Watts v. Indiana

Mr. Justice Murphy and Mr. Justice Rutledge join.

Although the Constitution puts protection against crime predominantly in the keeping of the States, the *50Fourteenth Amendment severely restricted the States in their administration of criminal justice. Thus, while the State courts have the responsibility for securing the rudimentary requirements of a civilized order, in discharging that responsibility there hangs over them the reviewing power of this Court.1 Power of such delicacy and import must, of course, be exercised with the greatest forbearance. When, however, appeal is made to it, there…