Williams v. New York

Williams (defendant) was convicted of murder, and although the jury recommended life imprisonment, the trial judge imposed the death penalty. The judge explained his choice by relying on information from the court's probation department -- including the crime's brutality, Williams's prior burglaries, and a report portraying him as a menace to society -- none of which the jury had seen or Williams had been able to confront. The court of appeals affirmed the conviction and sentence.

Whether the Due Process Clause bars a sentencing judge from considering out-of-court information about the defendant that the defendant had no opportunity to confront or cross-examine.