Harper v. State

McGIVERIN, Justice.

Petitioner Ernest Harper appeals from the district court’s denial of his application for postconviction relief. He contends the attorney general’s refusal to provide his appellate counsel with confidential information used to punish him in a prison disciplinary action renders his appellate counsel ineffective and denies him his due process right to meaningful access to the courts. He also asserts that the use of confidential information was constitutionally defective. We affirm.

On October 26, 1983, inmate Scott Hair was assaulted at the Iowa State Penitentiary in Fort…