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THE PEOPLE PROPERLY RELIED ON HEARSAY TO DEMONSTRATE PROBABLE CAUSE AT THE SUPPRESSION HEARING; THE DEFENDANT DID NOT PRESENT ANY EVIDENCE TO CALL THE RELIABILITY OF THE HEARSAY INTO QUESTION (FIRST DEPT).

The First Department explained the People’s burden of proof when relying on hearsay evidence at a suppression hearing. Here the transit officers who witnessed defendant commit “farebeating” (providing probable cause) were not called to testify. The hearsay was deemed admissible under Aguilar-Spinelli and the defendant did not call the accuracy or reliability of the hearsay into question by cross-examination or the presentation of evidence:

Defendant’s main argument on appeal is that the People failed to meet their burden of coming forward with evidence demonstrating probable cause with respect to the underlying theft of services arrest — which created the circumstances for the testifying officer’s discovery of defendant — because they did not present any testimony from the Transit Bureau officers who had firsthand knowledge of the farebeating offense.  …

Probable cause may properly be established based on hearsay testimony … , such as the officer’s testimony about what he was told by the transit officers, so long as, under the Aguilar-Spinelli test, the People establish that there was “some basis” of knowledge for the underlying statement and that it was “reliable”… . The “some basis” requirement is satisfied where, as here, the information is based on personal knowledge … .

Although the People will fail to meet their burden at a suppression hearing where they rely exclusively on hearsay evidence and “the defense challenges the sufficiency of the evidence, whether by cross-examining the People’s witness or putting on a defense case” … , that is not the situation here, because defendant did not present any evidence, identify anything in the People’s case, or elicit any statements on cross-examination that undercut the veracity of the transit officers’ account of a farebeating, as relayed by the testifying officer … . The unsupported assertion in defendant’s moving papers that he was seized without reason was not sufficient to necessitate calling the transit officers as witnesses. People v Gerard, 2021 NY Slip Op 05089, First Dept 9-28-21

 

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