United States of America Ex Rel. Alton J. Charbonnet v. Louis E. Heyd, Jr., Sheriff, Orleans Parish, State of Louisiana

Appellant was charged with and convicted of several drug charges in the state courts of Louisiana. The district court, 311 F.Supp. 1168, after a hearing, denied habeas corpus relief based on petitioner’s allegations that he was denied counsel at a “critical stage” in the state court proceedings, and this appeal followed. We affirm.

On August 25, 1965, the appellant pled not guilty to the state charges, and the trial judge ordered the appellant to return on September 2, 1965, so that the matter of counsel for the petitioner might be resolved. Because of a continuance and Hurricane Betsy…