Document: 508 U.S. 275 113 S.Ct. 2078 124 L.Ed.2d 182 John SULLIVAN, Petitioner,v.LOUISIANA. No. 92-5129. Argued March 29, 1993. Decided June 1, Syllabus * The jury instructions in petitioner Sullivan's state-court trial for first-degree murder included a definition of "reasonable doubt" that was essentially identical to the one held unconstitutional Cage v. Louisiana, 498 39, 111 328, 112 339 (per curiam). entered verdict guilty, and Sullivan sentenced death. In upholding conviction on direct appeal, Supreme Court Louisiana erroneous instruction harmless beyond reasonable doubt. Held: A constitutionally deficient reasonable-doubt cannot be error. Pp. ____. (a) Sixth Amendment right denied by giving beyond-a-reasonable-doubt instruction. Fifth requirement proof doubt, see, e.g., re Winship, 397 358, 364, 90 1068, 1072, 25 368, jury, rather than judge, reach requisite finding "guilty," are interrelated: required is guilt Court's opinion Cage, which an sort given here does not produce such verdict, controlling. (b) among those constitutional errors require reversal conviction, amenable harmless-error analysis. See Chapman California, 386 18, 24, 87 824, 828, 17 705. Consistent with jury-trial guarantee, instructs reviewing court consider actual effect error guilty case at hand. Since petitioner's there has been no within meaning Amendment, premise analysis absent. Unlike presumption regarding element offense, see Sandstrom Montana, 442 510, 99 2450, 61 vitiates all jury's factual findings. can only engage pure speculation—its view what would have done. When it that, wrong entity judges defendant guilty. Moreover, denial consequences necessarily unquantifiable indeterminate, certainly "structural defec[t] constitution mechanism, def[ies] 'harmless-error' standards" under Arizona Fulminante, 499 ----, 1246, 1249, 302 (opinion REHNQUIST, C.J., Court). 596 So.2d 177 (La.1992), reversed remanded. SCALIA, J., delivered unanimous Court. filed concurring opinion. Wilson Reed, New Orleans, LA, petitioner. Jack Peebles, respondent. Justice SCALIA 1 question presented whether may 2 Petitioner charged course committing armed robbery Orleans bar. His alleged accomplice crime, convicted felon named Michael Hillhouse, testifying pursuant grant immunity, identified as murderer. Although several other people were bar time robbery, testified trial. This witness, who had unable identify either Hillhouse or physical lineup, they committed she saw hold gun victim's head. There circumstantial evidence supporting conclusion triggerman. 177, 180-181 (La.1992). closing argument, defense counsel argued doubt both identity murderer his intent. 3 judge gave was, State conceded below, (1990) found subsequently recommended he agreed. On held, consistent its remand from our decision 583 1125, cert. denied, 502 211, 116 170 (1991), So.2d, 186. It therefore upheld though remanding new sentencing hearing because ineffectiveness phase. We granted certiorari, 506 373, --- ---- (1992). II 4 provides "[i]n criminal prosecutions, accused shall enjoy speedy public trial, impartial jury. . ." Duncan 391 145, 149, 88 1444, 1447, 20 491 (1968), we this serious cases "fundamental American scheme justice," applicable state proceedings. includes, course, most important element, "guilty." Sparf Hansen United States, 156 51, 105-106, 15 273, 294-295, 39 L.Ed. 343 (1895). Thus, although if legally insufficient establish guilt, State, matter how overwhelming evidence. Ibid. also States Martin Linen Supply Co., 430 564, 572-573, 97 1349, 1355-1356, 51 642 (1977); Carpenters 330 395, 410, 67 775, 783, 91 973 (1947). 5 What factfinder must determine return prescribed Due Process Clause. prosecution bears burden proving elements offense charged, Patterson York, 432 197, 210, 2319, 2327, 53 281 Leland Oregon, 790, 795, 72 1002, 1005, 96 1302 (1952), persuade "beyond facts necessary each elements, 368 (1970); Cool 409 100, 104, 93 354, 357, 34 335 (1972) requirement, adhered virtually common-law jurisdictions, applies well federal supra. 6 self-evident, think, interrelated. satisfy probably then leave up (as Winship requires) words, Our per curiam accept controlling, verdict.1 Petitioner's denied. III 7 705 (1967), rejected reversal. violation prosecutorial comment upon defendant's failure testify could show complained did contribute obtained." Id., S.Ct., 828. standard recognizes "certain errors, less 'harmless' terms their factfinding process trial." Delaware Van Arsdall, 475 673, 681, 106 1431, 1436, 89 674 (1986). analysis, 1252, (1991) Court) (collecting examples), some will always invalidate conviction. 