mullaney wilbur argued january decided june state maine requires defendant charged murder upon conviction carries mandatory sentence life imprisonment prove acted heat passion sudden provocation order reduce homicide manslaughter case punishment fine imprisonment exceeding years held maine rule comport requirement due process clause fourteenth amendment prosecution must prove beyond reasonable doubt every fact necessary constitute crime charged winship satisfy requirement prosecution homicide case maine must prove beyond reasonable doubt absence heat passion sudden provocation issue properly presented pp affirmed powell delivered opinion unanimous rehnquist filed concurring opinion burger joined post vernon arey assistant attorney general maine argued cause petitioners brief jon lund attorney general richard cohen deputy attorney general charles leadbetter assistant attorney general peter rubin appointment argued cause filed brief respondent justice powell delivered opinion state maine requires defendant charged murder prove acted heat passion sudden provocation order reduce homicide manslaughter must decide whether rule comports due process requirement defined winship prosecution prove beyond reasonable doubt every fact necessary constitute crime charged june jury found respondent stillman wilbur guilty murder case rested pretrial statement circumstantial evidence showing fatally assaulted claude hebert latter hotel room respondent statement introduced prosecution claimed attacked hebert frenzy provoked hebert homosexual advance defense offered evidence argued homicide unlawful since respondent lacked criminal intent alternatively wilbur counsel asserted homicide manslaughter rather murder since occurred heat passion provoked homosexual assault trial instructed jury maine law recognizes two kinds homicide murder manslaughter offenses subdivided different degrees common elements homicide unlawful neither justifiable excusable intentional prosecution required prove elements proof beyond reasonable doubt proved jury consider distinction murder manslaughter view evidence trial drew particular attention difference murder manslaughter reading statutory definitions offenses charged malice aforethought essential indispensable element crime murder app without homicide manslaughter jury instructed however prosecution established homicide intentional unlawful malice aforethought conclusively implied unless defendant proved fair preponderance evidence acted heat passion sudden provocation emphasized malice aforethought heat passion sudden provocation two inconsistent things thus proving latter defendant negate former reduce homicide murder manslaughter concluded charge elaborate definitions heat passion sudden provocation retiring consider verdict jury twice returned request instruction first sought reinstruction doctrine implied malice aforethought later definition heat passion shortly second reinstruction jury found respondent guilty murder respondent appealed maine judicial arguing denied due process required negate element malice aforethought proving acted heat passion sudden provocation claimed maine law malice aforethought essential element crime murder indeed sole element distinguishing murder manslaughter respondent contended therefore decision winship requires prosecution prove existence element beyond reasonable doubt maine judicial rejected contention holding maine murder manslaughter distinct crimes rather different degrees single generic offense felonious homicide state wilbur stated century repeatedly held prosecution rest presumption implied malice aforethought require defendant prove acted heat passion sudden provocation order reduce murder manslaughter respect winship decided respondent trial noted anticipate application winship principle factor heat passion sudden provocation respondent next successfully petitioned writ habeas corpus federal district wilbur robbins supp district ruled maine statutes murder manslaughter distinct offenses different degrees single offense held alice aforethought made distinguishing element offense murder expressly excluded element offense manslaughter thus district concluded winship requires prosecution prove malice aforethought beyond reasonable doubt rely presumption implied malice requires defendant prove acted heat passion sudden provocation appeals first circuit affirmed subscribing general district analysis construction maine law although recognizing within broad limits state must one interpret laws nevertheless ruled totally unsupportable construction leads invasion constitutional due process federal matter appeals equated malice aforethought premeditation concluded winship requires prosecution prove fact beyond reasonable doubt following decision maine judicial decided case state lafferty sharply disputed first circuit view entitled make independent determination maine law maine also reaffirmed earlier opinion murder manslaughter punishment categories single offense felonious homicide accordingly prosecution proves felonious homicide burden shifts defendant prove acted heat passion sudden provocation order receive lesser penalty prescribed manslaughter view lafferty decision granted certiorari case remanded appeals reconsideration remand applied winship time maine law construed maine judicial looking substance law found presence absence heat passion sudden provocation results significant differences penalties stigma attaching conviction reasons appeals held principles enunciated winship control establish murder prosecution must prove beyond reasonable doubt defendant act heat passion sudden provocation importance issues presented