Leonard v. State

LAVORATO, Justice.

At issue in this appeal is whether a post-conviction relief applicant has the right to dispense with court-appointed counsel. The district court thought not. We agree and affirm.

Stephen Leonard, the postconviction relief applicant, was an inmate at the Iowa State Penitentiary in Fort Madison on March 19, 1988. On that date Leonard— according to a disciplinary report — approached the upper unit office window during the supper period. Leonard asked a correctional officer to turn on the electricity in his cell. The officer told Leonard the electricity in Leonard’s cell would…