Rufus Johnson v. Steve Puckett, Superintendent of the Mississippi State Penitentiary

GARWOOD, Circuit Judge:

Petitioner-appellant Rufus Johnson (Johnson), a Mississippi prisoner, appeals the district court’s dismissal of his habeas corpus petition under 28 U.S.C. § 2254. In his challenged state court conviction and sentence, Johnson had pleaded guilty to burglary of an inhabited dwelling and was sentenced as an habitual criminal based on two prior convictions as alleged in the indictment. On this appeal, Johnson contends that the indictment was defective, that the state court improperly failed to inform him that he was not required to plead guilty to being an habitual…