dutton evans argued october decided december appellee convicted murder following trial one shaw testified objection concerning statement williams alleged accomplice made prison incarcerated williams return arraignment appellee prosecution witnesses one another alleged accomplice gave detailed eyewitness testimony crime participation appellee williams therein shaw testimony admitted georgia statute construed georgia allows evidence coconspirator statement made concealment phase conspiracy following affirmance conviction georgia appellee brought habeas corpus proceeding federal district denied writ appeals reversed holding georgia statute violated appellee right confrontation secured sixth fourteenth amendments appellee contends georgia hearsay exception unconstitutional since differs hearsay exception applicable conspiracy trials federal courts applies statement coconspirator made course furtherance conspiracy held judgment reversed pp reversed justice stewart joined chief justice justice white justice blackmun concluded coconspirator hearsay exception applied georgia invalid confrontation clause sixth amendment applied fourteenth merely coincide narrower exception applicable federal conspiracy trials results sixth amendment exercise power respecting federal law evidence pp circumstances case admission evidence williams statement result denial appellee confrontation right since statement bore indicia reliability fully warranted placed jury pp justice harlan concluded exceptions rule hearsay must evaluated confrontation clause designed cope many factors involved passing evidentiary rules due process standards fifth fourteenth amendments thus evaluated georgia statute constitutional applied case since declaration interest involved evinces likelihood trustworthiness exclusion evidence therefore essential fair trial pp alfred evans assistant attorney general georgia reargued cause appellant brief arthur bolton attorney general marion gordon mathew robins assistant attorneys general robert thompson reargued cause filed brief appellee solicitor general griswold invitation argued cause amicus curiae reargument brief assistant attorney general wilson jerome feit beatrice rosenberg roger pauley justice stewart announced judgment opinion chief justice justice white justice blackmun join early april morning three police officers brutally murdered gwinnett county georgia bodies found hours later handcuffed together pine thicket multiple gunshot wounds back head many months investigation georgia authorities charged appellee evans two men wade truett venson williams officers murders evans williams indicted grand jury truett granted immunity prosecution return testimony evans pleaded guilty exercised right georgia law tried separately jury trial convicted murder sentenced death judgment conviction affirmed georgia denied certiorari evans brought present habeas corpus proceeding federal district alleging among things denied constitutional right confrontation trial district denied writ appeals fifth circuit reversed holding georgia indeed denied evans right guaranteed sixth fourteenth amendments confronted witnesses judgment appeal brought noted probable jurisdiction case originally argued last term set reargument order understand context constitutional question us brief review proceedings evans trial necessary principal prosecution witness trial truett alleged accomplice granted immunity truett described length detail circumstances surrounding murder police officers testified along evans williams engaged switching license plates stolen car parked back road gwinnett county accosted three police officers youngest officers leaned front evans inspect ignition switch car evans grabbed officer gun holster evans williams disarmed officers gunpoint handcuffed three together took officers woods killed firing several bullets bodies extremely close range addition truett witnesses testified prosecution defense counsel given full opportunity witness exercised opportunity respect one prosecution witnesses man named shaw testified williams fellow prisoners federal penitentiary atlanta georgia time williams brought gwinnett county arraigned charges murdering police officers shaw said williams returned penitentiary arraignment asked williams make williams responded dirty alex evans defense counsel objected introduction testimony upon ground hearsay thus violative evans right confrontation objection overruled counsel shaw length testimony shaw relating said williams told admitted georgia trial admission upheld georgia upon basis georgia statute provides fact conspiracy shall proved declarations one conspirators pendency criminal project shall admissible appellate put rule long conspiracy conceal fact crime committed identity perpetrators offense continues parties conspiracy considered much unit declarations either admissible defendant williams time statement made still concealing identity keeping secret fact killed deceased denying guilt evidence sufficient establish prima facie case conspiracy steal automobile killing deceased conspirators carrying conspiracy statement williams made actual commission crime conspiracy continued admissible citations omitted admission testimony witness shaw formed basis appellee claim present habeas corpus proceeding denied constitutional right confrontation georgia trial upholding claim appeals fifth circuit regarded duty interpret framers original concept light historical developments also translate terms constitutional boundaries hearsay rule footnotes omitted upheld appellee constitutional claim find salient cogent reasons exception hearsay rule georgia applied present case exception pointed broader applicable conspiracy trials federal courts question us whether circumstances case appeals correct holding evans murder conviction set aside admission shaw testimony considering question start recognizing