Tino Wedlow v. State Missouri

Appellant, Tino Wedlow, appeals the denial of his Rule 24.035 motion for post-conviction relief. Wedlow's underlying conviction is pursuant to his guilty plea to a charge of first degree murder. In his plea, Wedlow admitted to taking money to start a fire in an effort to kill someone and that a person did die as a result of the fire. In accordance with a plea bargain, Wedlow was sentenced to a term of life imprisonment without possibility of probation or parole. Wedlow argues, on appeal, that the motion court erred by denying him an evidentiary hearing because he alleged facts warranting relief that were not refuted by the record and which, if proven to be true, would have demonstrated prejudice. The specifics of Wedlow's argument are addressed in several sub-points all of which relate to ineffective assistance of trial counsel.