Carnley v. Cochran

The petitioner, who was not afforded the assistance of counsel for his defense at his trial, claims that, for this reason, his conviction by a jury in the Court of Record for Escambia County, Florida, deprived him of rights guaranteed by the Fourteenth Amendment. He obtained a provisional writ of habeas corpus from the Florida Supreme Court on his petition asserting that claim. *507However, that court, on the petition, the respondent's return and the petitioner's reply — but without any hearing — discharged the writ. 123 So. 2d 249. Since an important constitutional right is involved, we granted…