granted certiorari affirm ii reject outset respondent position follow analysis district initial opinion first circuit held murder manslaughter distinct crimes maine malice aforethought fact essential former absent latter respondent argues maine judicial construction state law deemed binding since marks radical departure prior law leads internally inconsistent results transparent effort circumvent winship however repeatedly held state courts ultimate expositors state law see murdock city memphis wall winters new york bound constructions except extreme circumstances present accordingly accept binding maine judicial construction state homicide law iii maine law homicide bears case stated succinctly absent justification excuse intentional criminally reckless killings felonious homicides felonious homicide punished murder life imprisonment unless defendant proves fair preponderance evidence committed heat passion sudden provocation case punished manslaughter fine exceed imprisonment exceed years issue whether maine rule requiring defendant prove acted heat passion sudden provocation accords due process analysis may illuminated issue placed historical context early common law homicides committed enforcement justice considered justifiable others deemed unlawful punished death gradually however severity punishment homicide abated centuries class justifiable homicides expanded include example accidental homicides committed concurrently widespread use capital punishment ameliorated extension ecclesiastic jurisdiction almost person able read eligible benefit clergy procedural device effected transfer secular ecclesiastic jurisdiction ecclesiastic law person committed unlawful homicide executed instead received sentence thumb branded required forfeit goods turn century english rulers concerned accretion ecclesiastic jurisdiction expense secular enacted series statutes eliminating benefit clergy cases murder malice prepensed unlawful homicides committed without malice designated manslaughter perpetrators remained eligible benefit clergy even ecclesiastic jurisdiction eliminated secular offenses distinction murder manslaughter persisted said manslaughter voluntary arises sudden heat passions murder wickedness heart blackstone commentaries malice aforethought designated element distinguished two crimes recognized malice implied law well proved evidence absent proof unlawful homicide resulted sudden sufficiently violent provocation homicide presumed malicious view presumption early english authorities relying case king oneby eng held prosecution proved accused committed homicide incumbent upon prisoner make satisfaction jury circumstances justification excuse alleviation blackstone commentaries see foster crown law thus common law burden proving heat passion sudden provocation appears rested defendant country concept malice aforethought took two distinct meanings jurisdictions came signify substantive element intent requiring prosecution prove defendant intended kill inflict great bodily harm jurisdictions remained policy presumption indicating absent proof contrary homicide presumed occurred heat passion see state rollins see generally perkins malice aforethought yale landmark case commonwealth york mass chief justice shaw massachusetts judicial held defendant required negate malice aforethought proving preponderance evidence acted heat passion initially york adopted maine well several jurisdictions however context deciding question federal criminal procedure explicitly considered unanimously rejected general approach articulated york davis past half century large majority abandoned york require prosecution prove absence heat passion sudden provocation beyond reasonable doubt see lafave scott handbook criminal law historical review establishes two important points first fact issue presence absence heat passion sudden provocation almost inception common law homicide single important factor determining degree culpability attaching unlawful homicide second clear trend toward requiring prosecution bear ultimate burden proving fact see generally fletcher supra packer limits criminal sanction petitioners warden maine prison state maine argue despite considerations winship extended present case note formal matter absence heat passion sudden provocation fact necessary constitute crime felonious homicide maine winship emphasis supplied distinction relevant according petitioners winship facts issue essential establish criminality first instance whereas fact question come play jury already determined defendant guilty may punished least manslaughter situation petitioners maintain defendant critical interests liberty reputation longer paramount concern since irrespective presence absence heat passion sudden provocation likely lose liberty certain stigmatized short petitioners limit winship facts proved wholly exonerate defendant analysis fails recognize criminal law maine like jurisdictions concerned guilt innocence abstract also degree criminal culpability maine chosen distinguish kill heat passion kill absence factor former less blameworth state lafferty concurring opinion subject substantially less severe penalties drawing distinction refusing require prosecution establish beyond reasonable doubt fact upon turns maine denigrates interests found critical winship safeguards due process rendered unavailing simply determination may already reached stigmatize defendant might lead significant impairment personal liberty fact remains consequences resulting verdict murder compared verdict manslaughter differ significantly indeed viewed terms potential difference restrictions personal liberty attendant conviction