# State v. Forcella

> Supreme Court of New Jersey · July 3, 1968 · 52 N.J. 263

URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/cases/9730562

## Case

- **Full name:** The State of New Jersey, Plaintiff-Respondent, v. Leo Robert Forcella, Defendant-Appellant; The State of New Jersey, Plaintiff-Respondent, v. Gabriel Ornes, Jr., Defend Ant-Appellant; The State of New Jersey, Plaintiff-Respondent, v. Israel Perez, Defendant-Appellant; The State of New Jersey, Plaintiff-Respondent, v. Victor R. Funicello, Defendant-Appellant
- **Court:** Supreme Court of New Jersey
- **Decided:** July 3, 1968
- **Citations:** 52 N.J. 263; 245 A.2d 181; 1968 N.J. LEXIS 240
- **Precedential status:** Published
- **Opinion:** Concurrence by Francis
- **Judges:** Weintraub, Francis, Jacobs, Hall
- **Cited by:** 53 later opinions in the Frix Law Library

## Citator (automated)

- **Red flag:** Reversed in part by Funicello v. New Jersey, 403 U.S. 948 (1971).
- Negative treatments: 1
- Distinguished by: 0
- Full citator and citing cases: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/cases/9730562

## Opinion text

Francis, J.
(concurring). I concur in the result reached in these cases. Moreover I agree thoroughly with the opinion of the Chief Justice with two qualifications which are relatively incidental to its principal thrust. Eor reasons expressed in my dissent in State v. Laws, 51 N. J. 494, pp. 549-555 (1968), I hold the view that neither a county prosecutor nor a trial court has authority to waive the death penalty in a first degree murder case, and further, 51 N. J. pp. 555-562, that our Court can and should adopt the bifurcated trial procedure in first degree murder cases.

---

Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/cases/9730562. Public record. Not legal advice.
