State of New Jersey, Plaintiff-Appellant and Cross-Respondent v. Jamil McKinney, A/K/A Jameel McKinney, Hakim…

Summary

The Supreme Court of New Jersey held that the trial court’s jury instruction on first-degree robbery was erroneous because it improperly referenced second-degree robbery and failed to give a proper curative instruction, requiring a new trial on that count for both defendants. The Court also rejected the application of the law of the case doctrine to co‑defendant appeals, affirming each defendant’s right to an independent review.