Ballard v. State

Carley, Judge.

Ballard was indicted for murder for shooting Thomas Moore with a rifle, "thereby giving to him mortal wounds, of which . . . [he] then and there died.” Represented by counsel, Ballard appeared in court, pled guilty to voluntary manslaughter and was sentenced to five years in the penitentiary. Thereafter, he filed in the trial court a pro se "Application For Leave To File A Motion To Withdraw Guilty Plea,” contending: (1) that he had not been advised of his right to appeal; (2) that he had asked a Legal Aid attorney to appeal but this attorney would not appeal and withheld his…