Cotton v. Smith

Almand, Chief Justice.

The appeal here is from an order denying a petition for habeas corpus, and remanding the petitioner to the custody of the respondent.

In his petition, Harry C. Cotton alleged substantially the following. He was in the custody of the defendant, Lamont Smith, Warden of the Georgia State Prison, by virtue of a life sentence imposed upon him by the Superior Court of Muscogee County. On February 24, 1961, he entered his plea of guilty upon an indictment charging him with the offense of murder. He alleged that this plea of guilty was coerced by the threat of the electric chair,…