State of New Jersey, Plaintiff-Respondent v. Lester L. Gardner, Defendant-Appellant

Summary

The Supreme Court of New Jersey reversed Gardner's conviction for second‑degree murder and remanded for a new trial, holding that the trial court erred in its jury instructions on the burden of proof for self‑defense, the presumption of second‑degree murder, the unsolicited accomplice credibility charge, and the admission of certain hospital records. The Court clarified the proper allocation of burdens and the limits of evidentiary rulings.