SCOTUS won’t hear Milwaukee man’s appeal

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The U.S. Supreme Court won’t hear the appeal of an inmate convicted nine years ago of killing a man during a drug deal.

In 2006, Matthew Richard of Milwaukee shot a man and injured his girlfriend, according to court documents. The couple had intended to sell their car to Richard for cash and drugs.

After a four-day jury trial in 2007, Richard was convicted of first-degree intentional homicide, felony possession of a firearm and attempted first-degree murder. Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Jeffrey Wagner sentenced Richard to 75 years in prison plus 15 years of extended supervision.

After his conviction, Richard tried to argue, in 2008, that he should be granted a new trial. He alleged that his trial lawyer was ineffective because, among other things, he had failed to interview witnesses before the trial and failed to enter phone records into evidence. Wagner denied the motion. His order was affirmed by the District 1 Court of Appeals. Richard then appealed to the Wisconsin Supreme Court, which chose not to review his appeal.

Four years later, Richard, representing himself, appealed Wagner’s order denying him the retrial. This time, he contended that his trial counsel was ineffective for failing to question two witnesses and that his post-conviction lawyer was ineffective for failing to raise and argue those issues.

That was the appeal the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear Monday.

The District 1 Court of Appeals affirmed Wagner’s order in March, Richard appealed to the Wisconsin Supreme Court in May 2015, but that court chose in August 2015 not to hear his appeal. Follow @erikastrebel