McDowell v. THE PEOPLE

In 1958 William H. McDowell, Jr., then twenty-eight years of age, was charged with the crime of armed robbery. On a plea of guilty he was sentenced by the circuit court of Jackson County, under the Habitual Criminal Act, (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1957, chap. 38, par. 603.1 et seq.) to imprisonment for a term of twenty-five to forty years. In 1962 he filed this petition in the nature of a writ of error coram nobis under section 72 of the Civil Practice Act, (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1961, chap, 110, par. 72.) seeking relief also under the Post-Conviction Hearing Act (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1961, chap. 38, par. 826 et…