Chambers v. Mississippi

Chambers (defendant) was tried for murdering a police officer. Another man, McDonald, had confessed to the murder in writing to Chambers's attorneys but repudiated the confession at a preliminary hearing and was released. At trial, Chambers called McDonald and got the confession admitted, but Mississippi's "voucher rule" barred Chambers from cross-examining his own witness to challenge McDonald's repudiation. The trial court also excluded, as hearsay, testimony from three other witnesses who would have corroborated McDonald's confession, because Mississippi's hearsay exception for statements against interest covered only pecuniary interests, not penal ones. Chambers was convicted and, after unsuccessful state appeals, sought Supreme Court review.