Finding dеfendant guilty of murder in the first degree for the slaying of highway patrolman Russell Harper, the jury assessed punishment at death, hence the appeal falls within this Court’s exclusive appellate jurisdiction. Mo. Const, art. V, § 3. Further, defendant’s motion for postconviction relief pursuant to Rule 29.15 was denied by the court after evidentiary hearing and that ruling will also be reviewed in this proceeding. Both judgments are affirmed.
The evidence favorable to the verdict abundantly supports the conviction. At approximately 4:30 p.m. on February 8, 1987, Trooрer Russell Harper, of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, was parked on Highway 60 near Springfield operating a radar device when a mid 1960’s red and white Chevrolet pickup truck passed at an excessive rate of speed. Harper, activating the warning lights, gave chase for approximately one and one-half miles when the truck turned onto a farm road and drove for a short distance before stopping. Trooper Harper followed the car onto the farm road and pulled up behind it. Before the trooper could dismount, defendant leapt from the truck, stepped toward the patrol car and fired several bursts of gunfire. A bullet struck Harper’s head, causing massive skull fractures, brain damage and death. Twenty-nine bullet holes or indentations were found in the car, and one shot pierced the trooper’s leg. The patrol car rolled into a ditch and defendant fled in the truck.
Defendant drove to the home of Donald Bills, where the two began the arduous task of disguising the truck by dismantling and refurbishing it. Working in the garage, they replaced tires, stripped the paint, removed the gun racks, and painted the cab black, while defendant, preoccupied with reports on the police scanner, shaved the moustache he had worn for several years. At approximately 8:45 p.m. the following evening, troopers arrived at the Bills residence on a tip that defendant had lived in an old bus parked on the property. Bills’ girlfriend, who stayed at the residence occasionally, answered the door and stated that no one else was there but the troopers were welcome to look around the property. Trooper Middleton, fearful for his safety, cautiously examined a junked vehicle about 100 yards from the house, and in so doing noticed the trunk lid was slightly ajar. Raising the lid further, Middleton saw defendant’s H.K. 93 semi-automatic assault rifle, later determined to be the murder weapon. Bills arrived shortly thereafter and signed a consent to search; nevertheless, a warrant was obtained and on a search of the house, defendant was discovered hiding in the attic with a copy of the newspaper pertaining to the murder of Trooper Harper.
Witnesses to the slaying identified defendant as the assailant and gun cartridges found at the murder scene were found to have been fired from defendant’s rifle. In spite of the overwhelming evidence against him, defendant testified that he did not shoot Harper. The jury found him guilty of first degree murder and fixed his punishment at death, finding as aggravating circumstances the murder was committed against a peace officer engaged in the performance of his official duty, and becausе of the outstanding warrant for defendant’s arrest, that it was committed for the purpose of avoiding a lawful arrest.
I. Direct Appeal
Defendant first complains the trial court erred in overruling his motion to suppress evidence of the H.K. 93 semi-automatic rifle found in the trunk of the abandoned car. The trial court ruled “that defendant had no reasonable expectation of privacy on the premises of Donald Bills.” In reviewing this finding, “the facts and reasonable inferences arising therefrom,
*611
are to be stated favorably to the order challenged on appeal.”
State v. Blair,
This case bears a remarkable similarity to
United States v. Ramapuram,
Also instructive is
United States v. Dunn,
Defendant maintains the trial court erred in striking venireman Charlene Gill, who expressed reservations concerning the death penalty, thus denying him a fair and impartial jury. This strike, defendant argues, in effect gave the state an extra peremptory challenge. Gill was ambivalent regarding whether she could listen to the evidence, for her son was having a birthday and a program at school and she would be unable to share those experiences with him, and further, her husband was attending night school. Though the trial court stated a general policy that a “court strike” would be made of any person who had a personal problem in serving on the jury, 3 the record demonstrates that Gill was not actually removed from the venire panel:
Mr. Gaither: I thought you were going to place some people towards the end of the panel, is that correct?
[[Image here]]
The Court: That’s what I just did was to place them near the end when I took them off, I called them a court strike, but I’m really taking them off and placing them at the end.
Mr. Gaither: I see.
The Court: That’s what I did with Charlene Gill, in fact.
Defendant’s point, assuming it was properly preserved for appeal, is without merit.
Defendant next charges error in the prosecutor’s questioning during voir dire whether the members of the array could vote for the death penalty. Though it is error to ask prospective jurors to commit to a particular course of future conduct,
State v. Norton,
It is next claimed the trial court abused its discretion in denying defendant’s motion for discovery sanctions and in denying his motion for continuance. The pertinent portion of defendant’s discovery request pursuant to Rule 25.03 is as follows:
1. The names and last known addresses of persons whom the State intends to call as witnesses at any hearing or at the trial, together with their written or recorded statements, and existing memoranda, reporting or summarizing part or all of their oral statements;
* * * * * *
5. Any reports or statements of experts, made in connection with the particular case, including results of physical or mental examinations and of scientific tests, experiments or comparisons;
[[Image here]]
9. Any material or information, within the possession or control of the State, which tends to negate the guilt of the defendant as to the offense charged, or reduce the punishment.
