MICHAEL D. BURNS v. STATE OF MISSOURI

Armed with a previously-secreted pump shotgun, Michael Burns stepped out of hiding and killed Robert Leiker — his rival for the affections of Angela Gentry — as Leiker left Ms. Gentry’s home. Shot from behind, through the aorta, Leiker was dead within minutes or less. Burns fled, later pleaded self-defense, but was convicted of murder and armed criminal action, which this court affirmed. 1

Alleging ineffective assistance of counsel, Burns sought post-conviction relief which the motion court (same judge as at the criminal trial) denied after an eviden-tiary hearing.

“Our review is limited to…