Johnson v. United States
Docket: 5247
Court: Supreme Court of the United States; April 5, 1971; Federal Supreme Court; Federal Appellate Court
The Supreme Court dismissed the writ of certiorari in the case of Barrington Joseph Johnson v. United States as improvidently granted. The Chief Justice did not participate in the case's consideration or decision. Justice Stewart, joined by Justice Douglas, dissented, arguing that the jury instruction allowing for a guilty verdict with the death penalty in Johnson's rape trial was constitutionally impermissible, referencing the precedent set in United States v. Jackson. Stewart contended that the erroneous instruction led to significant prejudice, warranting the reversal of Johnson's conviction and the case's remand for a new trial, citing precedent from Price v. Georgia.