Dorman v. State

Petitioner William J. Dorman has filed with this Court a petition for writ of ha-beas corpus and the Respondent State of Florida has filed its return. Because it appears therefrom that Petitioner has presented a prima facie showing that he is being illegally detained which is not conclusively refuted by the State’s return, we are exercising our discretionary jurisdiction over the cause.

Petitioner was arrested and charged with three counts of “committing the abominable and detestable crime against nature with a child.” Before trial he changed his not guilty plea to one of guilty, and the trial…