Richard A. Garcia v. Everett T. Perringer and Robert Butterworth

This appeal is from the district court’s grant of a writ of habeas corpus because of insufficient evidence. Because the district court granted habeas relief based on a state law issue, we reverse.

BACKGROUND

The evidence at trial showed that as part of an investigation, Agent Juan Perez, posing as a cocaine supplier, met with Marcus Betancourt. Betancourt told Perez that he and his “brother” had a buyer for four kilograms of cocaine to be supplied by Perez and that they could complete the transaction at a location Betancourt called “my brother’s house.” Betancourt led Perez to the designated…