New York Court of Appeals

The People of the State of New York v. Clark Williams

May 17, 198462 N.Y.2d 285

Summary

The Court affirmed the Appellate Division, holding that the defendant's Miranda waiver was valid because he understood the immediate meaning of the warnings despite his subnormal intelligence. The Court emphasized that comprehension of the immediate import, not full knowledge of legal ramifications, satisfies the requirement for a knowing and intelligent waiver.