Mathis v. State

Summary

The Montana Supreme Court affirmed the district court's denial of Mathis's post‑conviction relief petition on four grounds: lack of prosecutorial misconduct, proper exercise of discretion in denying additional discovery, failure to show ineffective assistance of counsel, and failure to meet the stringent actual‑innocence standard. The Court reasoned that no new evidence was presented, the district court acted within its broad discretion, and Mathis did not satisfy the Strickland prejudice test or the actual‑innocence burden.