David Dene Martin v. Ross Maggio, Jr., Warden, Louisiana State Penitentiary, and William J. Guste, Jr., Attorney General of the State of Louisiana

In 1978 the State of Louisiana sentenced David Dene Martin to die for murdering four persons. In this habeas corpus action, filed after four years of legal action in state courts, he seeks invalidation of his conviction because of ten claimed violations of his federal constitutional rights. Having carefully reviewed the record to ensure that his conviction has been achieved constitutionally, 1 we find no error and, therefore, affirm the district court judgment denying the writ.

I

On April 10, 1978, a Louisiana jury convicted Martin of four counts of first degree murder. 2 The following day,…