COUNTY COURT SHOULD HAVE FURTHER RESTRICTED DISCOVERY FOR THE PROTECTION OF WITNESSES (SECOND DEPT).
The Second Department, reversing (modifying) County Court, determined certain aspects of the People’s application to restrict discovery for witness safety should have been granted:
… [T]he application to vacate or modify the order … is granted to the extent that the order is modified by deleting the provision thereof granting the People’s motion for a protective order only to the extent that the People may withhold the name of the confidential informant until 15 days prior to a scheduled pre-trial hearing or trial, and substituting therefor a provision granting the People’s motion for a protective order to the extent that (1) disclosure of the audio and video recordings of the narcotics sales shall be made to defense counsel only, to be viewed at the prosecutor’s office, (2) disclosure of the name and contact information of the confidential informant shall be delayed until the commencement of trial, and (3) disclosure of the names and work affiliation of the undercover personnel shall be delayed until the commencement of trial … . People v Jeanty, 2020 NY Slip Op 05555, Second Dept 10-7-20