Coates v. Lawrence

Bell, Justice.

The defendant in an indictment for murder, after conviction of that offense and affirmance of a judgment overruling his motion for new trial as amended (Coates v. State, 192 Ga. 130, 15 S. E. 2d, 240), applied for the writ of habeas corpus, presenting therein the contentions: (1) that he was denied the benefit of counsel as guaranteed by the State and Federal constitutions, in that, as alleged, he was not allowed an opportunity to employ counsel of his own choice, and the attorneys appointed by the court for him were so incompetent, negligent, and indifferent that he was…