Brian Jones v. Kim Butler

MANION, Circuit Judge.

Petitioner Brian Jones seeks post-conviction review of his convictions in Illinois state court for first-degree murder and first-degree attempted murder under 28 U.S.C. § 2254. He seeks relief on three separate grounds: that his convictions were based on insufficient evidence; that he received ineffective assistance from his trial and appellate counsel; and that his rights to due process were violated by the denial of a post-conviction petition. We affirm the district court’s denial of habeas relief.

I. Background

In § 2254 proceedings, federal courts are foreclosed from…