Commonwealth ex rel. Ringer v. Maroney

Opinion by

Woodside, J.,.. This is another of the numerous petitions for a writ of habeas corpus by which a prisoner, long incarcerated for a serious offense, now contends he was denied due process at time of sentence primarily because he had no counsel.

The petitioner was sentenced in 1948 in Clinton County on two charges of arson. On the one case he was given 8 to 20 years and on the other 2 to 10 years to run consecutively thus making a total of 10 to 30 years.

In his petition the prisoner alleges that he is illiterate and unschooled, was required to sign confessions not read or explained to…