State Missouri v. Wasim Aziz

A jury found Wasim Aziz guilty of stealing in violation of § 570.030 RSMo 1986. The trial court found him to be a prior and persistent offender and sentenced him to seven years imprisonment. Aziz filed a pro se motion for post-conviction relief under Rule 29.15. His counsel filed an amended motion one day out of time. The motion court denied both motions after an evidentiary hearing. Aziz appeals both the judgment of the trial court and the order of the motion court. On his direct appeal Aziz contends that the trial court erred in overruling his Batson motion without requiring the state to give reasons for its strikes. He also contends the court committed plain error in making two other rulings. We remand the case to the trial court for further proceedings on the Batson motion.