Case Name: STATE of Louisiana v. Donald Lee LEGER, Jr.
Court: Louisiana Supreme Court
Jurisdiction: Louisiana
Decision Date: 2019-01-14
Citations: 261 So. 3d 766
Docket Number: No. 2017-KP-0416
Parties: STATE of Louisiana
v.
Donald Lee LEGER, Jr.
Judges: CRICHTON, J., would grant and docket and assigns reasons.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Third Series
Volume: 261
Pages: 766–766

Head Matter:
STATE of Louisiana
v.
Donald Lee LEGER, Jr.
No. 2017-KP-0416
Supreme Court of Louisiana.
January 14, 2019
ON SUPERVISORY WRITS TO THE SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT, PARISH OF ST. MARY
Writ denied.
WEIMER, J., would grant for the reasons assigned by Justice Crichton.
CRICHTON, J., would grant and docket and assigns reasons.
Crichton, J., would grant and docket and assigns reasons:

Opinion:
I would grant and docket the State's application to answer two significant questions of law before allowing the post-conviction evidentiary hearing, which will require a substantial expenditure of time and resources, to proceed in this matter. First, this court has never squarely addressed the standard by which a claim of ineffective assistance of counsel based on counsel's failure to assert a Batson challenge during jury selection would be evaluated, or whether such a claim is even cognizable on state collateral review. Second, this court has yet to articulate a standard to determine whether the state's ability to respond to an application for post-conviction relief has been materially prejudiced by events not under the control of the State which have transpired since the date of the original conviction. See La.C.Cr.P. art. 930.8(B). Both of these issues are presented here, and I believe that in the interest of economy this court should address them before allowing post-conviction proceedings to continue.