State v. Washington

This appeal involves the issue of whether it is unconstitutional for a trial court to instruct the jury that prior to the time that a case is *420submitted to them they may “discuss” the evidence they have heard provided they do not “deliberate, take a vote, [or] come to a conclusion.” We hold that such an instruction is unconstitutional.

The defendant, Eric Washington, was ordered transferred by the Juvenile Court to the Superior Court pursuant to § 17-60a of the General Statutes for the murder of Gary Stein. The defendant appealed this order to the Superior Court, which dismissed the appeal; we…