Commonwealth v. Lowery

Opinion by

Mr. Justice Roberts,

Thomas Lowery entered a plea of guilty to a general charge of murder in 1956. A 1958 degree of guilt hearing resulted in a determination that he had committed murder in the first degree, and a sentence of life imprisonment was imposed shortly thereafter. In 1967 Lowery filed a PCHA petition which averred, inter alia, that he had not been advised of his right to appeal, that his confession had been coerced, and that his guilty plea had not been voluntary. Counsel was appointed and an evidentiary hearing resulted in the issuance of an order permitting Lowery to…