FAILURE TO PROVIDE MEANINGFUL NOTICE OF A JURY NOTE REQUIRED REVERSAL.

The Fourth Department determined the judge’s failure to provide meaningful notice of a jury note, which was sent out just before a note stating the jury had reached a verdict, was a mode of proceedings error requiring reversal:

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… [T]he record fails to reflect that the court provided defense counsel with meaningful notice of a substantive jury note … Thus, a mode of proceedings error occurred, requiring reversal … . The record reflects that, during a period of approximately 30 minutes when the court had excused counsel, the jury sent three notes, which the court properly marked as court exhibits. The last note stated that the jury had reached a verdict; a prior note, however, stated “we the jury request a copy of the wording of the law.” Inasmuch as the court would have been prohibited from providing the jury with either a copy of the statute, or a copy of its jury instructions, without the consent of defendant … . we reject the contention of the People that the note was ministerial, and not substantive … . People v Holloman, 2017 NY Slip Op 05015, 4th Dept 6-16-17

CRIMINAL LAW (JURY NOTES, FAILURE TO PROVIDE MEANINGFUL NOTICE OF A JURY NOTE REQUIRED REVERSAL)/JURY NOTES (CRIMINAL LAW, FAILURE TO PROVIDE MEANINGFUL NOTICE OF A JURY NOTE REQUIRED REVERSAL)