Wilson v. Wiman

Apr 29, 1968
No. 1176
Reporters:
,
Before:
Fortas

C. A. 6th Cir. Certiorari denied.

Mr. Justice Fortas,

with whom The Chief Justice

and Mr. Justice Douglas ‍‌‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌‍join, would grant certiorari in this case. In 1933 and 1935 petitioner was convicted in the state courts of Kentucky of housebreaking. In 1964, he was convicted of storehouse ‍‌‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌‍breaking. The earlier convictions were used in evidence pursuant to the Kentucky recidivist statute. Petitioner was sentenced to life in prison. The trial judge did not instruct the jury ‍‌‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌‍that the prior convictions could be used only for the limited purpose of the recidivist statute. I believe that we should hear this case to determine whether it is ‍‌‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌‍governed by Spencer v. Texas, 385 U. S. 554 (1967), and if so whether Spencer v. Texas should be reconsidered. See the separate opinion of The Chief Justice, in which I joined, 385 U. S., at 569, and the ‍‌‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌‍dissent of Mr. Justice Brennan, in which Mr. Justice Douglas joined, 385 U. S., at 587.