United States of America Ex Rel. John Johnson H-6753 v. Harry Russell, Superintendent

ADAMS, Circuit Judge.

The petitioner in this case is collaterally attacking the guilty plea entered by him after completion of the Commonwealth’s evidence in a state criminal trial on the grounds that he was inadequately represented by counsel at the time of entering the plea and that the plea was the product of inadequate representation by counsel during the trial.

On July 15, 1966, Johnson was arrested for a robbery which had just been committed. One and a half months later, after the preliminary hearing had been held, the Philadelphia Voluntary Defender’s Office entered an appearance,…