squarely held sixth amendment right accused confront witnesses fundamental right made obligatory fourteenth amendment pointer texas see also douglas alabama brookhart janis barber page roberts russell illinois allen california green beginning inquiry argued constitutional right confrontation requires hearsay evidence ever introduced pointer case referred decisions approved admission hearsay recognized admissibility accused dying declarations mattox testimony deceased witness testified former trial mattox see also dowdell supra kirby supra analogous situations might fall within scope constitutional rule requiring confrontation witnesses two evidentiary rules identical must readily conceded settled federal conspiracy trials hearsay exception allows evidence statement one conspirator admitted fellow conspirators applies statement made course furtherance conspiracy subsequent period conspirators engaged nothing concealment criminal enterprise lutwak krulewitch hearsay exception georgia applied present case hand permits introduction evidence statement even though made concealment phase conspiracy follow federal courts declined extend hearsay exception include statements made concealment phase conspiracy extension automatically violates confrontation clause last term california green said task case decide positions purely matter law evidence sounder issue us considerably narrower one whether defendant constitutional right confronted witnesses necessarily inconsistent state decision change hearsay rules may readily conceded hearsay rules confrontation clause generally designed protect similar values quite different thing suggest overlap complete confrontation clause nothing less codification rules hearsay exceptions existed historically common law decisions never established congruence indeed found violation confrontation values even though statements issue admitted arguably recognized hearsay exception converse equally true merely evidence admitted violation hearsay rule lead automatic conclusion confrontation rights denied citations omitted case us policy questions present evans prosecuted conspiracy georgia substantive offense murder trial state permitted introduction evidence rule state law say evidentiary rule applied georgia violates constitution merely exactly coincide hearsay exception applicable decidedly different context federal prosecution substantive offense conspiracy ii argued alternatively event evans conviction must set aside impact recent decisions reversed state convictions denial constitutional right confrontation cases upon appellee evans primarily relies pointer texas supra douglas alabama supra brookhart janis supra barber page supra roberts russell supra pointer case appeared man named phillips victim robbery texas preliminary hearing phillips chief witness state gave version alleged robbery detail identifying petitioner man robbed gunpoint pointer lawyer hearing try phillips pointer subsequent trial prosecution permitted introduce transcript phillips testimony given preliminary hearing thus held state use transcript statement trial denied petitioner opportunity benefit counsel principal witness douglas case decided day pointer involved even flagrant violation defendant right confrontation douglas trial prosecutor permitted read entire document purporting accomplice written confession accomplice refused testify reliance upon privilege compulsory statements document read solicitor recited considerable detail circumstances leading surrounding alleged crime crucial importance named petitioner person fired shotgun blast wounded victim reversing douglas conviction pointed accomplice reliance upon privilege compulsory created situation jury might improperly infer statement made true yet since prosecutor witness inference reading accomplice made statement tested similarly accomplice statement imputed admitted ibid brookhart janis barber page even afield brookhart appeared petitioner denied right witnesses testified additionally introduced evidence alleged confession made one testify issue case one waiver since state properly conceded wholesale complete denial without waiver constitutional error first magnitude barber principal evidence petitioner transcript preliminary hearing testimony admitted trial judge exception hearsay rule terms applicable witness unavailable hearsay exception explained arising necessity decided oklahoma invoke concept use preliminary hearing transcript case without showing effort obtain witness presence trial roberts russell held doctrine bruton applicable given retroactive effect bruton case far different one us case joint trial petitioner codefendant coincidentally named evans upon charge armed postal robbery postal inspector testified evans confessed evans petitioner committed robbery evidence concededly wholly inadmissible petitioner evans testify although trial judge instructed jury disregard evidence evans confession considering question petitioner guilt reversed petitioner conviction primary focus opinion bruton upon issue whether jury circumstances presented reasonably expected followed trial judge instructions found risk prejudice petitioner case even serious douglas powerfully incriminating extrajudicial statements codefendant stands accused defendant deliberately spread jury joint trial accordingly held context joint trial accept limiting instructions adequate substitute petitioner constitutional right us bruton recognized exception hearsay rule careful emphasize intimate view whatever exceptions necessarily raise questions confrontation clause seems apparent sixth amendment confrontation clause evidentiary hearsay rule stem roots never equated two decline confine instead deciding case us case involve evidence sense crucial devastating cases discussed involve use misuse confession made coercive atmosphere official interrogation douglas brookhart bruton roberts