Commonwealth v. Allen

Opinion by

Mr. Chiee Justice Bell,

Appellant James Allen, while represented by counsel, pleaded guilty to murder, and in 1957 was sentenced to life imprisonment. This is a so-called silent record case, for there was no indication on the record that appellant’s guilty plea was voluntarily, knowingly and intelligently entered. Although no direct appeal was taken, the instant petition represents the fourth in a series of appellant’s post-conviction attacks on his conviction and sentence.

In Commonwealth ex rel. Allen v. Rundle, 410 Pa. 599, 189 A. 2d 261, we remanded appellant’s petition for a writ…