The First Department, over a dissent, determined the misdemeanor complaint charging resisting arrest and obstructing governmental administration was jurisdictionally defective. The complaint alleged defendant interfered in the arrest of her brother and then herself resisted arrest. But the complaint did not allege the basis for the arrest of defendant’s brother and therefore did not demonstrate the brother’s arrest was “authorized,” an essential element of the offense:
The factual part of the complaint merely states that the officer was “attempting to effectuate the arrest of [defendant’s brother].” However, the complaint contains no factual allegations that would establish, if true, that the underlying arrest of defendant’s brother was authorized. Thus, the complaint fails to allege facts sufficient to establish all the essential elements of the crime of obstructing governmental administration in the second degree. Because the information fails to allege sufficient facts supporting the underlying obstructing governmental administration charge, it is also insufficient to allege that defendant’s arrest on that charge was “authorized,” as required by Penal Law § 205.30. Therefore, defendant is also entitled to dismissal of the resisting arrest charge … .
The dissent acknowledges that an element of the crime of obstructing governmental administration is that the underlying arrest was authorized, but nevertheless concludes that this essential element need not be alleged in the factual part of an information. This position, however, cannot be reconciled with the statutory requirement that an information contain “nonhearsay allegations [that] establish, if true, every element of the offense charged”… . People v Sumter, 2017 NY Slip Op 04897, 1st Dept 6-15-17
CRIMINAL LAW (MISDEMEANOR COMPLAINT DID NOT INCLUDE FACTS DEMONSTRATING THE ARREST WAS AUTHORIZED, THEREFORE THE COMPLAINT CHARGING RESISTING ARREST AND OBSTRUCTING GOVERNMENTAL ADMINISTRATION WAS JURISDICTIONALLY DEFECTIVE)/MISDEMEANOR COMPLAINT (MISDEMEANOR COMPLAINT DID NOT INCLUDE FACTS DEMONSTRATING THE ARREST WAS AUTHORIZED, THEREFORE THE COMPLAINT CHARGING RESISTING ARREST AND OBSTRUCTING GOVERNMENTAL ADMINISTRATION WAS JURISDICTIONALLY DEFECTIVE)/JURISDICTION (CRIMINAL LAW, MISDEMEANOR COMPLAINT DID NOT INCLUDE FACTS DEMONSTRATING THE ARREST WAS AUTHORIZED, THEREFORE THE COMPLAINT CHARGING RESISTING ARREST AND OBSTRUCTING GOVERNMENTAL ADMINISTRATION WAS JURISDICTIONALLY DEFECTIVE)/RESISTING ARREST (MISDEMEANOR COMPLAINT DID NOT INCLUDE FACTS DEMONSTRATING THE ARREST WAS AUTHORIZED, THEREFORE THE COMPLAINT CHARGING RESISTING ARREST AND OBSTRUCTING GOVERNMENTAL ADMINISTRATION WAS JURISDICTIONALLY DEFECTIVE)/OBSTRUCTING GOVERNMENTAL ADMINISTRATION (MISDEMEANOR COMPLAINT DID NOT INCLUDE FACTS DEMONSTRATING THE ARREST WAS AUTHORIZED, THEREFORE THE COMPLAINT CHARGING RESISTING ARREST AND OBSTRUCTING GOVERNMENTAL ADMINISTRATION WAS JURISDICTIONALLY DEFECTIVE)