involve suggestion prosecutorial misconduct even negligence pointer douglas barber involve use prosecution paper transcript pointer brookhart barber involve joint trial bruton roberts certainly involve wholesale denial brookhart trial case less witnesses appeared testified prosecution evans counsel given full opportunity every one important witness far eyewitness described details triple murder great length witnesses testimony single one issue one witness testified brief conversation evans fellow prisoner atlanta penitentiary witness vigorously effectively defense counsel testimony peripheral significance admitted evidence exception hearsay rule long established state statutory law georgia statute obviously many applications consistent confrontation clause conclude application circumstances case violate constitution evans deprived right confrontation issue whether williams actually made statement related shaw neither hearsay confrontation question arise shaw testimony used prove merely statement made hearsay rule prevent witness testifying heard rather restriction proof fact extrajudicial statements viewpoint confrontation clause witness oath subject whose demeanor observed trier fact reliable informant seen also heard confrontation issue arises jury invited infer williams implicitly identified evans perpetrator murder blamed evans predicament conclude denial right confrontation question identity first statement contained express assertion past fact consequently carried face warning jury giving statement undue weight second williams personal knowledge identity role participants triple murder abundantly established truett testimony williams prior conviction inconceivable shown williams position know whether evans involved murder third possibility williams statement founded faulty recollection remote extreme fourth circumstances williams made statement give reason suppose williams misrepresent evans involvement crime circumstances go beyond showing williams apparent reason lie shaw statement spontaneous penal interest make indicia reliability widely viewed determinative whether statement may placed jury though confrontation declarant decisions make clear mission confrontation clause advance practical concern accuracy process criminal trials assuring trier fact satisfactory basis evaluating truth prior statement california green evans exercised exercised effectively right confrontation factual question whether shaw actually heard williams make statement shaw related possibility williams conceivably shown jury statement though made might unreliable wholly unreal almost years ago snyder massachusetts justice cardozo wrote opinion refusing set aside state criminal conviction claimed denial right confrontation closing words opinion worth repeating danger criminal law brought contempt discredit even touch great immunities assured fourteenth amendment gossamer possibilities prejudice defendant nullify sentence pronounced competent jurisdiction obedience local law set guilty free ordered footnotes evans state opinion district unreported evans dutton since appear appeals held georgia statute relied upon state trial unconstitutional applied doubt right appeal three rebuttal witnesses four defense witnesses evans made lengthy unsworn statement code ann evans state pointer texas see also salinger see fed rule crim proc provides trials testimony witnesses shall taken orally open unless otherwise provided act congress rules admissibility evidence competency privileges witnesses shall governed except act congress rules otherwise provide principles common law may interpreted courts light reason experience see hawkins advised time evans trial georgia recognize conspiracy separate substantive criminal offense georgia rule hardly unique see reed people dailey state state roberts see also wharton criminal evidence ed acts declarations conspirator admissible made pendency wrongful act includes perpetration offense also subsequent concealment theory admission evidence persons conspire commit crime commit crime much concerned crime freedom apprehension concerned crime commission conspiracy commit crime devolves commission thereof conspiracy avoid arrest implication existence hearsay exception evidence law many recognized krulewitch supra suggested constitutional provision based principle origin reaction abuses trial sir walter raleigh heller sixth amendment see note confrontation hearsay rule yale despite superficial similarity evidentiary rule constitutional clause eager equate present hearsay law merit permanent niche constitution indeed ripeness reform unifying theme evidence literature bentham authors uniform rules evidence authorities agreed present hearsay law keeps reliable evidence courtroom pointer read constitution hearsay rule unknown proportions reformers must grapple centuries inertia constitutional prohibition well footnotes omitted cast serious doubt shaw credibility particularly whether conversation shaw related ever took place course evans right subpoena witnesses including williams whose testimony might show statement made counsel evans informed us oral argument subpoenaed williams concluded course best interests client conceded oral argument death penalty imposed case carried jury qualified standards violative witherspoon illinois appeals fifth circuit already set aside witherspoon death sentence imposed upon venson williams evans alleged accomplice see williams dutton justice blackmun chief justice joins concurring join justice stewart opinion however additional reason result single sentence attributed testimony shaw williams evans prolonged litigation view light entire record harmless error error furthermore claimed circumstances utterance incredible testimony must hurt rather helped prosecution case ground alone persuaded reverse remand shaw testified williams made remark issue shaw went room hospital