McMann v. Richardson
United States Supreme Court
397 U.S. 759 (1970)
Relevant factsFree
Richardson (defendant) petitioned for habeas corpus relief after pleading guilty; the Second Circuit had held that where a defendant confesses and pleads guilty solely because of that confession, the plea is unintelligently made and vulnerable to later challenge. The U.S. Supreme Court granted certiorari to review that rule.
IssueFree
Whether a defendant who had the assistance of a capable attorney is entitled to a habeas corpus proceeding where he has pleaded guilty but later claims his plea was motivated by a prior coerced confession.