In Re Morse

On July 28, 1970, defendant Morse was sentenced to life imprisonment on his plea of guilty to the reduced charge of second degree murder. Subsequently, on January 15, 1979, after having served approximately nine years of his sentence, defendant moved to vacate that judgment and sentence, and prayed, inter alia, that counsel be appointed to assist him and that he be granted a hearing on the motion. 13 V.S.A. § 7131. The Washington Superior Court, without granting either of defendant’s requests, denied the motion on the ground that the files and records of the case “conclusively show that the…