United States Supreme Court Cases & Opinions

U.S. Supreme Court

Buchalter v. New York, 319 U.S. 427 (1943)

Buchalter v. New York

No. 606

Argued May 7, 10, 1943

Decided June 1, 1943*

319 U.S. 427

Syllabus

1. The due process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment requires that state action be consistent with fundamental principles of liberty and justice, but does not draw to itself the provisions of state constitutions or State laws. P. 319 U. S. 429.

2. Upon review here of judgments of conviction in a criminal case in a state court, challenged by the defendants as denying their constitutional rights under the Fourteenth Amendment, held:

(1) The record fails to establish actual bias on the part of the jury. P. 319 U. S. 430.

(2) The contention that the statute governing the selection of jurors and the court's rulings on challenges worked injustice in the impaneling of the jury raises no reviewable question of due process. P. 319 U. S. 430.

(3) The challenged rulings upon evidence and instructions to the jury did not deprive the defendants of a trial according to the accepted course of legal proceedings. P. 319 U. S. 430.

(4) The contention that the prosecuting attorney unfairly suppressed evidence is without merit. P. 319 U. S. 431.

(5) The remarks of the prosecuting attorney to the jury, here complained of, do not raise a due process question. P. 319 U. S. 431.

3. Essential unfairness in a criminal trial must be shown convincingly, and not left to speculation. P. 319 U. S. 431.

289 N.Y. 181, 45 N.E.2d 225, affirmed.

Certiorari, 318 U.S. 797, to review the affirmance of judgments of conviction of murder.

Page 319 U. S. 428