THE ARGUMENT THAT THE PROBATION OFFICER’S SEARCH OF DEFENDANT’S RESIDENCE WAS UNLAWFUL AND UNREASONABLE BECAUSE IT WAS BASED SOLELY ON AN UNCORROBORATED ANONYMOUS TIP WAS NOT PRESERVED FOR APPEAL, THE DISSENT DISAGREED; DEFENDANT DID NOT DEMONSTRATE DEFENSE COUNSEL WAS INEFFECTIVE FOR FAILING TO PRESERVE THE ISSUE (FOURTH DEPT).
The First Department, over a dissent, determined the issue whether the probation officer’s search of defendant’s residence was improperly based solely on an anonymous tip was not preserved for appeal. In addition, the defendant did not demonstrate defense counsel was ineffective for failing to preserve the issue. The dissent argued the record did not support the motion court’s finding the warrantless search was lawful and reasonable:
Contrary to defendant’s contention, he did not preserve that issue for our review through either that part of his omnibus motion seeking to suppress the evidence or his posthearing memorandum. A question of law with respect to a ruling of a suppression court is preserved for appeal when “a protest thereto was registered, by the party claiming error, at the time of such ruling . . . or at any subsequent time when the court had an opportunity of effectively changing the same . . . , or if in response to a protest by a party, the court expressly decided the question raised on appeal” (CPL 470.05 [2] …). In his omnibus motion, defendant sought, inter alia, suppression of the evidence seized during the search on the ground that the evidence “was taken in violation of . . . defendant’s constitutional rights” inasmuch as it was done without “a search warrant or probable cause.” Those “broad challenges” are insufficient to preserve defendant’s present contention … . In defendant’s posthearing memorandum, he argued that the search was invalid because there was no warrant or consent to search, that the search was not rationally related to the duties of the officer, and that the parole officers were acting as police officers when conducting the search. He did not raise his present contention that the People were required to prove that the information provided to the officer satisfied the Aguilar-Spinelli test in order for the search to be lawful, even though he was then aware of the basis for the search … . Nor did the court expressly decide that issue … . People v Murray, 2021 NY Slip Op 02896, Fourth Dept 5-7-21