WILLIAM H. JAMES, PETITIONER-APPELLANT,
v.
S. LAMONT SMITH, WARDEN, GEORGIA STATE PRISON, ET AL., RESPONDENTS-APPELLEES

5th Cir. | 1972-02-04
No. 71-2639
455 F.2d 502 Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit (1972) Positive Treatment
Cited by 16 cases

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Holding

The court held that the district court should reconsider the denial of habeas corpus relief in light of Santobello v. New York.


Facts & Procedural History

Appellant sought habeas corpus relief, claiming the state failed to uphold a plea bargain. The district court denied relief without an evidentiary hea…

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Opinion of the Court
PER CURIAM:

PER CURIAM:

The instant appeal is from the denial of habeas corpus relief. Appellant’s claim for relief is based on the asserted failure of the state to live up to a “plea bargain.” The district court denied relief without an evidentiary hearing, relying upon the record of appellant’s state court proceedings, supplemented by affidavits from the prosecuting and defense attorneys at his trial.

On December 20, 1971, the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Santobello v. New York, 404 U.S. 257, 92 S.Ct. 495, 30 L.Ed.2d 427, which involved the validity of a guilty plea obtained through a plea bargaining process. There the judgment was vacated and the case remanded to the state court to determine whether the circumstances of the case require that there be “specific performance” of the agreement on the plea.

The appeal of the appellant in the case at bar presents a similar set of issues. Consequently, in light of Santobello and for whatever further evidentiary proceedings may be deemed warranted, we remand this case to the district court for reconsideration.

Vacated and remanded for further proceedings.


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