I'm involved in a burglary charge and the states entire case relies on the testimony of one witness. I was wondering if the state needs more to convict.
L. Maxwell TaylorLitigation LawyerMiddlebury, VT ·
The standard for conviction of a crime is "beyond a reasonable doubt." If the testimony of one witness convinces the jury beyond a reasonable doubt that the accused committed the charged offense, the jury will convict the accused.
The above is not legal advice but only information based on general principles of law which is intended to educate. If you need legal advice, please consult a lawyer who holds New Hampshire licensure. That's not me.
I agree with the assessment of my colleague. If the jury believes the one witness is credible, the one witness can be sufficient to convict. There is one caveat, not indicated in your facts, that pertains to the one witness being a codefendant. I suggest that you discuss this matter with an experienced criminal defense lawyer admitted to practice law in NH before you decide how to resolve this matter. Good luck.
Disclaimer
This information is offered for informational purposes only, as I do not practice law in your State. It is not intended as legal advice and you should not rely upon it to decide how to resolve this issue. No Attorney-Client relationship is intended or established by this response. You are faced with a situation where you need to consult with an experienced defense lawyer admitted to practice law in your State before you make any decisions as to how to resolve this issue.
generally yes. Most prosecutors will talk to the jury pool about this during jury selection. Around here, they call it the "one witness rule." Basically, as the other answers suggest, if that one witness is enough for the jury to believe beyond a reasonable doubt that you are guilty, then that is sufficient.