State of New Jersey, Plaintiff-Respondent v. Roy Savage, Defendant-Appellant

Summary

The Supreme Court of New Jersey reversed Roy Savage's capital murder conviction and death sentence, holding that he was denied effective assistance of counsel under both the federal and state constitutions and that the state constitution guarantees a defendant's right to testify. The Court remanded for a new trial and instructed the lower court to ensure counsel advises the defendant of this right. Justice Handler filed a partial concurrence/dissent, arguing for a per‑se Cronic analysis and disagreeing with the majority on the resubmission of the aggravating factor.