Williams v. United States

The principal question in these cases is whether Chimel v. California, 395 U. S. 752 (1969), should be applied retroactively either to the direct review of petitioner Williams’ conviction or in the collateral proceeding initiated by petitioner Elkanich.

I

In No. 81, federal agents on March 31, 1967, secured a warrant to arrest petitioner Williams on charges of selling narcotics in violation of 21 U. S. C. § 174. Williams was arrested at his home that night. A quantity of heroin was discovered and seized in the course of a search incident to the arrest. The trial court sustained the search and…