Opinion
WD 85081
01-10-2023
In the Matter of the Care and Treatment of Matthew STONE a/k/a Matthew R. Stone, a/k/a Matthew Ray Stone, Appellant, v. STATE of Missouri, Respondent.
Amy Lowe, Assistant Public Defender, St. Louis, MO, and Tyler P. Coyle, Assistant Public Defender, Columbia, MO, Attorneys for Appellant. Andrew Bailey, Attorney General, and Daniel N. McPherson and Evan J. Buchheim, Assistant Attorneys General, Jefferson City, MO, Attorneys for Respondent.
Amy Lowe, Assistant Public Defender, St. Louis, MO, and Tyler P. Coyle, Assistant Public Defender, Columbia, MO, Attorneys for Appellant.
Andrew Bailey, Attorney General, and Daniel N. McPherson and Evan J. Buchheim, Assistant Attorneys General, Jefferson City, MO, Attorneys for Respondent.
Before Division Four: Gary D. Witt, Chief Judge, Mark D. Pfeiffer, Judge, and John M. Torrence, Special Judge
Order
Per Curiam: Mr. Matthew Stone appeals from the judgment following a bench trial entered by the Circuit Court of Boone County, Missouri, finding Mr. Stone to be a sexually violent predator and committing him to the Department of Mental Health for care, control, and treatment. On appeal, Mr. Stone argues the trial court erred in concluding that his prior military court guilty plea to sodomy could be used as evidence of a prior qualifying sexually violent offense under Missouri's sexually violent predator Act. Mr. Stone also argues that he received ineffective assistance of counsel during the civil commitment proceedings below. After a careful review of the appellate briefs and record on appeal, we find no error and affirm the judgment in accordance with Rule 84.16(b). We have provided the parties a memorandum of law explaining our ruling.