Zellers v. State

DeBRULER, Justice.

Appellant Zellers made a plea of guilty to a charge of first-degree murder of his uncle’s wife in 1966, and received a sentence of life imprisonment. In 1969, he filed a motion to vacate the judgment and to withdraw his guilty plea contending that he was coerced by police officers into giving an incriminating statement and that he did not receive effective assistance of counsel. On August 15, 1972, following a hearing, the trial court decreed that Zellers’ motion was denied. No appeal was taken. Three years later, on October 17, 1975, appellant filed in the trial court a…