Commonwealth v. Johnson

Opinion by

Mr. Justice Roberts,

In 1954 appellant William John Johnson went to trial before a judge and jury on an indictment charging him with murder in the first degree. Near the close of the Commonwealth’s case, the prosecution introduced into evidence two confessions whose existence was unknown to both of appellant’s counsel until that very moment. Defense counsel thereupon requested a recess, conferred with their client briefly in the court ante-room, then returned to announce that the plea would be changed to guilty. Subsequently, appellant was found guilty of murder in the first degree,…