People v. Flowers

Defendant, convicted of felony on his plea of guilty, has sought to set aside his plea on the ground that it was exacted from him by the duress of circumstances. The ground is one often asserted, and entitled more often than not to short shrift when supported only by the convicted defendant’s say-so. What distinguishes this case is that during prior court proceedings and from information supplied to the court by his lawyer, it remains undisputed that apart from any other motives he might be supposed to have had, defendant was sexually abused, beaten, and in “ potential danger ” of his life,…