United States v. Horace Edward Hollis

OPINION OF THE COURT

ADAMS, Circuit Judge.

In this case, the appellant, Horace Hollis, raised the issue of his mental competency at arraignment, but no hearing was held to evaluate that claim. He then pleaded guilty. After being incarcerated, Hollis filed a petition for habeas corpus, claiming he was incompetent at the time of his plea, and therefore should be permitted to withdraw it. At the habeas hearing, the trial judge placed on petitioner the burden of proving incompetency at the time of the guilty plea, and denied relief. On this appeal, the question is whether the trial court erred in…