People v. Mendez

This is an appeal by the defendant from an order denying his petition for a writ of error coram nobis, the purpose of which was to set aside his plea of guilty to the charge of murdering his paramour and to vacate the judgment imposing the death penalty.

The defendant was charged by information filed August 3, 1944, with the murder of Maude Pearl Farrington. At his arraignment on August 7, 1944, he pleaded not guilty, the public defender was appointed to represent him, and the cause was set for trial on October 10, 1944. On October 5, 1944, at the request of John Hill, the deputy public…