Defendant filed a motion for exclusion of the testimony of Thomas Buel, or in the alternative, for a second continuance, оn the ground that he had not been provided with one of Buel’s reference books, the “Criminal Laboratory Information Systems Manual, General Firearms Characteristics,” and Buel’s notes concerning his examination of defendant’s H.K. 93 rifle. However, defendant had been provided a copy of Buel’s report showing a match between
*613
brass cartridges found at defendant’s home and the cartridges found at the crime scene. The trial court ruled there were no discovery violations, and we affirm this conclusion, for these additionаl materials do not fall within the scope of the discovery request. Nevertheless, the trial court ordered that the book and notes be produced, thus not only is there no abuse of discretion, but the trial court went to special lengths to accommodate defendant in the preparation of his case. Further, the motion for a continuance was not accompanied by an affidavit setting forth the facts upon which the application was based, and this alone is grounds for denial.
State v. Tettamble,
In a similar vein, defendant contends the trial court abused its discretion in granting the state’s three motions to endorse witnesses. On November 12, 1987, the state filed a motion to еndorse five witnesses. On November 25, the state submitted a motion to endorse two more witnesses, and on November 30, the state moved to endorse four additional witnesses. The court granted the motions at a hearing held on December 4, and trial began December 7. As to most of these witnesses, defendant had been previously provided with a list of their expected testimony and their reports, and he had been granted a continuance in August to depose John O’Neil, the state’s anticipated ballistics expert. However, of all these witnesses, only Matthews and Pennington actually testified at trial, and Pennington had been endorsed as a witness by defendant. The trial court possesses broad discretion in permitting late endorsement of witnesses,
State v. Lamphier,
*614
Defendant next asserts error in permitting evidence of a Texas warrant for defendant’s arrest under charges of carrying a concealed weapon and possessiоn of a controlled substance which was outstanding at the time of the incident, and in allowing reference thereto in closing argument. Recently this Court held evidence of the defendant’s escape from prison was admissible as relevant to motive,
State v. Oxford,
Defendant argues the trial court should have permitted Donald Bills to testify that defendant had denied shooting Trooper Harper; defendant’s alleged statement was made one or two days after the murder. This statement was a self-serving declaration not part of the
res gestae
and thus plainly inadmissible.
State v. Wilkerson,
Error is next charged in permitting the prosecutor to ask Judy Meyer, who testified during the penalty phase as to defendant’s good character, if she were aware of defendant’s prior arrests. The holding in
State v. Byrd,
Defendant contends the Missouri death penalty statute improperly vests unrestricted discretion in the prosecutor to seek the death penalty, which contention was admittedly rejected in
State v. McMillin,
Finally defendant claims thе trial court should have admitted into evidence defendant’s family photo albums as mitigating evidence during the penalty phase. First, it should be noted that defendant failed to lay a proper foundation for the photographs, and further, it is difficult to see how the photographs are even tangentially relevant to defendant’s character. Photographs of such activities as fishing and water skiing lend little or nothing to the issue of defendant’s moral character and defendant has presented no authority for their admissibility.
A. Plain Error Review
The remaining points raised by defendant on direct appeal are not properly preserved and may be reviewed only as plain error. Defendant’s
Mills v.
Maryland
5
argument must be summarily rejected, for in
State v. Petary,
Defendant complains he was denied his constitutional right to be judged by an impartial jury when the state employed peremptory challenges to remove two veniremen who expressed reluctance to consider the death penalty but were not ex-cludable for cause. Defendant admittedly has no authority to support this proposition *615 and this unconvincing contention falls far short of the level required for plain error.
The next attack by defendant, leveled against photographs admitted in evidence, flies in the face of the well-established case law of this jurisdiction. State’s Exhibit No. 1, a Highway Patrol photograph of Trooper Harper in uniform, was relevant to identify the victim.
State v. Davis,
II. Review of the Motion for Postconviction Relief
On appeal from the denial of his 29.15 motion, defendant raises numerous complaints of allegedly ineffective assistance of counsel, but many of the contentions were not presented in a timely motion pursuant to the rule. Defendant filed his first motion
pro se
and the Public Defender was appointed to represent him on November 29, 1988; defendant then had a maximum of sixty days to file an amended motion. Rule 29.15(f). The amended motion was not filed until April 14, 1989, therefore points not brought in the original motion were not properly raised.
Sloan v. State,
In examining the various claims of ineffective assistance of counsel, we bear in mind the oft-repeated rule that for a claim to succeed, not only must counsel’s performance be found deficient (below an objective standard of reasonableness), but the deficiency must so prejudicе the defense that there is a “reasonable probability that, but for counsel’s unprofessional errors, the result of the proceeding would have been different.”
Strickland v. Washington,
Failure to obtain an independent ballistics test.
