Charles E. Duffy, F-2268 v. Julius T. Cuyler and District Attorney, Philadelphia County

I dissent from the majority opinion, but I do so most reluctantly. My reluctance stems from the fact that the learned state trial judge, Judge Richette, took great pains to satisfy herself that she could justifiably accept Duffy’s plea.

Although one of the issues raised before us concerns a failure by the trial judge to delineate the various elements of the crimes charged, Judge Weis, writing for the majority, very properly points to the extensive care taken by trial Judge Richette at the plea hearing to explore and expose the State’s evidence, thereby satisfying that aspect of Duffy’s nolo…