Johnson Vs. United States

johnson v. united states - 401 u.s. 846 (1971) u.s. supreme court johnson v. united states, 401 u.s. 846 (1971) johnson v. united states no. 5247 argued march 24, 1971 decided april 5, 1971 401 u.s. 846 certiorari to the united states court of appeals for the district of columbia circuit 138 u.s.app.d.c. 174, 426 f.2d 651, certiorari dismissed as improvidently granted. per curiam. the writ of certiorari is dismissed as improvidently granted. the chief justice took no part in the consideration or decision of this case. mr. justice stewart, with whom mr. justice douglas joins, dissenting. in the petitioner's trial on a charge of rape, the district judge instructed the jury that it could return a verdict of guilty with the death penalty. yet that verdict was constitutionally impermissible in light of this court's decision in united states v. jackson, 390 u. s. 570 . see bailey v. united states, 132 u.s.app.d.c. 82, 86 and n. 3, 405 f.2d 1352, 1356 and n. 3. i think the extreme prejudice arising from this erroneous instruction requires reversal of the judgment of conviction and a remand of this case for a new trial. cf. price v. georgia, 398 u. s. 323 , 398 u. s. 331 -332.