asked williams made hearing preceding day shaw stated custody federal penitentiary atlanta worked clerk prison hospital williams lying bed room facing wall shaw hall room spoke williams door room closed spoke opening inches square opening piece plate glass window glass ordinary window glass piece steel mesh impede talking door one talks normal voice talks door shaw conceded testified williams earlier trial made reference glass opening door carmen david mabry called state testified public health service stationed atlanta penitentiary described opening door williams room said contained glass wire mesh heavy steel mesh never tried talk door knowledge never heard people talking door years hospital glass door hospital records disclosed loss understand normal jury must assume one led believe let alone influenced astonishing account shaw conversation williams normal voice closed hospital room door note also fifth circuit description shaw testimony somewhat incredible possessing basic incredibility saying fully aware fifth circuit panel went observe cited convinced called harmless justice quillian sole dissent direct appeal georgia stated obviously prejudicial defendant however neither georgia superior judge tried case federal district judge held hearing evans petition federal habeas concluded prejudicial error present also know attitude georgia majority decided issue strictly upon pronounced limits georgia hearsay rule presumably occasion touch upon alternative ground harmlessness usually refrain passing upon issue kind adversely federal appeals trial judges rule suppose free draw upon cold record appellate add observation corroboration marion calvin perry another federal prisoner one admitted numerous past convictions including larceny automobiles testified without objection known williams evans years truett two years spoke williams evans days prior murders three police officers williams owed money williams talked telephone bout stealing cars williams told alex evans know kind car williams want days later alex talked cars told want mess venson williams evans said got said get seven eight days murders williams asked telephone whether perry still oldsmobile switch week murders argued evans much receive stolen car six days murders saw evans filling station talked murders said wanted know see mine friend evans got mad hell told thought knowed anything keep damn mouth shut another witness lawrence hartman testified red oldsmobile hardtop stolen home atlanta night april murders took place early morning april went testify oldsmobile found burning near scene tragedy automobile testimony record earlier acquisition evans williams another wrecked oldsmobile like model color towing damaged car wrecker manned williams evans replacement good tires chevrolet occupied williams evans truett recapped tires purchased record testimony seems bears directly positively conspiracy accomplishments provides indisputable confirmation evans role requirements georgia corroboration rule fully satisfied shaw incredible remark fades practical legal insignificance error one exists harmless beyond reasonable doubt chapman california harrington california justice harlan concurring result surprisingly difficult constitutional issue presented case produced multiple opinions justice stewart finds shaw testimony admissible wholly unreal suggest weakened effect williams statement jury mind justice blackmun concurring view finds admission statement harmless seemingly deems shaw testimony obviously fabricated normal jury given credence justice marshall answers suggestions satisfaction adopts position accept apparently prevent prosecution introducing statement accomplice unless opportunity regardless circumstances statement made regardless whether even hearsay difficulty case arises assumption core purpose confrontation clause sixth amendment prevent overly broad exceptions hearsay rule believe assumption wrong contrary things appeared last term wrote california green since become convinced wigmore correct view says constitution prescribe kinds testimonial statements dying declarations like shall given depends law evidence time mode procedure shall followed procedure case testimony required ordinary law evidence given wigmore evidence ed omitted one translate confrontation clause language common use today read criminal prosecutions accused shall enjoy right present witnesses nothing language century equivalent connote purpose control scope rules evidence language particularly intended prohibition use hearsay position toward brother marshall driven although quite yet embrace content position took concurrence california green supra confrontation clause designed establish preferential rule requiring prosecutor avoid use hearsay reasonably possible words produce available witnesses consideration light facts squarely presenting issue green led conclude happy intent attributed framers absent compelling linguistic historical evidence pointing direction common ground historical understanding clause furnishes solid guide adjudication rule requiring production available witnesses significantly curtail development law evidence eliminate necessity production declarants production unduly inconvenient small utility defendant examples come mind business records act exceptions hearsay rule official statements learned treatises trade reports see uniform rules evidence gilstrap business records kay laboratory analysis hearsay exception involved given case commend reasonable men production declarant likely difficult unavailing pointless unusual cases case hand may example sixth amendment guarantees federal defendants right compulsory process obtain presence witnesses washington texas held fourteenth amendment extends protection state defendants regardless interpretation one puts words confrontation clause clause simply well designed taking account numerous factors must