Balkcom v. Hurst

Quillian, Justice.

Walter E. Hurst brought his petition for habeas corpus in the City Court of Reidsville against R. P. Balkcom, Warden of the Georgia State Prison. The petitioner contends that sentences which he was serving from three counties, Richmond, Bulloch and Johnson, were void because he had been deprived of counsel and of a commitment hearing, both in violation of his rights guaranteed by the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. After the hearing, the trial judge issued- an order that sentences from the three named counties were “declared null and void,” but that…