import re


def process(text):
    """
    Remove the leading " *     " prefixes from a Purpose, Returns, or Throws
    multiiline block of text that we've just pulled out of the function header.
    
    Convert <text> to `text` (Markdown code).
    """
    text = re.sub(r'^ \*[ \t]+(\S)', r'\1',   text, flags=re.MULTILINE)               # remove leading " *   "
    text = re.sub(r'^ \*',           r'',     text, flags=re.MULTILINE)               # remove " *" alone
    text = re.sub(r'<(\S|\S.*?\S)>', r'`\1`', text, flags=re.MULTILINE | re.DOTALL)   # convert <text> to `text`
    return text