People v. St. John

Appeal from an order of the Supreme Court, Essex County, dismissing a writ of error coram nobis. A writ of coram nobis was directed to the question whether defendant on arraignment after indictment for a felony had been advised by the court of his right to counsel. An issue of fact arose and this court on a previous appeal ordered a trial of that issue rather than a summary disposition on papers. When the hearing was held defendant asked the court to assign counsel and this the court declined to do. The court after hearing the proof dismissed the writ. The “ time of arraignment ” is the point…