Ashcraft v. Tennessee
Encyclopedia
Ashcraft v. State of Tennessee
, 322 U.S. 143 (1944), is a U.S. Supreme Court case, with a decision written by
Justice Hugo Black
.
The defendant in the case, E.E. Ashcraft, was charged
with hiring John Ware to murder
Ashcraft's wife, Zelma Ida Ashcraft. Ashcraft and Ware confessed
to the crimes and were sentenced
to 99 years in the state penitentiary
. Ware and Ashcraft appeal
ed, claiming that their confessions were extorted from them. Ware, a black man, claimed that he confessed because he feared mob
violence. Ashcraft - who had been questioned for more than 38 hours, with only one 5-minute break - claimed he was threatened and abused.
The Supreme Court of Tennessee affirmed both men's conviction
s. However, neither they nor the original Trial Court ruled that the confessions were voluntarily made. On this question, they deferred to the jury
, which had decided that the confessions were voluntary. After making an "independent examination", the United States Supreme Court reversed both convictions.
Justices Jackson
, Roberts and Frankfurter
dissented
because they felt the Supreme Court did not grant sufficient deference
to the State Courts' rulings.
This case is important, in part, because of the Court's decision not to grant deference to the jury's determination that the defendants' confessions were voluntary.
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
, 322 U.S. 143 (1944), is a U.S. Supreme Court case, with a decision written by
Majority opinion
In law, a majority opinion is a judicial opinion agreed to by more than half of the members of a court. A majority opinion sets forth the decision of the court and an explanation of the rationale behind the court's decision....
Justice Hugo Black
Hugo Black
Hugo Lafayette Black was an American politician and jurist. A member of the Democratic Party, Black represented Alabama in the United States Senate from 1927 to 1937, and served as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1937 to 1971. Black was nominated to the Supreme...
.
The defendant in the case, E.E. Ashcraft, was charged
Criminal charge
A criminal charge is a formal accusation made by a governmental authority asserting that somebody has committed a crime. A charging document, which contains one or more criminal charges or counts, can take several forms, including:* complaint...
with hiring John Ware to murder
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
Ashcraft's wife, Zelma Ida Ashcraft. Ashcraft and Ware confessed
Confession (legal)
In the law of criminal evidence, a confession is a statement by a suspect in crime which is adverse to that person. Some authorities, such as Black's Law Dictionary, define a confession in more narrow terms, e.g...
to the crimes and were sentenced
Sentence (law)
In law, a sentence forms the final explicit act of a judge-ruled process, and also the symbolic principal act connected to his function. The sentence can generally involve a decree of imprisonment, a fine and/or other punishments against a defendant convicted of a crime...
to 99 years in the state penitentiary
Penitentiary
Penitentiary may refer to:* Prison or penitentiary, a correctional facility* Apostolic Penitentiary, a tribunal of mercy, responsible for issues relating to the forgiveness of sins in the Roman Catholic Church* Penitentiary...
. Ware and Ashcraft appeal
Appeal
An appeal is a petition for review of a case that has been decided by a court of law. The petition is made to a higher court for the purpose of overturning the lower court's decision....
ed, claiming that their confessions were extorted from them. Ware, a black man, claimed that he confessed because he feared mob
MOB
Mob may refer to:* A crowd Mob may refer to:* A crowd Mob may refer to:* A crowd (of people, from Latin mobile vulgus "fickle commoners":*An angry mob; see Ochlocracy*A criminal gang*In American English, organized crime; slang for Mafia or American Mafia*Mobbing, human bullying behaviour...
violence. Ashcraft - who had been questioned for more than 38 hours, with only one 5-minute break - claimed he was threatened and abused.
The Supreme Court of Tennessee affirmed both men's conviction
Conviction
In law, a conviction is the verdict that results when a court of law finds a defendant guilty of a crime.The opposite of a conviction is an acquittal . In Scotland and in the Netherlands, there can also be a verdict of "not proven", which counts as an acquittal...
s. However, neither they nor the original Trial Court ruled that the confessions were voluntarily made. On this question, they deferred to the jury
Jury
A jury is a sworn body of people convened to render an impartial verdict officially submitted to them by a court, or to set a penalty or judgment. Modern juries tend to be found in courts to ascertain the guilt, or lack thereof, in a crime. In Anglophone jurisdictions, the verdict may be guilty,...
, which had decided that the confessions were voluntary. After making an "independent examination", the United States Supreme Court reversed both convictions.
Justices Jackson
Robert H. Jackson
Robert Houghwout Jackson was United States Attorney General and an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court . He was also the chief United States prosecutor at the Nuremberg Trials...
, Roberts and Frankfurter
Felix Frankfurter
Felix Frankfurter was an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court.-Early life:Frankfurter was born into a Jewish family on November 15, 1882, in Vienna, Austria, then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in Europe. He was the third of six children of Leopold and Emma Frankfurter...
dissented
Dissenting opinion
A dissenting opinion is an opinion in a legal case written by one or more judges expressing disagreement with the majority opinion of the court which gives rise to its judgment....
because they felt the Supreme Court did not grant sufficient deference
Deference
Deference is the condition of submitting to the espoused, legitimate influence of one's superior or superiors. Deference implies a yielding or submitting to the judgment of a recognized superior out of respect or reverence...
to the State Courts' rulings.
This case is important, in part, because of the Court's decision not to grant deference to the jury's determination that the defendants' confessions were voluntary.