State of New Jersey, Plaintiff-Appellant v. Donald a Petties, Defendant-Respondent

Summary

The Supreme Court of New Jersey held that an acquittal of aggravated assault does not automatically eliminate a conviction for possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, vacated the trial court's dismissal of those convictions, and remanded for a new trial because the jury instructions on unlawful purpose were inadequate. The Court affirmed the validity of the unlawful‑purpose convictions while requiring proper jury guidance on the statutory mental element.