Ishmail Muslin Ali (Formerly Ishmael X. La Beet) v. Winston Gibson, Commissioner of Public Safety

OPINION OF THE COURT

ROSENN, Circuit Judge

In this appeal we are presented with the question of whether the district court for the Virgin Islands has juris diction to issue a writ of habeas corpus in favor of a prisoner sentenced by it who is incarcerated outside of the territorial limits of the Virgin Islands. The district court held that it had no jurisdiction over such a case and dismissed. We reverse.

I

Ishmail Muslim Ali (“petitioner”) was convicted under the name of Ishmael X. La Beet in St. Croix, Virgin Islands, of eight counts of first degree murder, four counts of first degree assault,…