2007-M-049                                    Louis Buggs, Appellant, vs. State of Minnesota, Respondent.

Appellant was convicted of premeditated first degree murder after shooting the mother of his child eight times at her work.  The Court affirmed his conviction on his direct appeal in1998.  Here, the Court held the post-conviction court did not abuse its discretion when it denied appellant’s petition for post-conviction relief without a hearing.

“We conclude that, at the time of his direct appeal, Buggs either knew or should have known of any claims available to him based on the procedures used to select the grand jury that indicted him and the petit jury that convicted him.  Information relating to those procedures was at the time, and continues to be, publicly available.  Indeed, those procedures have been the subject of decisions by this court.  Information relating to the racial composition of the grand jury that indicted him and the petit jury that convicted him was also publicly available at the time of his direct appeal.  Therefore, Buggs’ claims relating to the racial composition of his grand jury and petit jury were either known or should have been known to him at the time of his direct appeal.”

DATE OF DECISION:  June 28, 2007

RECORD NUMBER:  2007-085

FULL OPINION: 

DESCRIPTION:  [MURDER] 

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