Commonwealth v. Nichols

OPINION OF THE COURT

EAGEN, Chief Justice.

On April 9, 1974, Gerald Nichols, appellant, was convicted by a jury of murder of the second degree, burglary, aggravated robbery, and other related offenses.1 After a denial of Nichols’ motions for a new trial and in arrest of judgment, judgments of sentence totalling twenty to forty years imprisonment were imposed.

No appeals were then entered. However, in 1976, post-conviction relief proceedings were instituted, and, after finding Nichols had not effectively waived his right to appeal from the judgments of sentence, the court entered an order…