brookhart janis argued decided april petitioner indicted forgery offenses waived jury trial though petitioner insisted way pleading guilty counsel consented prima facie trial procedure conceded trial practical equivalent guilty plea whereby state makes prima facie showing guilt defense offer evidence witnesses hearing evidence including alleged confession trial adjudged petitioner guilty sentenced petitioner brought habeas corpus action ohio claiming denial right sixth fourteenth amendments confront witnesses upheld conviction ground petitioner knowingly waived right counsel consent prima facie trial held petitioner constitutional right plead guilty trial confront adversary witness waived counsel without petitioner consent pp ohio reversed remanded gerald messerman appointment argued cause petitioner brief lawrence herman also appointment leo conway assistant attorney general ohio argued cause respondent brief william saxbe attorney general justice black delivered opinion petitioner james brookhart serving first three consecutive sentences one years imposed ohio common pleas upon convictions forgery uttering forged instruments brought action habeas corpus ohio question raised jurisdiction petitioner charged contends convictions constitutionally invalid obtained trial denied federally guaranteed constitutional right confront witnesses permitting state introduce alleged confession mitchell denying right state witnesses testified master commissioners appointed state recommended habeas corpus denied found petitioner although plead guilty agreed state prove prima facie case contest witnesses finding based oral testimony based exclusively examination transcript proceedings trial petitioner convicted state accepted commissioners view waiver stating transcript trial showed open represented counsel petitioner agreed although plead guilty contest state case witnesses require state prove essential elements crime ohio respondent admits denial without waiver constitutional error first magnitude amount showing want prejudice cure question waiver federally guaranteed constitutional right course federal question controlled federal law presumption waiver constitutional rights see glasser waiver effective must clearly established intentional relinquishment abandonment known right privilege johnson zerbst deciding federal question waiver raised must course look facts allegedly support waiver upon examination facts shown record completely unable agree ohio petitioner intelligently knowingly waived right witnesses whose testimony used convict trial record shows following facts petitioner arraigned january without lawyer pleaded guilty charges two days later appointed counsel represent able make bond remained jail march time brought judge trial petitioner appointed counsel told judge client signed waivers trial jury wanted tried judge order verify waivers showed petitioner two written waivers trial jury bearing signature asked signature petitioner said following colloquy among judge petitioner counsel took place open ergazos petitioner lawyer correct honor anything kandel nothing ergazos thing honor matter prima facie case going witnesses know state ca taken surprise want fooled client change mind half way trial really contest state contest want know fairness put complete proof ergazos might say honor testimony adduced morning leaves question defendant connection crime like reserve right time raising another putting state spot spot wo find guilty evidence substantial ergazos jury question undoubtedly ordinarily prima facie case prima facie case defendant technically legally effect admits guilt wants state prove ergazos correct knowing prosecutor knowing instead half dozen witness one point one understand contest brookhart like point way pleading guilty charge want stand trial give jury trial incarcerated last eighteen months county jail get credit two months nerves stand longer like tried make mind whether require prima facie case complete trial ergazos prima facie honor interested right emphasis supplied ordered footnotes mitchell pleaded guilty indicted petitioner sentenced ohio state reformatory although reformatory time petitioner trial called testify person petition also charged brookhart given adequate notice charges upon tried indictment charging forgery uttering forged instruments amended trial petitioner attacks convictions several constitutional grounds find unnecessary decide additional contentions set note constitutional rights turn resolution factual dispute duty bound make independent examination evidence record see edwards south carolina blackburn alabama compare rideau louisiana separate opinion justice harlan find issue case straightforward record susceptible reading given concur judgment however case presents problems two sorts first precise nature rights allegedly waived wholly clear one view adopted petitioner lawyer effect entered conditional plea guilty defendant another interpretation certainly arguable find agreement petitioner counsel trial involve matter trial procedure believe lawyer may properly make tactical determination run trial even face client incomprehension even explicit disapproval decision example whether specific witness think clearly one counsel alone although contended waiver nothing tactical choice nature believe federal constitutional purposes procedure agreed instance involved significant surrender rights normally incident trial amounted almost plea guilty nolo contendere believe due process clause fourteenth amendment plea may entered counsel client protest second given need petitioner approval entry plea question arises whether petitioner fact agree tried prima facie trial without opportunity witnesses ohio basis examination record found petitioner agreed state prove prima facie case contest witnesses brookhart haskins ohio independent examination relevant portion record reprinted ante pp finds petitioner intelligently knowingly agree tried proceeding equivalent guilty plea ante decisive fact course state petitioner mind understanding intention counsel stated trial prima facie honor interested reading record leaves substantial doubt petitioner actual understanding end pertinent courtroom colloquy doubt enhanced general unfamiliarity seems exist ohio prima facie practice see question satisfactorily resolved solely existing record therefore vacate judgment remand case hearing appropriate state procedures determine whether petitioner fact knowingly freely choose guilt determined type trial failing availability proceedings state courts avenue federal habeas corpus open petitioner determination issue ohio characterized procedure unusual ohio oral argument assistant attorney general ohio noted unaware procedure practice found statute rules state explains procedure follows statutory plea nolo contendere ohio felony cases therefore one charged crime knows successfully defend plea guilty subject penalty civil suit arising factual situation without recourse plea nolo contendere permitted federal courts certain state courts circumvent difficulty ohio courts allowed done accused enter plea guilty arrangement require prosecution prove prima facie case brief note