Opinion ID: 743601
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Spellmon's Due Process Claims

Text: 31 Spellmon alleges that he was denied due process during a prison disciplinary hearing which resulted in the forfeiture of good time credits. Specifically, he alleges that he was not given adequate notice of the charges and was denied the right to cross-examine a witness. 32 Under Wolff v. McDonnell, 418 U.S. 539, 564-65, 94 S.Ct. 2963, 2978-79, 41 L.Ed.2d 935 (1974), disciplinary action resulting in an inmate's loss of good time credit must be accompanied by certain procedural safeguards, including written notice of the charges at least 24 hours before a hearing regarding disciplinary sanctions. See Murphy v. Collins, 26 F.3d 541, 543 & n. 5 (5th Cir.1994). The disciplinary charge against Spellmon involved a conspiracy to create a work stoppage. Spellmon contends that he should have been notified of his alleged co-conspirators' names because without such information he could not properly prepare a defense. However, he does not explain how the lack of that piece of information was prejudicial to the preparation of his defense and thus his argument on this issue fails. See Simpson v. Ortiz, 995 F.2d 606, 609 (5th Cir.1993) (a prerequisite to issuance of a writ of habeas corpus is showing of prejudice as a result of alleged constitutional violation). 33 Spellmon also claims a due process problem in being prevented from cross-examining the warden at the hearing with a particular question. The transcript of the hearing is not in the record before us, but even if it revealed that the warden was in fact not allowed to answer the question posed by Spellmon, Spellmon has not demonstrated that he was denied a procedurally adequate hearing. In Wolff, the Supreme Court held that confrontation and cross-examination of witnesses is not required in prison disciplinary hearings. 418 U.S. at 567-68, 94 S.Ct. at 2980-81. 34 Spellmon also contends that he was denied due process by the Texas state courts' policy against considering challenges to prison disciplinary proceedings in state habeas proceedings. Insofar as Spellmon raises a due process challenge to the state habeas proceedings, his claim fails because infirmities in state habeas proceedings do not constitute grounds for relief in federal court. See Duff-Smith v. Collins, 973 F.2d 1175, 1182 (5th Cir.1992).