Dotson v. Warden

The plaintiff appeals from a judgment dismissing his petition for a writ of habeas corpus. The plaintiff, Hayward S. Dotson, was convicted in 1971, after a jury trial, on three counts of burglary, rape and indecent assault in a case arising out of the rape of an elderly woman in her West Hartford apartment. The plaintiff was given a total effective sentence of ten to seventeen years, which he is currently serving. Although the plaintiff attempted to appeal his conviction and sentence, no appeal was taken because his then special public defender found no basis for appeal and was allowed to…