| Court: | US Supreme Court |
| Facts: | Sandstrom killed a woman; not too many facts in the opinion. But he claims his mental state precluded doing so "purposely or knowingly." |
| Posture: | Convicted at trial, affirmed by Montana Supreme Court. |
| Issue: | If intent is an element of a crime, does the jury intruction, "the law presumes that a person intends the ordinary consequences of his voluntary acts," prejudice the defense in a way that violates the 14th Amendment requirement for proof beyond reasonable doubt? |
| Holding: | Yes. Reversed. |
| Rule: | This kind of language shifts both the burden of production and the burden of persuasion. That is not allowed. |
| Reasoning: | The Montana Supreme Court is the final authority on Montana law, but not on what is constitutional. |
| Dicta: | Rhenquist concurs, even though he doesn't want to see the Supreme Court get bogged down in arguments about jury instructions. |