Thomas Everette Richardson v. United States

Richardson applies for leave to proceed on appeal in forma pauperis and he has asked for the appointment of an attorney to represent him in this court. The attempted appeal is from an order of the district court at Juneau, Alaska, denying a motion which Richardson filed there and which he entitled “Motion for Leave to Obtain Copies of the Following Documents in Forma Pauperis”. The documents referred to are the transcript and the entire record of his trial in that court which resulted in his conviction of the crime of murder and a judgment sentencing him to life imprisonment.

The facts disclosed are that although judgment and sentence were imposed upon petitioner on February 6, 1956, no appeal was taken from that judgment. The motion, from the denial of which the present appeal is sought to be prosecuted, is so inartificially drawn that it is difficult to ascertain just what claim petitioner was endeavoring to state thereby. It does appear therefrom however that he asserts he was denied a right to appeal his conviction because he was denied any opportunity to learn that he had a right of appeal. His allegation in this respect is as follows:

“This petitioner is of the opinion…