Opinion ID: 1203336
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Comments on Silence.

Text: Defendant contends that questions regarding Martin Gonzales's and other Gonzales family members' failure to contact the police violated defendant's fifth amendment rights. See State v. Lara, 88 N.M. 233, 539 P.2d 623 (Ct.App. 1975). The Fifth Amendment guarantees an accused the right to remain silent during his criminal trial, and prevents the prosecution from commenting on the silence of a defendant who asserts the right. Jenkins v. Anderson, 447 U.S. 231, 235, 100 S.Ct. 2124, 2127, 65 L.Ed.2d 86 (1980). We do not perceive how defendant's fifth amendment rights were compromised by comments regarding the silence of witnesses, family members, and the codefendant. Moreover, the use of a defendant's prearrest silence to impeach is constitutional. Id. at 238, 100 S.Ct. at 2129. We certainly find no fundamental error here.