Jackson v. Virginia
United States Supreme Court
443 U.S. 307 (1979)
Relevant factsFree
Jackson (defendant) was convicted of first-degree murder by a state trial judge who claimed to apply a reasonable-doubt standard in assessing the state's premeditation evidence. The state court of appeals upheld the conviction. Jackson then filed a federal habeas petition, arguing the evidence was insufficient to convict him.
IssueFree
Whether, in a federal habeas corpus proceeding challenging the sufficiency of the evidence for a state conviction, the proof-beyond-a-reasonable-doubt standard applies.