Willie Lee Richmond v. Samuel A. Lewis, Director, Arizona Department of Corrections, et al. (506 U.S. 40)
U.S. Supreme Court · decided December 1, 1992 · Supreme Court Database (Spaeth)
- Citation
- 506 U.S. 40 · 113 S. Ct. 528
- Decided
- December 1, 1992
- Term
- October Term 1992
- Vote
- 8–1
- Majority author
- Justice O'Connor
- Issue area
- Criminal Procedure
- Disposition
- Reversed and remanded
- Outcome
- Petitioning party won
- Ideological direction
- Liberal
Opinion excerpt
Justice O’Connor delivered the opinion of the Court. The question in this case is whether the Supreme Court of Arizona has cured petitioner’s death sentence of vagueness error. I On August 25, 1973, Bernard Crummett had the misfortune to meet Rebecca Corella in a Tucson, Arizona, bar. Crummett left the bar with Corella and, in the parking lot, met petitioner, who had been waiting for Corella with his girlfriend, Faith Erwin. Corella agreed to perform an act of prostitution with Crummett, and petitioner drove the group to Corella’s hotel. There, Corella communicated to petitioner that Crummett was “loaded,” and petitioner in turn whispered to Erwin that he intended to rob Crummett. After Corella and Crummett concluded their encounter at the hotel, the group again went for a drive, this time to a deserted area outside Tucson, where, Crummett believed, Corella would perform another act of prostitution. Petitioner stopped the car and got out. He first struck Crum-mett to the ground and next threw several large rocks at Crummett’s head. Crummétt’s watch and wallet were taken by Corella, petitioner, or both, and these two then drove away with Erwin. Either petitioner or Corella was driving, and whoever it was drove the car over Crummett twice. Crummett suffered injuries to his head and trunk, and died. The State of Arizona charged petitioner with robbery and first degree murder.…
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