State v. Sfameni

The defendant was arraigned on an indictment charging him with receiving stolen goods and pleaded not guilty. He was released on bail and on May 9, 1972, after his motion to suppress certain evidence was denied, the defendant retracted his not guilty plea and entered a plea of nolo contendere to the indictment and to three other charges.1

The Superior Court justice before whom defendant appeared, apparently following the rule laid down by this court in Bishop v. Langlois, 106 R. I. 56, 256 A.2d 20 (1969), made an extensive inquiry of defendant regarding his request to enter nolo pleas. The…