2010-M-148              Jon Staunton, Petitioner, vs. State of Minnesota, Respondent.

Appellant Michael Jon Staunton was found guilty by a St. Louis County jury of first-degree premeditated murder and three counts of first-degree felony murder while committing or attempting to commit burglary, kidnapping, and tampering with a witness for the stabbing death of Darryl Kokochak on November 23, 1999.  Staunton was sentenced to life without the possibility of release on the first-degree felony murder (kidnapping) conviction.  On appeal, Staunton argues that (1) the evidence was insufficient as a matter of law to establish his guilt, and (2) he received ineffective assistance of counsel.  Staunton‘s pro se brief does not raise additional issues.  We affirm.

First, the totality of the evidence presented, including the corroborated accomplice testimony, sufficiently supported appellant’s conviction.

Second, appellant failed to establish prejudice arising from his claim of ineffective assistance of counsel.

               Barry Anderson  (Magnuson, Page, Paul Anderson, Meyer, Gildea, and Dietzen)

               [MURDER]