United States of America Ex Rel. Leon Blackwell, Cross-Appellant v. Gayle M. Franzen and Marvin Reed, Cross-Appellees

HARLINGTON WOOD, Jr., Circuit Judge.

Petitioner Leon Blackwell was convicted in the Circuit Court of Cook County of murder and burglary. After the Illinois Court of Appeals affirmed, People v. Blackwell, 76 Ill.App.3d 371, 31 Ill.Dec. 952, 394 N.E.2d 1329 (1st Dist. 1979), petitioner filed for a writ of habeas corpus in federal district court, claiming that the conviction violated his Sixth and Fourteenth Amendment right to confront witnesses against him. The District Court granted the writ. For the following reasons, we reverse in part and affirm in part. 540 F.Supp. 151.

I

Petitioner’s claim…