Staunton v. State

OPINION

DIETZEN, Justice.

Appellant Michael Jon Staunton was found guilty by a St. Louis County jury of several offenses; including first-degree felony murder (kidnapping), in connection with the stabbing death of Darryl Kokoc-hak. The district court entered a judgment of conviction, and sentence was imposed. Staunton filed a direct appeal, which was stayed while he pursued his first petition for postconviction relief. The postconviction court granted Staunton’s request to withdraw his petition without prejudice. Six months later, we granted Staunton’s motion to dismiss his direct appeal.…