Commonwealth v. Porta

POPOVICH, Judge:

Appellant, Benjamin Porta, appeals from the lower court’s order denying his request for relief under the Post-Conviction Hearing Act 1 (PCHA). We affirm.

On May 12, 1954, appellant, while represented by two attorneys appointed by the trial court, pled guilty before a three-judge-panel to the stabbing death of one Ms. Marian Sommerfield. The trial court, after accepting appellant’s first-degree murder plea, imposed a sentence of life imprisonment. Appellant took neither a direct appeal from the judgment entered (having filed no post-trial motions) nor did he submit a petition to…