State of New Jersey, Plaintiff-Respondent v. Steven Raymond Davis, Defendant-Appellant

Summary

The Supreme Court of New Jersey vacated Steven Davis's death sentence and remanded for a new penalty-phase trial, holding that the jury charge was unconstitutional, that the Strickland/Fritz standard for ineffective assistance of counsel is sufficient in capital cases, and that Davis's guilty plea did not establish death‑eligibility under N.J.S.A. 2C:11‑3; the Court also noted unresolved issues regarding attorney‑client privilege and the admissibility of victim‑state‑of‑mind evidence.