Koccis v. State
Supreme Court of New Jersey
On error to Mercer Oyer and Terminer. The defendant was tried for murder. At the time the killing occurred he had lived in this country some nine years, his native language being the Slavonic. At the trial he testified in his own behalf, with the aid of an interpreter. The case for the state relied for proof of intention upon a number of statements made in broken English to various witnesses.
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On error to Mercer Oyer and Terminer. The defendant was tried for murder. At the time the killing occurred he had lived in this country some nine years, his native language being the Slavonic. At the trial he testified in his own behalf, with the aid of an interpreter. The case for the state relied for proof of intention upon a number of statements made in broken English to various witnesses. At the close of the defendant’s case the following offer was made: “ Mr. Holt—The defendant offers to prove by the interpreter of the court that lie is an expert in the native language of the defendant…
1Opinion of the Court
*46The opinion of the court was delivered by
Garrison, J.
The only question argued by the defendant’s counsel refers to the rejection of the expert testimony offered for the purpose of showing that the defendant could not use the English words that the state’s witnesses swore that he had used in their hearing. The expert witness offered by the defendant was the court interpreter, and his qualification consisted in the fact that he understood the native language of the prisoner and also the English tongue, and the basis for his proposed opinion was an interview had with the prisoner half an hour…
2Cited by7 opinions
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- Crosby v. WellsSupreme Court of New Jersey · 1907
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- Clifford v. StateSupreme Court of New Jersey · 1897
- Priest v. PoleshuckNew Jersey Superior Court Appellate Division · 1954
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