weighed passing appropriateness rules evidence failure justice stewart opinion explain standard tests shaw statement standard squared seemingly absolute command clause bears witness fact clause set task suited task far appropriately performed aegis fifth fourteenth amendments commands federal state trials respectively must conducted accordance due process law standard test federal state rules evidence must recognized everything said cases consistent position however approach necessarily inconsistent results reached major confrontation decisions seven involved use testimony absence countervailing circumstances introduction evidence affront core meaning confrontation clause question case therefore whether adequate confrontation satisfy requirement clause regardless correctness results holding clause applicable situations consistent view clause taken passing principal cases dowdell held confrontation clause prohibit introduction ocumentary evidence establish collateral facts admissible common law characterized exception clause rather problem clause speak result seem correct brookhart janis smith illinois involved restrictions right wholesale denial right douglas alabama perhaps easily dealt viewing case prosecutorial misconduct alternatively prepared hold matter due process confession accomplice resulting formal police interrogation introduced evidence guilt accused absent circumstance indicating authorization adoption exclusion evidence dates least tong case kelyng eng universally accepted theory adequate account results douglas bruton remaining confrontation case significance kirby case record conviction three men theft introduced kirby trial judge instructed jury judgment prima facie evidence goods kirby accused receiving three men fact stolen reversed holding since judgment sole evidence fact theft kirby denied right confrontation view confrontation case matter substantive law judgments accord wigmore supra indeed kirby indicated lack confrontation heart objection said record competent evidence fact conviction correctness result kirby hardly doubted think based wrong legal theory judging georgia statute challenged standards due process conclude must sustained accomplishment main object conspiracy seldom terminate community interest conspirators declarations interest evince likelihood trustworthiness jury guidance defense counsel alert obvious dangers crediting testimony practical matter unless declaration proved hearsay evidence facts reveals likely remain hidden jury declarant invocation privilege light considerations person weighing necessity hearsay evidence type involved danger jury give undue credit might reasonably conclude admission evidence increase likelihood determinations truth appellee suggested shaw testimony possessed peculiar characteristic lessen force general considerations require constitutional matter trial judge exercise residual discretion exclude evidence unduly inflammatory exclusion statements done federal courts commends say essential fair trial due process clause requires premises discussed opinion concur reversal judgment see california green supra concurring opinion historically confrontation clause meant constitutionalize barrier flagrant abuses trial anonymous accusers absentee witnesses see especially concurring opinion although fact necessary conclusion note counsel evans conceded oral argument secured williams presence testify decided tr oral arg reliance due process clauses also virtue subjecting rules evidence constitutional scrutiny civil criminal trials alike exceedingly rare common law make admissibility evidence turn whether proceeding civil criminal nature see wigmore supra feature jurisprudence indication confrontation clause applies criminal prosecutions never intended constitutional standard testing rules evidence reynolds mattox motes west louisiana pointer texas barber page california green quite apart malloy hogan georgia long recognized privilege georgia constitution art vi provided person shall compelled give testimony tending manner criminate language appears present state constitution const art vi right previously recognized matter common law even civil trials see marshall riley justice marshall justice black justice douglas justice brennan join dissenting appellee evans convicted murder trial witness named shaw allowed testify counsel strenuous objection statement claimed made williams alleged accomplice already convicted separate trial according shaw statement implicated williams evans crime made prison conversation immediately williams arraignment williams testify called witness nevertheless today concludes admission extrajudicial statement attributed alleged partner crime deny evans right confronted witnesses guaranteed sixth fourteenth amendments constitution majority reaches result completely inconsistent recent opinions especially douglas alabama bruton view cases fully apply establish clear violation evans constitutional rights pointer texas first held sixth amendment right accused confront witnesses fundamental right made obligatory fourteenth amendment decision held constitutionally inadmissible statement offered defendant state trial statement originally made preliminary hearing circumstances affording defendant adequate opportunity indeed since held even prior hearing satisfy confrontation requirement least witness made statement available called trial barber page right confrontation basically trial right includes opportunity occasion jury weigh demeanor witness douglas alabama supra applied principles pointer case strikingly similar one state charged two defendants crime tried separate trials state first prosecuted one defendant loyd used statement trial second defendant douglas although state called loyd witness appeal conviction pending refused testify ground violate fifth amendment privilege without reaching question whether privilege