The motion court found that two examinations had been performed and were consistent in determining that the projectile fragments taken from Trooper Harper’s body were fired from defendant’s rifle. Further, counsel decided an independent ballistics test would not have been helpful to defendant, and such trial strategy decisions do not bespeak ineffective assistance of counsel. The finding of the trial court is not clearly erroneous.
See State v. Oxford,
Failure to introduce evidence of his propensity to peaceably surrender when arrested. The motion court’s findings that defendant made a practice of attempting to outrun law officers and that counsel was not ineffective for failing to emphasize defendant’s criminal activities are not clearly erroneous.
Failure to show that the camouflaged pants found by law enforcement officers, but not introduced into evidence, did not fit defendant. The motion court’s finding that defendant failed to demonstrate that the pants would not fit is not clearly erroneous, for the prosecutor testified at the hearing that the pants were “one size fits all.”
Failure to fully consult defendant in changing venue to Clay County. The motion court found counsel wisely made a trial strategy decision which will not be second-guessed. Counsel was cer *616 tainly better equipped than defendant to make such a decision, which worked to defendant’s advantage rather than to his prejudice.
Failure to impeach the state’s eyewitnesses regarding their ability to perceive and opportunity to observe. The motion court found the following:
Mr. Gaither challenged eyewitness testimony аppropriately. Eyewitnesses were questioned and reports were reviewed by counsel. Review of the transcript and observations of eyewitness testimony at the hearing shows that trial counsel was in no way ineffective in his performance in this regard.
We have reviewed the transcript and determine that the motion court’s conclusion was not clearly erroneous.
Failure to call or thoroughly examine certain witnesses during the guilt phase. Counsel's decision not to call Carolyn Hawkins, a witness to the shooting who knew defendant, was a question of trial strategy, for she could not identify the assailant. As to Jan Bean, whom defendant alleges would have testified that defendant was going to voluntarily turn himself in, the evidence refutes the claim. The same is true of Nusse, Wolfe and Bills, whom defendant claims would have testified about his attempt to turn himself in, for the testimony of these witnesses at the hearing refutes his contention.
Freddie Hensley was a friend of defendant’s who claimed she was at the crime scene and saw a truck similar to defendant’s but not his, and driven by a man whо resembled defendant but it was not he. Defense counsel personally drove by the residence of the alleged double, and finding that the truck at that place had a green door, decided not to call Hensley. The motion court noted that “evidence which can have no other effect other than to cast a bare suspicion on another, or to raise a conjectural inference as to the commission of the crime by another is not admissible.”
State v. LaRette,
Failure to call certain witnesses during the penalty phase. Only defendant’s claims as to McManis, Sanders, Clift and Henry were properly presented. Though these witnesses could have presented some favorable testimony as to defendant’s character, McManis and Sanders could also have presented evidence unfаvorable to defendant, and defendant fails to show how additional testimony from these witnesses could have created a reasonable probability that the outcome would have been different.
Ineffective assistance of 29.15 counsel.
This claim is beyond the scope of the 29.15 proceeding.
Sloan v. State,
III. Independent Review
We next conduct our independent review of the death sentence pursuant to § 565.035.3, RSMo 1986. First we find the evidence supports the aggravating circumstances as determined by the jury. There is no doubt the murder was committed against a peace officer engaged in the performance of his official duty, § 565.032.2(8), and the murder was аlso committed for the purpose of avoiding lawful arrest. § 565.032.2(10). Further, defendant does not dispute the jury’s finding as nonstatutory aggravating circumstances that defendant had previously pled guilty to shooting into a dwelling and felonious assault without malice.
Next, in determining “[wjhether the sentence of death is excessive or disproportionate to the penalty imposed in similar cases,
*617
considering both the crime, the strength of the evidence and the defendant,” § 565.035.3(3), we must consider the fact that the death penalty has been appliеd in numerous cases involving killings of law enforcement or corrections officers.
E.g., State v. Mallett,
Finally examining “[w]hether the sentence of death was imposed under the influence of passion, prejudice, or any other factor,” we find no evidence of such from the transcript or legal file and hold the penalty was rationally imposed in prоportion to the crime.
Affirmed.
Notes
. This case may be distinguished from
United States v. Bradshaw,
. See also State v. Achter,
. Section 494.031(5), RSMo 1986, allows the cоurt to excuse from service as a juror "[a]ny person upon whom service as a juror would in the judgment of the court impose extreme hardship.”
. Similarly, defendant raises a point of plain error in claiming the state failed to disclose its penalty phase witnesses. On August 28, the state notified defendant that it would not call any witness during the penalty phase who had not previously been disclosed, but might call any witness already revealed to defendant. Although the state's conduct did not meet the standards of § 565.005, RSMo, which requires that "[t]he namеs of all persons whom the party intends to to call as witnesses at the second stage of the trial" be given "[a]t a reasonable time before the commencement of the first stage,” such a failure to disclose does not warrant reversal unless it results in fundamental unfairness.
State v. Lingar,
.
. Defendant has failed to support with argument his contention as to Joe Young and thus has waived the claim. Rule 84.04(d).
