People v. Charlie Lee Woods

This appeal brings up a nationally bruited and quite unsettled question of criminal justice. The source of that question is what vexed lawyers and judges refer to as Miranda and Johnson (Miranda v. Arizona, 384 US 436 [86 S Ct 1602, 16 L Ed 2d 694, 10 ALR3d 974]; and Johnson v. New Jersey, 384 US 719 [86 S Ct 1772, 16 L Ed 2d 882], June 13 and June 20, 1966, respectively). The question, tersely put, is whether the rules laid down 5-3-1 in Miranda apply to this forthcoming retrial of a 1961 trial for and conviction of first-degree murder (CL 1948, § 750.316 [Stat Ann 1954 Rev § 28.548]).

Not…