Betts v. Brady

316 U.S. 455 (1942)

Facts

Betts (D) was indicted for robbery. He requested counsel but was denied because a local law only allowed appointment in rape and murder cases. D pled not guilty at trial, and elected to be tried without a jury. He chose not to take the stand at trial. D was convicted and sentenced to 8 years. D then filed a petition for a writ of habeas corpus alleging that he had been deprived of the right to assistance of counsel guaranteed by the Fourteenth Amendment of the Federal Constitution. The writ issued, the cause was heard, his contention was rejected, and he was remanded to the custody of the prison warden. Some months later, a petition for a writ of habeas corpus was presented to the Court of Appeals of Maryland, setting up the same grounds for D's release as the former petition. It was eventually denied. The Supreme Court granted certiorari.