Burlee Carroll v. Dr. George J. Beto, Director, Texas Department of Corrections

SIMPSON, Circuit Judge:

Burlee Carroll is serving a life sentence in the Texas prison system pursuant to his conviction in 1948, based upon his plea of guilty before a jury to the murder of his wife.

In February of 1968, the petitioner filed an application for writ of habeas corpus in the convicting Texas court. The same judge who presided at the petitioner’s trial twenty-one years earlier held an extensive evidentiary hearing.

*1066Carroll was represented by counsel and was present at the hearing. The state court found that Carroll’s counsel at the time of trial were competent and effective and that…