State v. Thomas

The .opinion of the court was delivered by

Pashman, J.

This multi-faceted appeal involves several important issues. The Court must decide whether the failure to include the instructions mandated by State v. Madden, 61 N. J. 377 (1972), in supplemental jury charges provided in response to a jury’s questions concerning the proper interpretation of N. J. S. A. 2A:113-2 constitutes reversible error. We must also examine the effect of certain forensic improprieties committed by the prosecutor during cross-examination involving inquiry into a prior conviction and a reference to defendant’s alleged…