United States Ex Rel. Smith v. Baldi

Petitioner was convicted of murder and sentenced to death by the State of Pennsylvania. The crime was committed in January 1948. Petitioner was without counsel when he appeared for arraignment on February 25, 1948. The presiding judge asked a lawyer present in the courtroom to advise petitioner how to plead. This lawyer, who knew nothing about petitioner, advised him to enter a plea of “not guilty.” On September 21, 1948, after several continuances, the District Attorney, to*563gether with petitioner’s state-named counsel, who had been appointed after arraignment, and a judge of the sentencing…