Title: State v. Michael Tucker[NOTE:This is a companion case toState v. BrownandState v.Elkwisni , also decided today.]
Citation: N/A
Docket Number: a-6-06
State: new-jersey
Issuer: new-jersey Supreme Court
Date: April 17, 2007

SUPREME COURT OF NEW JERSEY A- 6 September Term 2006 STATE OF NEW JERSEY, Plaintiff-Appellant, v. MICHAEL TUCKER, Defendant-Respondent. Argued November 14, 2006 Decided April 17, 2007 On certification to the Superior Court, Appellate Division. Simon Louis Rosenbach, Assistant Prosecutor, argued the cause for appellant (Bruce J. Kaplan, Middlesex County Prosecutor, attorney). Alison S. Perrone, Designated Counsel, argued the cause for respondent (Yvonne Smith Segars, Public Defender, attorney). JUSTICE WALLACE, JR., delivered the opinion of the Court. Following the tragic death of his mother, defendant gave several statements to the police. In his initial statement, defendant did not include relevant information that he revealed in subsequent statements or that the police later discovered. At trial, defendant s several statements were admitted into evidence, and the prosecutor was allowed to comment on the discrepancies in those statements. On appeal, the Appellate Division reversed, concluding that those comments were prohibited uses of defendant s right to remain silent. We disagree. We hold that the prosecutor s comments on the differences in defendant s post-Miranda See footnote 1 statements are not violations of the proscription against the use of defendant s silence at or near the time of arrest, during official interrogation, or while in police custody. State v. Muhammad, 182 N.J. 551, 569 (2005) (citations omitted). SUPREME COURT OF NEW JERSEY NO. A-6 SEPTEMBER TERM 2006 ON CERTIFICATION TO Appellate Division, Superior Court STATE OF NEW JERSEY, Plaintiff-Appellant, v. MICHAEL TUCKER, Defendant-Respondent. DECIDED April 17, 2007 Chief Justice Zazzali PRESIDING OPINION BY Justice Wallace, Jr. CONCURRING/DISSENTING OPINIONS BY DISSENTING OPINION BY