Tollett v. Henderson, 411 U.S. 258 (1973)

Tollett v. Henderson


No. 72-95


Argued February 20, 1973
Decided April 17, 1973
411 U.S. 258

CERTIORARI TO THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE SIXTH CIRCUIT

Syllabus

Where a state criminal defendant, on advice of counsel, pleads guilty, he cannot, in a federal habeas corpus proceeding, raise independent claims relating to the deprivation of constitutional rights that antedated the plea, Brady v. United States, 397 U.S. 742, such as infirmities in the grand jury selection process, but may only attack the voluntary and intelligent character of the guilty plea by showing that counsel’s advice was not within the standards of McMann v. Richardson, 397 U.S. 759. Pp. 261-269.

459 F.2d 237, reversed and remanded.

REHNQUIST, J., delivered the opinion of the Court, in which BURGER, C.J., and STEWART, WHITE, BLACKMUN, and POWELL, JJ., joined. MARSHALL, J., filed a dissenting opinion, in which DOUGLAS and BRENNAN, JJ., joined, post, p. 269.