STATE OF MISSOURI, Plaintiff-Respondent v. WILLIAM J. KEARNES

A jury found William J. Kearnes (“Defendant”) guilty of stealing a tractor and brush hog, and the trial court sentenced him as a prior offender to ten years in the Missouri Department of Corrections. Defendant appeals and raises three points— (1) the trial court “plainly erred in not declaring a mistrial sua sponte ” when the prosecutor, without objection, “misstate[d the] law” in closing argument, (2) the trial court “plainly erred in overruling [Defendant’s] objection” to a statement and implication by the prosecutor during closing argument that was “not based on any evi dence,” and (3) the…