Carter v. Kentucky
United States Supreme Court
450 U.S. 288 (1981)
Relevant factsFree
Carter (defendant) requested a jury instruction directing jurors not to infer guilt from his decision not to testify at his Kentucky (plaintiff) criminal trial; the trial court refused the request, Carter was convicted, and his conviction was upheld through the state courts before he sought Supreme Court review.
IssueFree
Whether a trial judge has a constitutional obligation to instruct the jury that it may draw no adverse inference from a defendant's decision not to testify, when the defendant requests such an instruction.