Ronald McConnell v. Wayne K. Patterson, Warden, Colorado State Penitentiary

Appellant McConnell, a prisoner in the Colorado State Penitentiary at Canon City, Colorado, appeals from an order dismissing his petition for writ of habeas corpus entered in the United States District Court for the District of Colorado after an evidentiary hearing. McConnell, with a history of prior civil commitments to a state mental institution, while represented by retained “capable counsel”, was permitted to withdraw his plea of not guilty and not guilty by reason of insanity, and enter a plea of guilty.

It is urged that under the circumstances, the state court, in permitting the accused…