Williams v. State

Alvin Dale Williams pleaded guilty and was convicted of possession of cocaine and assault in the second degree. In May of 1989, Williams was placed on three years' probation. In June of 1989, his probation was revoked on hearsay evidence indicating that Williams had sold cocaine to a police informant seven days after Williams had been granted probation.

At the revocation proceeding, the State's only witness was a city police officer who testified to what he had been told by his informant. The Attorney General recognizes the error in the proceedings. "[P]robation cannot be revoked solely upon…