Middleton v. State

DUANE BENTON, Judge.

A jury convicted John J. Middleton of two counts of first-degree murder and two counts of armed criminal action, for shooting Randy Hamilton and Stacey Hodge. The jury assessed two death sentences, which the circuit court imposed. This Court affirmed on direct appeal. State v. Middleton, 998 S.W.2d 520 (Mo. banc 1999), cert. denied, 528 U.S. 1167, 120 S.Ct. 1189, 145 L.Ed.2d 1094 (2000).

Defendant then moved for post-conviction relief, which was denied after an evi-dentiary hearing. Rule 29.15. This Court has exclusive jurisdiction of the appeal. Mo. Const, art. V, sec. 10;…