United States v. Fletcher
United States v. Fletcher
Opinion of the Court
Petitioner filed a motion to vacate judgment under 28 U.S.C. § 2255, alleging ineffective assistance of counsel. In his petition he charged that court-appointed counsel had asked him for money and upon finding that petitioner had no money to give him, advised him to plead guilty.
The Court is of the opinion that such an allegation warrants a hearing to determine its truth. In Morris v. United States
In the instant case, however, the charge is not made in passing, but is an essential part of the allegation. No contrary statements appear with respect to it; the plea was not to a lesser offense but to all four counts of the indictment for which he was charged. The Court is of the opinion that the allegation, if true, would constitute ineffective assistance of counsel.
At the hearing, counsel in the original trial testified that he made no such request of the petitioner but interviewed him and then spoke with the District Attorney. After this he spoke to the defendant again, notified him of what the District Attorney had said to him, and notified him, also, of his right to a trial by jury. The petitioner did not contest these allegations of his trial counsel.
The Court finds that the allegation stated in the petition is untrue and that petitioner was not denied effective assistance of counsel.
After a careful consideration of the files, records, and motion of the case the motion to vacate is denied.
. 1957, 101 U.S.App.D.C. 296, 248 F.2d 618.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- United States v. Bernard E. FLETCHER
- Status
- Published