Kuhlmann, Superintendent, Sullivan Correctional Facility v. Wilson (477 U.S. 436)
U.S. Supreme Court · decided June 26, 1986 · Supreme Court Database (Spaeth)
- Citation
- 477 U.S. 436 · 106 S. Ct. 2616
- Decided
- June 26, 1986
- Term
- October Term 1985
- Vote
- 6–3
- Majority author
- Justice Powell
- Issue area
- Criminal Procedure
- Disposition
- Reversed and remanded
- Outcome
- Petitioning party won
- Ideological direction
- Conservative
Opinion excerpt
Justice Powell announced the judgment of the Court and delivered the opinion of the Court with respect to Parts I, IV, and V, and an opinion with respect to Parts II and III in which The Chief Justice, Justice Rehnquist, and Justice O’Connor join. This case requires us to define the circumstances under which federal courts should entertain a state prisoner’s petition for writ of habeas corpus that raises claims rejected on a prior petition for the same relief. h-4 In the early morning of July 4, 1970, respondent and two confederates robbed the Star Taxicab Garage in the Bronx, New York, and fatally shot the night dispatcher. Shortly before, employees of the garage had observed respondent, a former employee there, on the premises conversing with two other men. They also witnessed respondent fleeing after the robbery, carrying loose money in his arms. After eluding the police for four days, respondent turned himself in. Respondent admitted that he had been present when the crimes took place, claimed that he had witnessed the robbery, gave the police a description of the robbers, but denied knowing them. Respondent also denied any involvement in the robbery or murder, claiming that he had fled because he was afraid of being blamed for the crimes. After his arraignment, respondent was confined in the Bronx House of Detention, where he was placed in a cell with a prisoner named…
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