James Edward Clayton v. W. J. Estelle, Jr., Director Texas Department of Corrections

In his petition in the district court, petitioner attacked pleas of guilty entered in three robbery-by-assault cases, alleging that the pleas were involuntary and resulted from coercion and plea-bargain promises. With regard to guilty pleas entered in two eases on March 22, 1972, he claimed that he was threatened with an immediate trial if he did not plead guilty and that he was subjected to a three-hour brow-beating session two days before the plea and to three more hours on the day of the plea. He further alleged that certain promises were made to him by various officials in exchange for…