CREDIBILITY - PRIOR CONVICTION OF A WITNESS Model Jury charge NJ
You
have heard evidence that [name of witness(es)] has [have] previously been
convicted of [a] crime[s]. This evidence may be only used in determining the
credibility or believability of [these] witness' [witnesses’] testimony.
A
jury has a right to consider whether a person who has previously failed to
comply with society's rules as demonstrated through [a] criminal conviction(s)
would be more likely to ignore the oath requiring truthfulness on the witness stand
than a person who has never been convicted of a crime. You may consider in determining this issue
the nature and degree[1] of
the prior conviction[s] and when it [they] occurred.
You are
not, however, obligated to change your opinion as to the credibility of this
[these] witness[es] simply because of [a] prior conviction[s]. You may consider such evidence along with all
the other factors we previously discussed in determining credibility of a
witness.