distinction established maine murder manslaughter may greater importance difference guilt innocence many lesser crimes moreover winship limited facts constitute crime defined state law state undermine many interests decision sought protect without effecting substantive change law necessary redefine elements constitute different crimes characterizing factors bear solely extent punishment extreme example approach fashioned law challenged case maine divides single generic offense felonious homicide three distinct punishment categories murder voluntary manslaughter involuntary manslaughter first two categories require homicidal act either intentional result criminally reckless conduct see state lafferty supra concurring opinion maine law facts intent general elements crime felonious homicide see brief petitioners instead bear appropriate punishment category thus petitioners argument accepted maine impose life sentence felonious homicide even one traditionally might considered involuntary manslaughter unless defendant able prove act neither intentional criminally reckless winship concerned substance rather kind formalism rationale case requires analysis looks operation effect law applied enforced state louis arkansas interests state defendant affected allocation burden proof winship emphasized societal interests reliability jury verdicts requirement proof beyond reasonable doubt vital role criminal procedure cogent reasons accused criminal prosecution stake interests immense importance possibility may lose liberty upon conviction certainty stigmatized conviction moreover use standard indispensable command respect confidence community applications criminal law critical moral force criminal law diluted standard proof leaves people doubt whether innocent men condemned interests underlying winship implicated greater degree case one respect protection afforded interests less winship ultimate burden persuasion remained prosecution although standard reduced proof fair preponderance evidence case contrast state affirmatively shifted burden proof defendant result case one defendant required prove critical fact dispute increase likelihood erroneous murder conviction result directly contravenes principle articulated speiser randall one party stake interest transcending value criminal defendant liberty th margin error reduced process placing prosecution burden persuading factfinder conclusion trial suggested state wilbur difficulties negating argument homicide committed heat passion burden proving fact rest defendant doubt often heavy burden prosecution satisfy may said requirement proof beyond reasonable doubt many controverted facts criminal trial traditional burden system criminal justice deems essential indeed maine judicial acknowledged require prosecution prove absence passion beyond reasonable doubt moreover difficulty meeting exacting burden mitigated maine fact issue largely objective rather subjective behavioral criterion state rollins respect proving defendant act heat passion sudden provocation similar proving element intent may established adducing evidence factual circumstances surrounding commission homicide although intent typically considered fact peculiarly within knowledge defendant long recognized justify shifting burden see tot leary requirement proving negative unique system criminal jurisprudence maine requires prosecution prove absence beyond reasonable doubt see state millett satisfying burden imposes obligation practical effect identical burden involved negating heat passion sudden provocation thus discern unique hardship prosecution justify requiring defendant carry burden proving fact critical criminal culpability iv maine law requires defendant establish preponderance evidence acted heat passion sudden provocation order reduce murder manslaughter burden proof defendant given life sentence evidence indicates likely deserves significantly lesser sentence intolerable result society paraphrase justice harlan far worse sentence one guilty manslaughter murderer sentence murderer lesser crime manslaughter winship concurring opinion therefore hold due process clause requires prosecution prove beyond reasonable doubt absence heat passion sudden provocation issue properly presented homicide case accordingly judgment affirmed footnotes elaborated intentional homicide required jury find either defendant intended death intended act calculated understood person reason one likely great bodily harm death resulted maine murder statute rev stat tit provides whoever unlawfully kills human malice aforethought either express implied guilty murder shall punished imprisonment life manslaughter statute rev stat tit relevant part provides whoever unlawfully kills human heat passion sudden provocation without express implied malice shall punished fine imprisonment years trial also explained concept express malice aforethought required premeditated design kill thereby manifesting general malignancy disregard human life proceeds heart void social duty fatally bent mischief app despite instruction repeatedly made clear express malice need established since malice implied unless defendant proved acted heat passion hence instruction express malice appears wholly unnecessary maine judicial subsequently held state lafferty see also infra heat passion means time act reason disturbed obscured passion extent might make ordinary men fair average disposition liable act irrationally without due deliberation reflection passion rather judgment app eat passion avail unless upon sudden provocation sudden means happening without previous notice brief notice coming unexpectedly precipitated unlooked every provocation