Court Opinion

ID: 9580652
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 22:07:17.174025+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:36:25.809244
License: Public Domain

ELLETT, Chief Justice
(concurring with comments):
It may be that judges have made a rule that a silent, guilty defendant will be set free if the prosecutor points out to the jury that he has not produced any evidence to counter that of the state. If it be so, it is not due to any constitutional protection. The constitutional provision reads thus:
In criminal prosecutions . . . The accused shall not be compelled to give evidence against himself; . . .1 ■
The above section was inserted to make sure that the former old English practice of compelling a defendant to give evidence against himself would not be permitted in Utah.
A defendant need not deny the charges against him other than by his plea; however, judges can be soft-headed and like ostriches place their heads m the sand so as to see nothing.
An innocent man, when evidence is given showing that he committed a crime, will tell his version of the affair or he will be faced with the assurance that his silence will be a circumstance tending to cause the jury to wonder why he does not speak up and tell the truth about the matter.
An instruction of the court to the effect that his silence is not a circumstance to be considered in determining guilt or innocence is simply a futile statement. One might as well tell the jurors that they should not breathe.
While it seems to be settled law that a prosecutor may not point out the obvious, that law appears to me to be ridiculous. I cannot imagine how it would be prejudicial to the defendant in such cases. I would change the law, but so long as I am the only one willing to do so, I am compelled to concur in the holding of the main opinion.

. Constitution of Utah, Art. I, Sec. 12.