Leonard David Riggins v. John Rees, Warden, South Central Correctional Facility

BOYCE F. MARTIN, Jr., J., delivered the opinion of the court, in which RYAN, J., joined. RALPH B. GUY, Jr., J. (pp. 738-40), delivered a separate dissenting opinion.

BOYCE F. MARTIN, Jr., Circuit Judge.

The State of Tennessee appeals the district court’s grant of a writ of habeas corpus in connection with Leonard Riggins’ conviction for second degree murder in a Tennessee state court. The district court held that Riggins was denied his right to equal protection under the law because, prior to Riggins’ third trial, the State refused to provide defense counsel with transcripts of Riggins’ two…