Rogers v. Jones

The petitioners, Basel Rogers and Desolee Thornhill, filed their petition for writ of habeas corpus against Fred Jones, superintendent of the State Penitentiary, in the Circuit Court of Sunflower County, alleging that they were wrongfully sentenced to the state penitentiary from the Circuit Court of Marion County, Mississippi, on a charge of manslaughter. Petitioners allege that they were caused to plead guilty to the charge upon a promise made by the circuit judge, communicated to the petitioners through an intermediary, that petitioners would be permitted to plead guilty to a lesser charge…