Commonwealth v. Waddy

OPINION OF THE COURT

JONES, Chief Justice.

Appellant pleaded guilty to murder generally, was adjudged guilty of murder in the first degree and was sentenced to life imprisonment. This Court affirmed that judgment of sentence in Commonwealth v. Waddy, 447 Pa. 262, 290 A.2d 238 (1972).

Subsequently he filed a PCHA petition in which he alleged that his guilty plea was not knowingly and intelligently entered; that his plea was coerced by the threats of counsel to abandon him and that his trial counsel was ineffective. That PCHA petition was denied on January 4, 1974, and no appeal was taken. On June…