People v. Lyons

In April 1969 Edward Lyons pleaded guilty to three charges of armed robbery and one of attempted armed robbery. He was sentenced to five to eight years in the penitentiary. A notice of appeal was filed but the public defender, appointed to represent him, was granted leave to withdraw on the ground that the appeal would have been frivolous. People v. Lyons (1970), 121 Ill.App.2d 311, 257 N.E.2d 506.

Lyons filed a petition seeking post-conviction relief, alleging that he agreed to waive his right to a jury trial and to change his plea from not guilty to guilty, in return for a sentence of not…