Commonwealth ex rel. Zaffina v. Maroney

Opinion by

Mr. Justice Jones,

This is an appeal from an order of the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County which denied, without a hearing, a petition for the issuance of a writ of habeas corpus by Frank D. Zaffina, now serving a life sentence after having been found guilty of murder in the first degree.

The factual background of the events which led to Zaffina’s conviction may be briefly stated.1 Zaffina and Michael Popovich, residents of Cleveland, while on a visit to Pittsburgh were introduced to one Vincent S catena and later to William and Ann Garrison. Popovich, Zaffina and Scatena…