebbers

Submitted: November 15, 2004 Before RILEY, JOHN R. GIBSON, and GRUENDER, Circuit Judges. A Missouri state court sentenced Andrew Lyons (Lyons) to death after he was convicted of two counts of first-degree murder and one count of involuntary manslaughter. The Missouri Supreme Court affirmed the convictions and sentence, and affirmed the denial of Lyons's motion for post-conviction relief. Lyons filed a timely application for habeas corpus under 28 U.S.C. § 2254. The district court1 denied habeas relief, concluding (1) Lyons was competent to stand trial, (2) Lyons failed to show he received ineffective assistance of counsel, and (3) any error the trial court made in admitting Lyons's confession at trial was harmless. We affirm.