Attorney(s) appearing for the Case
Albert E. Jenner, Jr., argued the cause for petitioner. With him on the briefs were Thomas P. Sullivan, Jerold S. Solovy, and John C. Tucker.
Donald J. Veverka, Assistant Attorney General, argued the cause for respondent State of Illinois. With him on the brief were William G. Clark, Attorney General, and John J. O'Toole, Assistant Attorney General. James B. Zagel argued the cause for respondent Woods, pro hac vice. With him on the brief were John J. Stamos, Elmer C. Kissane, and Joel Flaum.
Robert R. Granucci, Deputy Attorney General, argued the cause for the State of California, as amicus curiae. With him on the brief were Thomas C. Lynch, Attorney General, Albert W. Harris, Jr., Assistant Attorney General, and George R. Nock, Deputy Attorney General, joined by the Attorneys General for their respective States as follows: MacDonald Gallion of Alabama, Darrell F. Smith of Arizona, Joe Purcell of Arkansas, Duke W. Dunbar of Colorado, David P. Buckson of Delaware, Earl Faircloth of Florida, Arthur K. Bolton of Georgia, Allan G. Shepard of Idaho, Robert C. Londerholm of Kansas, John B. Breckinridge of Kentucky, Jack P. F. Gremillion of Louisiana, Norman H. Anderson of Missouri, Clarence A. H. Meyer of Nebraska, George S. Pappagianis of New Hampshire, Boston E. Witt of New Mexico, Helgi Johanneson of North Dakota, William B. Saxbe of Ohio, G. T. Blankenship of Oklahoma, William C. Sennett of Pennsylvania, Daniel R. McLeod of South Carolina, Frank L. Farrar of South Dakota, George F. McCanless of Tennessee, Crawford C. Martin of Texas, Robert Y. Button of Virginia, John J. O'Connell of Washington, and James E. Barrett of Wyoming; and by Marion O. Gordon, Assistant Attorney General of Georgia, Frank P. Lawley, Deputy Attorney General of Pennsylvania, Reno S. Harp III, Assistant Attorney General of Virginia, and Howard L. McFadden.
Briefs of amici curiae were filed by Elmer Gertz for the Illinois Division, American Civil Liberties Union; by Jack Greenberg, James M. Nabrit III, Michael Meltsner, Leroy D. Clark, Norman C. Amaker, and Charles S. Ralston for the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc., et al.; by Alex Elson, Willard J. Lassers, and Marvin Braiterman for the American Friends Service Committee et al.; by F. Lee Bailey, pro se; by Joel W. Westbrook for Turner, and by John P. Frank and John J. Flynn for Madden.
Supreme Court of United States.
MR. JUSTICE STEWART delivered the opinion of the Court.
The petitioner was brought to trial in 1960 in Cook County, Illinois, upon a charge of murder. The jury found him guilty and fixed his penalty at death. At the time of his trial an Illinois statute provided:
"In trials for murder it shall be a cause for challenge of any juror who shall, on being examined, state that he has conscientious scruples against capital punishment, or that he is opposed to the...
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