Court Opinion

ID: 9567118
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 19:48:59.678262+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:57:41.643860
License: Public Domain

ROSE, Justice,
specially concurring, in which HAMM, District Judge, joins.
I concur in the result but would add these remarks:
The majority opinion fails to cite Wyoming Supreme Court decisions which I consider directly in point, namely Jerskey v. State, Wyo., 546 P.2d 173, and Gabrielson v. State, Wyo., 510 P.2d 534. In Jerskey, the right of the defendant to remain silent and not have his defense burdened with the jury’s knowledge of his silence was at issue. The defendant was, therefore, asserting his rights under the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution, as is the defendant in the instant matter.
We said in Jerskey, at 546 P.2d, page 180, citing and quoting Miranda v. State of Arizona, 384 U.S. 436, 86 S.Ct. 1602, 16 L.Ed.2d 694, with approval:
“ ‘. . . The prosecution may not, therefore, use at trial the fact that he stood mute or claimed his privilege in face of accusation. . . . ’ ” (With citations) [Emphasis in Jerskey text]
In Jerskey we adopted the rule of Griffin v. State of California, 380 U.S. 609, 85 S.Ct. 1229, 14 L.Ed.2d 106, where the United States Supreme Court said:
*374. . We . . . hold that the Fifth Amendment, in its direct application to the Federal Government and in its bearing on the States by reason of the Fourteenth Amendment, forbids either comment by the prosecution on the accused’s silence or instructions by the court that such silence is evidence of guilt.’ ” [Emphasis in Jerskey text]
The concurring opinion in Gabrielson v. State, Wyo., 510 P.2d 534, 539-540, holds for the same proposition.
I write this concurring opinion — not to burden the law books or the lawyers — but to point up and comply with a rule that I consider to be elementary and necessary in the appellate process — namely that where there is Wyoming authority which stands for or refutes propositions relevant to this court’s current opinions, it should be cited and considered.