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334 So. 2d 841

Docket No. 75-885.

Martin v. State

Mary Alice MARTIN, Appellant, v. STATE of Florida, Appellee.

District Court of Appeal of Florida · decided 1976-07-16

Cited by 15 later decisions — most recently April 1978

15 state decisions

Relies on Doyle v. Ohio · United States v. Hale · Bennett v. State

Good law ✅— No negative treatment on recordhow we know

Decided 1976-07-16

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¶1Richard L. Jorandby, Public Defender, and Daniel T. O'Connell, Asst. Public Defender, West Palm Beach, for appellant.

¶2Robert L. Shevin, Atty. Gen., Tallahassee, and Margarita Esquiroz, Asst. Atty. Gen., Miami and Ivan Chesler, Legal Intern, South Miami, for appellee.

¶3PER CURIAM.

¶4Defendant appeals a conviction for possession of a concealed weapon assigning as error denial of a motion for a mistrial following the state's eliciting of testimony concerning defendant's remaining silent after being arrested and being given Miranda warnings. The record reflects that during direct examination by the state, the arresting officer testified that after reading the defendant her Miranda rights, she remained silent, i.e. "at that time she didn't make no statement". It is our understanding from a reading of Bennett v. State,316 So.2d 41 (Fla. 1975), at page 44, that any comment upon defendant's right to remain silent is "of constitutional dimension and warrants reversal without consideration of the doctrine of harmless error." See also Bostic v. State,332 So.2d 349, Fourth District Court of Appeal, opinion filed May 14, 1976; United States v. Hale,422 U.S. 171, 95 S.Ct. 2133, *842 45 L.Ed. 2d 99 (1975); Doyle v. Ohio, ___ U.S. ___, 96 S.Ct. 2240, 49 L.Ed.2d 91, 44 LW 4902 opinion filed June 17, 1976. Moreover, Bennett v. State, supra, characterizes such comments as fundamental error. Accordingly, the judgment and sentence of conviction are reversed and the cause remanded for a new trial.

¶5REVERSE AND REMAND.

¶6MAGER, C.J., and WALDEN and ALDERMAN, JJ., concur.

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