Delbert Wilkins v. Iowa, State of Attorney General of State of Iowa

WOLLMAN, Circuit Judge.

Delbert Wilkins, serving a life sentence in the Iowa State Penitentiary on a conviction of first degree murder, filed a petition for habeas corpus relief pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2254. The magistrate judge 1 recommended that it be denied. The district court 2 adopted the magistrate judge’s recommendation and denied the petition. Wilkins appeals. We affirm.

I

The facts giving rise to Wilkins’ conviction are fully set forth in the opinion of the Iowa Supreme Court, which affirmed Wilkins' conviction on direct appeal. 3 We summarize them briefly.

Late in the afternoon of April…