every rage passion reduce killing murder manslaughter provocation must character close upon act killing moment person moment defendant considered master understanding respondent object relevant instructions trial maine judicial nevertheless found issue cognizable appeal constitutional implications state wilbur maine concluded winship applied retroactively subsequently decided however winship given complete retroactive effect ivan city new york maine emphasized contrary view appeals first circuit malice aforethought connotes substantive fact premeditation rather solely policy presumption interpretation state law maine require proof element intent murder manslaughter distinction latter case intent results sudden provocation leads defendant act heat passion concurring opinion respondent relies bouie city columbia case state reinterpretation criminal statute novel unforeseeable therefore deprived defendants fair notice possible criminality acts time committed thus retroactive application new interpretation denial due process see also hill case respondent apparently concedes brief respondent comparable prejudice respondent since maine burden proving heat passion rested defendant century see state knight sure trial instructed jury concept express malice aforethought see supra concept subsequently stripped vitality maine judicial trial explicitly stated express malice aforethought need shown since malice implied unlawful homicide considering instructions whole see cupp naughten discern prejudice respondent rare occasions interpretation state law appears obvious subterfuge evade consideration federal issue radio station wow johnson see ward love county terre haute indiana ex rel ketcham case maine interpretation state law even assuming novel frustrate consideration due process issue maine recognized state wilbur remainder opinion makes clear see generally comment due process supremacy foundations adequacy rule remains federalism wilbur mullaney rev much history set opinion mcgautha california see also stephen history criminal law england pollock maitland history english law ed hen hen hen edw blackstone also referred class homicides called involuntary manslaughter homicides committed accident course perpetrating another unlawful although felonious act blackstone commentaries offense modification elaboration generally recognized country see perkins criminal law ed thus appears concept express malice aforethought surplusage since homicide resulted sudden provocation manslaughter otherwise murder respect maine law appears follow old common law see generally comment constitutionality common law presumption malice maine rev fletcher two kinds legal rules comparative study practices criminal cases yale disputes conclusion arguing reliance oneby case misplaced oneby jury returned special verdict making specific findings fact finding made respect provocation absent finding held homicide murder fletcher maintains context special verdict impossible determine whether defendant failed satisfy burden going forward evidence ultimate burden persuading jury see also infra several jurisdictions also divided murder different degrees typically limiting capital punishment murder requiring prosecution prove premeditation deliberation order establish offense see keedy history pennsylvania statute creating degrees murder rev wechsler michael rationale law homicide rev justice wilde dissented arguing commonwealth required prove facts necessary establish murder including malice aforethought turn required negate suggestion killing occurred heat passion sudden provocation also rejected doctrine implied malice ground malice inferred mere act killing presumption therefore arbitrary unfounded state knight see cases cited fletcher supra nn confusion developed however precisely york required contemporary writers divide general notion burden proof burden producing probative evidence particular issue burden persuading factfinder respect issue standard proof beyond reasonable doubt fair preponderance evidence see cleary mccormick evidence ed distinction apparently well recognized time york decided thus jurisdictions unclear whether defendant required bear production burden persuasion burden issue heat passion see cases discussed people morrin app indeed years decision york chief justice shaw explained doctrine york case killing proved committed defendant nothing shown presumption law malicious act murder commonwealth hawkins mass emphasis original noted presumption govern evidence indicating defendant might acted heat passion situation jury upon circumstances satisfied beyond reasonable doubt homicide done malice return verdict murder otherwise find defendant guilty manslaughter thus even author york quickly limited scope require accused produce evidence issue passion satisfy production persuasion burden jurisdictions blurred distinction two burdens requiring defendant prove satisfaction jury acted heat passion see state willis leland oregon declined apply specific holding davis prosecution must prove sanity beyond reasonable doubt see also state cuevas haw winship requires prosecution prove malice aforethought beyond reasonable doubt england also requires prosecution negate heat passion sudden provocation proof beyond reasonable doubt mancini director public prosecutions see woolmington director public prosecutions relying williams new york mcgautha california petitioners seek buttress contention arguing since presence absence heat passion sudden provocation affects extent punishment considered matter within traditional discretion sentencing body therefore subject rigorous due process demands cf tucker incompatibility