properly invoked held prosecutor reading loyd statement purported attempt refresh memory denied douglas right confrontation loyd statement imputed admitted course douglas provided opportunity officers testified regarding loyd statement since evidence tended show loyd made confession substitute loyd test truth statement surely reasoning compels exclusion shaw testimony indeed significant difference douglas case insofar denial opportunity concerned state even attempt call williams testify evans trial plainly available state know willingly testified least regard alleged conversation shaw finally applied reasoning douglas hold despite instructions jury disregard implicating statements determining codefendant guilt innocence admission joint trial defendant extrajudicial confession implicating codefendant violated codefendant right secured confrontation clause sixth amendment roberts russell giving retroactive effect state federal trials bruton thus williams alleged statement extrajudicial admission made fellow prisoner even introduced williams tried joint trial evans teaching line cases seems clear absent opportunity testimony incriminating implicating statement allegedly made williams constitutionally inadmissible trial evans justice stewart opinion reversal characterizes wholly unreal possibility williams change picture presented shaw account trial lawyer might well doubt article skeptical faith profession categorical prophecy likely results careful indeed facts case clearly demonstrate necessity fuller factual development corrective test makes possible plurality reversal pigeonholes statement admitted evidence spontaneous utterance hence believed appeals concluded however great doubt williams even made statement attributed moreover remains question anything williams might meant remark shaw recounted justice stewart opinion concedes remark ambiguous plainly stands accusation sort evans said williams according shaw trial evans gave unsworn testimony effect murder prosecution might arisen enmities evans law enforcement activities stirred locality williams accusation relate evans man powerful unscrupulous enemies evans murderer justice stewart opinion opts latter interpretation concludes williams remark penal interest hence believed great distance events one certain point absent williams jury left unelucidated apparently damning patently damaging accusation told shaw thus case unanswered questions confrontation witnesses meant aid answering declarant say mean truth williams testified evans counsel fully explored matters jury evaluated statement light williams testimony demeanor however state able use shaw present damaging evidence thus avoid confronting evans person allegedly gave witness thought precisely confrontation clause applied pointer cases prevented although justice stewart opinion reversal concludes violation evans right confrontation complete absence authority reasoning explain result example facts williams alleged statement made official interrogation transcript form introduced joint trial though differentiate cases surely irrelevant cases presented factors reason offered right confrontation limited enough statement admitted evidence rule state law justice stewart opinion surely mean defendant constitutional right confrontation must give way state evidentiary rule much established decision barber page supra held unconstitutional admission testimony accordance rule similarly well recognized long established however plurality reversal neither succeeds distinguishing case considers generally inevitably conflicts pointer state evidentiary rules rather attempts buttress conclusion merely announcing reluctance equate evidentiary hearsay rules confrontation clause appeals however view confrontation clause implies unrelenting hostility whatever evidence may classified hearsay hold must conform evidentiary rules hearsay exceptions applicable federal conspiracy trials note case reality even involve traditional hearsay rule coconspirators exception basis decision rather appeals found admission incriminatory inculpating statement attributed alleged accomplice made available termed obvious abridgment evans right confrontation since state presented satisfactory justification denial confrontation cf pointer texas appeals held douglas alabama cases evans denied constitutional rights surely constitution requires least much state denies defendant right confront witnesses criminal trial case shaw testimony admitted accordance established rule state law aid brethren reaching conclusion carried logical end justification denial right confrontation basis provide wholesale avoidance decisions douglas burton decisions justice stewart opinion reaffirms indeed opinion meant says come close establishing reverse equation seeks avoid equation give exception state hearsay rule permanent niche constitution form exception confrontation clause well finally plurality reversal apparently distinguishes present case ground involve evidence sense crucial devastating despite characterization shaw testimony peripheral significance however possibility prejudice evans real outcome evans trial rested essence whether jury believe testimony truett regard evans role murder truett spoke admitted accomplice immunized prosecution relying georgia law federal constitutional law trial judge instructed jury lawfully convict upon testimony accomplice alone testimony accomplice must corroborated corroboration must connect defendant criminal act state presented testimony number witnesses addition alleged accomplice tended corroborate evans guilt shaw account williams supposedly said undoubtedly part corroborating evidence indeed justice stewart opinion upset appeals finding admission shaw testimony erroneous considered harmless beyond apart question harmless error justice stewart undertakes inquiry purpose understand whether evidence admitted crucial