John R. Cranor, Superintendent of the Washington State Penitentiary at Walla Walla, Washington v. Albert Gonzales

This is an appeal from an order granting the petition of appellee Gonzales for a writ of habeas corpus against appellant, Superintendent of the Washington State Penitentiary at Walla Walla, Washington.

On April 28, 1950, Gonzales was sentenced to a term of life imprisonment by the Superior Court of King County, Washington, pursuant to his conviction upon the verdict of a jury of the crime of murder in the first degree which he was charged to have committed on January 7, preceding. In the court below, Gonzales alleged, and the court found that at the trial of Gonzales in the State court, at which he was represented by counsel, there was introduced and received in evidence against him a certain written confession; that this confession was obtained from Gonzales by- certain Seattle police officers who, during a period of questioning which extended from about the hour of 1:30 A.M. on January 7 until about 2 A.M. the following day, struck him, pushed him against the walls of the room where he was confined, threatened to kick him in the face, and otherwise abused him; that during this period of some 24 hours of constant questioning, Gonzales was denied permission to call a lawyer or…