State of New Jersey, Plaintiff-Respondent v. Clarence Smith and Lee Stanford, Defendants-Appellants

Summary

The Supreme Court of New Jersey affirmed the first‑degree murder convictions of Clarence Smith and Lee Stanford, holding that the evidence—including the defendants' confessions—was sufficient, that the trial judge’s refusal to instruct the jury to disregard a confession found involuntary was proper, and that the pre‑indictment juvenile detention and interrogation procedures did not violate due process or juvenile court rules. A concurring opinion noted a preference for a different approach to jury instructions on voluntariness.