Lynumn v. Illinois

The petitioner was tried in the Criminal Court of Cook County, Illinois, on an indictment charging her with the unlawful possession and sale of marijuana. She was convicted and sentenced to the penitentiary for “not less than ten nor more than eleven years.” The judgment of conviction was affirmed on appeal by the Illinois Supreme Court. 21 Ill. 2d 63, 171 N. E. 2d 17. We granted cer-tiorari. 370 U. S. 933. For the reasons stated in this opinion, we hold that the petitioner’s trial did not meet the demands of due process of law, and we accordingly set aside the judgment before us.

On January…