Commonwealth Ex Rel. Haun v. Cavell

Opinion by

Woodside, J.,

This habeas corpus case, brought by a prisoner to obtain his release from the Western State Penitentiary, presents a legal problem with serious implications. It comes before us on appeal by the Attorney General from an order of the court below directing that the petitioner be discharged.

If the holding of the court below is correct, there are a substantial number of prisoners being illegally detained. If these prisoners are discharged, there will be released upon society, without any supervision, many of the Commonwealth’s worst criminals, all of whom have committed…