DEFENDANT’S GUILTY PLEA COERCED BY JUDGE’S REMARKS ABOUT A POTENTIAL SENTENCE AFTER TRIAL.

The Fourt Department vacated defendant’s guilty plea, finding the trial judge’s comments about the possible sentence after trial amounted to coercion:

Pursuant to the terms of the plea agreement, defendant entered his guilty plea in satisfaction of the indictment by which he was charged with, inter alia, murder in the second degree (§ 125.25 [1]), and County Court imposed a determinate term of incarceration of 25 years. During discussions over the plea offer, the court addressed the possibility of a jury convicting defendant of the lesser included offense of manslaughter in the first degree by stating: “[Y]ou wouldn’t get any better than 25 [years] if you get a manslaughter. That’s a big if.’ ” Defendant contends that the court erred in denying his motion to withdraw his guilty plea on the ground that it was coerced. We agree. “[T]he court’s statements do not amount to a description of the range of potential sentences but, rather, they constitute impermissible coercion, rendering the plea involuntary and requiring its vacatur” … . People v Williams, 2016 NY Slip Op 07450, 4th Dept 11-10-16

CRIMINAL LAW (DEFENDANT’S GUILTY PLEA COERCED BY JUDGE’S REMARKS ABOUT A POTENTIAL SENTENCE AFTER TRIAL)/GUILTY PLEA (DEFENDANT’S GUILTY PLEA COERCED BY JUDGE’S REMARKS ABOUT A POTENTIAL SENTENCE AFTER TRIAL)