Missouri Supreme Court upholds local conviction

By NewsPress Now

The Missouri Supreme Court overruled a St. Joseph man’s motion to erase a conviction in his for second-degree domestic assault.

Shawn Flaherty was convicted of that crime in 2018. During a domestic dispute with another occupant of the residence, Flaherty pulled a .44 magnum revolver from his backpack and began wrestling with a third person. At some point, the gun discharged and wounded the victim in the leg.

Flaherty was found guilty by a jury and sentenced to seven years on the assault verdict and three years for armed criminal action.

Flaherty appealed, saying the jury was not properly instructed and alleging ineffective representation by his attorney. An appeals court upheld his conviction and the Missouri Supreme Court unanimously overruled his motion for postconviction relief.