Marion Alfred Lovell, II v. Larry Norris, Director, Arkansas Department of Correction

MORRIS SHEPPARD ARNOLD, Circuit Judge.

Marion Lovell was convicted in state court of possessing a controlled substance, and his conviction and sentence were affirmed on appeal. When the trial court denied his petition for post-conviction relief, Mr. Lovell filed a timely notice of appeal and requested a transcript of the relevant proceedings. Under the applicable Arkansas law, Mr. Lovell then had the duty to forward the relevant record to the Arkansas Supreme Court within 90 days. See Ark.R.Crim.App.P. 4(a), Ark.R.Civ. App.P. 5(a). About two months after he filed his notice of appeal, Mr.…