devastating view apparently require exclusion evidence falling short high standard prejudice bring moment clamor bill rights eschew worries confine inquiry traditional questions defendant afforded right confront witnesses denial constitutional right harmless beyond reasonable doubt fact evans may well convicted part incriminatory implicating statement attributed alleged accomplice testify consequently questioned regarding truth meaning statement appeals correctly recognized confrontation clause prohibits result whether statement introduced guise refreshing witness recollection douglas alabama codefendant limiting instruction bruton accordance evidentiary rule troubled fact plurality reversal unable said place case beyond principled reach prior decisions shifts ground begins hunt whatever indicia reliability may cling williams remark told shaw whether williams made spontaneous statement penal interest question tested williams indicia reliability easy come prove much reasonable ask whether confrontation clause independent vitality protecting criminal defendant use extrajudicial statements subject exposed jury assessment declarant demeanor trial believe confrontation clause sunk statement bearing indicium probative likelihood come matter damaging statement may great need test cf california green decisions pointer douglas bruton roberts require meager inquiry lame indicia approach necessary avoid rampaging confrontation clause tramples flexibility innovation state law evidence specter specter decide case need go beyond hitherto settled sixth fourteenth amendment law consider generally effect confrontation clause hearsay rule exceptions since issue global dimension presented cf bruton incriminatory extrajudicial statement alleged accomplice inherently prejudicial introduced unless opportunity declarant whether statement falls within genuine exception hearsay rule view evans entitled trial fully accorded constitutional guarantee right confront witnesses affirm judgment appeals let case go back georgia courts tried without use statement attributed shaw williams shaw witness williams trial testimony fully anticipated objected admission question presents fundamental conflict defendant sixth amendment rights witness fifth amendment privilege might present state called williams testify view make availability declarant concern confrontation see california green harlan concurring state right duty compel codefendant testimony timing trials use testimonial immunity seemingly decided see comment exercise privilege witnesses codefendants effect upon accused chi rev cf brookhart janis brother stewart comments evans might brought williams courthouse subpoena defense counsel believing williams stand right incriminate tr oral arg may remains duty confront criminal defendant witnesses falls upon state state allowed introduce damaging evidence without running risks trial confrontation cf supra considering shaw testimony evidence submitted trial appeals concluded shaw account conversation williams notable basic incredibility example pointer involved second one present either bruton roberts constitutionalization hearsay rules exceptions california green concurring opinion seem prospect frightening real much complexity afflicting hearsay rules comes definition hearsay statement presented truth matter stated definition nowhere adopted confrontation purposes rather decisions looking availability declarant barber page supra recognize included right accused criminal case confront witnesses pointer texas admission absence certain types suspect highly damaging statements one threats fair trial confrontation clause directed bruton evans charged conspiracy georgia law conspiracy element came part state evidentiary law part goes far beyond traditional hearsay exception even exists regard concealment phase jurisdictions indeed williams alleged statement negates notion evans authorized williams speak assumed risk order achieve unlawful aim concert effort difficult conceive williams part conspiracy conceal crime alleged participants custody already arraigned stated fiswick admission one apprehended sense furtherance criminal enterprise rather frustration one lower georgia adopted essentially reasoning reversing conviction testimony similar objected case admitted see green state app see infra georgia rule involved apparently makes admissible statements admissions alleged accomplice coconspirator inevitably conflicts decisions regarding confrontation clause see darden state mitchell state app confessions codefendants trial held admissible indeed georgia seems resolved conflict favor state rule erroneously concluding decisions based federal hearsay rule concerning confession one apprehended pinion state see also park state petition cert filed november renumbered trial judge instructions left doubt statement attributed williams provide necessary corroboration see trial record indeed prejudicial impact shaw testimony graphically revealed simply juxtaposing two quotations first characterization justice stewart opinion shaw testimony characterization find fair albeit studiedly mild jury invited infer williams implicitly identified evans perpetrator murder emphasis added second trial judge charge corroboration accomplice testimony slight evidence extraneous source identifying accused participator criminal act sufficient corroboration accomplice support verdict emphasis added light charge consideration whole record evans trial impossible believe beyond reasonable doubt error complained contribute verdict obtained chapman california harrington california justice harlan answers question directness adopting decide case view due process apparently makes distinction civil criminal trials prohibit irrational unreasonable evidentiary rulings needless say accept view evans constitutional rights measured standard concededly nothing confrontation clause see supra