decision today traditional discretion afforded sentencing bodies maine law jury given discretion sentence imposed one found guilty felonious homicide defendant found murderer mandatory life sentence results hand jury finds guilty manslaughter remains trial exercise discretion impose sentence within statutorily defined limits many impose different statutory sentences different degrees assault winship limited state definition elements crime define assaults single offense require defendant disprove elements aggravation intent kill intent rob see state ferris prosecution must prove elements aggravation criminal assault case proof beyond reasonable doubt indeed winship invalidated burden proof juvenile delinquency proceeding even though delinquency formally considered crime state law harlan concurring see also lego twomey see duncan louisiana penalty authorized law locality may taken gauge social ethical judgments quoting district columbia clawans see supra see also mo rev many require defendant show evidence indicating acted heat passion requiring prosecution negate element proving absence passion beyond reasonable doubt see lafave scott criminal law perkins supra see also nn supra nothing opinion intended affect requirement see also infra see generally wharton treatise law evidence ed model penal code comment tent draft fletcher supra millet maine judicial adopted majority rule regarding proof burden producing evidence issue rests defendant ultimate burden persuasion proof beyond reasonable doubt remains prosecution conclusion supported consideration related line cases generally criminal case prosecution bears production burden persuasion burden instances however aided presumption see davis presumption sanity permissible inference see gainey inference knowledge presence illegal still procedural devices require case presumption permit case inference trier fact conclude prosecution met burden proof respect presumed inferred fact satisfactorily established facts thus effect require defendant present evidence contesting otherwise presumed inferred fact see barnes since shift production burden defendant devices must satisfy certain due process requirements see barnes supra turner cases however ultimate burden persuasion proof beyond reasonable doubt remained prosecution see barnes supra davis supra shifting burden persuasion defendant obviously places even greater strain upon since longer need present evidence respect fact issue must affirmatively establish fact accordingly due process clause demands exacting standards state may require defendant bear ultimate burden persuasion see generally ashford risinger presumptions assumptions due process criminal cases theoretical overview yale justice rehnquist chief justice joins concurring join opinion somewhat peculiar posture case comes us leads add observations respondent made objection trial instruction respecting burden proof issue whether acted heat passion sudden provocation nonetheless appeal judicial maine considered objection charge merits held charge correct statement maine law neither made point respondent failure object instruction trial give consideration doctrine long approved instructions jury judged artificial isolation must viewed context overall charge boyd cupp naughten likewise expressed view whether even though instruction might amounted constitutional error error harmless chapman california reason treating possibility error harmless may opinion points ante jury came back midst deliberations requested instructions doctrine implied malice aforethought definition heat passion case reached us route federal habeas corpus therefore highly unusual one present abstract question law isolated judicial maine decided agree winship require prosecution prove beyond reasonable doubt every element constitutes crime charged defendant see inconsistency holding holding leland oregon latter case held constitutional requirement state shoulder burden proving sanity defendant noted leland issue insanity defense criminal charge considered jury found elements offense including mens rea required state law proved beyond reasonable doubt although state instructions leland recognized evidence relevant insanity defined state law may also relevant whether required mens rea present existence nonexistence legal insanity bears necessary relationship existence nonexistence required mental elements crime reason oregon placement burden proof insanity leland unlike maine redefinition homicide instant case effect unconstitutional shift state traditional burden proof beyond reasonable doubt necessary elements offense opinion concurring opinion justice harlan winship supra stress importance proof beyond reasonable doubt criminal case bottomed fundamental value determination society far worse convict innocent man let guilty man go free harlan concurring met rigorous burden proof example case defendant killed fellow human malice aforethought state quite consistently constitutional principle conclude defendant sought establish defense insanity thereby escape punishment whatever heinous crime bear laboring oar issue fay noia holds failure appeal system constitutionally infirm judgment conviction bar subsequent relief federal habeas corpus failure object proposed instruction stand different footing one thing fail utilize appeal process cure defect already inheres judgment conviction quite another forgo making objection exception might prevent error ever occurring cf davis however maine judicial nevertheless affirmatively ruled issue cognizable despite respondent failure object trial see majority opinion ante state contest propriety consideration issue federal habeas