1254 (citing, inter alia, Gideon Wainwright, 372 335, 83 792, 9 799 (1963) (total deprivation counsel); Tumey Ohio, 273 47 437, 71 749 (1927) (trial biased judge); McKaskle Wiggins, 465 168, 104 944, 79 122 (1984) (right self-representation)). present category belongs. 8 itself suggests answer. might generally expected but Chapman, supra, U.S., 828 (analyzing "verdict obtained"). Harmless-error review looks, said, basis "the actually rested verdict." Yates Evatt, 500 1884, 1893, 114 (emphasis added). inquiry, whether, occurred without error, surely rendered, rendered unattributable That so, hypothesize never fact rendered—no inescapable findings support be—would violate guarantee. Rose Clark, 478 570, 578, 3101, 3105, 92 460 (1986); id., 593, 3114 (BLACKMUN, dissenting); Pope Illinois, 481 497, 509-510, 107 1918, 1926, 95 439 (1987) (STEVENS, dissenting). Once proper role appellate engaged inquiry understood, illogic becomes evident. Since, reasons described above, entire simply being guilty-beyond-a-reasonable-doubt, same guilty-beyond-a-reasonable-doubt absent utterly meaningless. object, so speak, scrutiny operate. conclude doubt—not different enough. Yates, - 1898 (SCALIA, part judgment). requires more speculation about hypothetical action, else directed verdicts sustainable appeal; Bollenbach 326 607, 614, 66 402, 405, 350 (1946). 10 Insofar possibility concerned, jury-instruction quite erecting offense. mandatory presumption—for example, person intends ordinary voluntary acts—violates Fourteenth relieve (1979); Francis Franklin, 471 307, 105 1965, 85 344 (1985). But "[w]hen instructed presume malice predicate facts, still find existence doubt." 580, 3107, And when latter "are closely related ultimate presumed rational fact, making functionally equivalent presumed." Carella 263, 271, 109 2419, 2423, 218 (1989) Pope, 504, 1923 concurring). thus able played significant 1893-1894. essential connection "beyond-a-reasonable-doubt" made where instructional consists misdescription proof, judge[s] guilty." Rose, 3106. 11 Another mode leads apply: distinguished between, hand, defects defy standards," and, occur "during presentation quantitatively assessed context presented." 1254. Denial former sort, guarantee "basic protectio[n]" whose precise effects unmeasurable, reliably serve function, 577, 3105. reflects, "a profound judgment way law should enforced justice administered." 155, 1451. right, unquestionably qualifies error." 12 reversed, remanded proceedings inconsistent 13 ordered. djQ Chief concurring. 14 divided class violations during proceeding, sentencing, into two categories: consisting "trial error[s]," "may presented," 1264 Court), analysis; defects," "affec[t] framework proceeds," 1265, automatic "strong presumption" any fall first these categories. 579, 3106, rare subject (listing examples structural errors). holds today (it conceded) violates due curiam), amounts regardless guilt. ante, grounds determination conducted respect long since argument general matter, prohibits application determining prejudicial impact outcome case. See, 582, n. 11, 3108, 11. concludes situation hand fundamentally different, though, because, instruction, [harmless-error] absent." Ante, 16 Where views lens defective reasons, ground distinguishes create review. applied principles (1979), "malice instruction" shifted issue intent, Sandstrom. Because certain 3107. Connecticut Johnson, 73, 96-97, 103 969, 983, 74 823 (1983) (Powell, many similarities between place, neither restricted defendants' "opportunity put make [their] claim[s] innocence." 3106-3107. "[u]nlike [structural] judicial bias counsel, error[s] affect composition record." 7, 7. Finally, removed consideration, 8, prevented considering (In regard, seems me all.) respects, hallmark 18 One even ability conduct dependent typical case, explicit findings; rather, renders innocence. possible (or facts), usually left record developed say verdict. conducts engages decisionmaking process; end know factors led Cf. 503, 6, 1922, (1987). Yet become integral component system. 22, 827, (1967). 19 Despite lingering doubts, I breed apart curiam) (instruction containing conclusive presumption); supra misstating offense); burden-shifting presumption). result absence agree Amendment's join

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