Opinion ID: 2614563
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Interests of Society

Text: Balanced against the defendant's interests is society's need for effective enforcement of its criminal laws. See, e.g., Lockhart v. Nelson, 488 U.S. 33, 38, 109 S.Ct. 285, 102 L.Ed.2d 265 (1988) (noting that a defendant's interest in a fair trial must be balanced against society's interest in punishing one whose guilt is clear (quoting United States v. Tateo, 377 U.S. 463, 466, 84 S.Ct. 1587, 12 L.Ed.2d 448 (1964))). To that end, the Court has recognized that society must be afforded the right to one full and fair opportunity to prove a defendant's guilt. See, e.g., Washington, 434 U.S. at 505, 98 S.Ct. 824. When trial error deprives society of its right to attempt to prove the defendant's guilt in a single prosecution, the interests of society in vindicating its laws generally outweigh the double jeopardy interests of a defendant. See, e.g., Oregon v. Kennedy, 456 U.S. 667, 685, 102 S.Ct. 2083, 72 L.Ed.2d 416 (1982); see also, e.g., State v. Lincoln, 72 Haw. 480, 490-91, 825 P.2d 64, 70 (1992) (noting the necessity for trial court to recognize and weigh the State's interest in prosecuting crime against fundamental fairness to the defendant) (citing State v. Moriwake, 65 Haw. 47, 647 P.2d 705 (1982), and State v. Alvey, 67 Haw. 49, 678 P.2d 5 (1984)).