State's Expert In Miraglia, "Nicotine Not Addictive."
FREEHOLD — The highly paid, expert psychiatrist contracted by the State to attack the insanity defense of Rosario Russell Miraglia (the man accused of murdering his grandmother and ex-girlfriend in Ocean Township) actually testified in another case that nicotine is not an addictive substance. In his cross-examination of Dr. Timothy J. Michals, defense attorney Joseph Krakora elicited testimony that the state's expert in the prosecution of Miraglia earns $475 an hour and stands to earn up to $15,000 for his work on the case.
Defense attorney Krakora also established on cross-examination that the Dr. Michals once testified as a paid expert in a civil lawsuit against tobacco companies that nicotine is not addictive, despite numerous findings and studies which deemed it is.
What does this mean to the case? Well, the battle of the experts appears to have been won by the defense. It is possible that Dr. Michals may come across to the jury as unqualified in his opinion or willing to testify for any side if he is adequately paid.
