Williams v. New York

1949

Court: US Supreme Court

Facts: Judge could sentence either to life in prison or death.

Posture: Apparently, there was a conviction.

Issue: What standards of evidence are applicable when judges gather information pursuant to sentencing?

Holding:

Rule: Unclear-- partial decision only.

Reasoning: Judges need information for sentencing. Only thus can they pass more enlightened sentences.

Dicta: