DEFENDANT WAS ERRONEOUSLY DENIED HIS RIGHT TO BE PRESENT AT THE SANDOVAL HEARING, NEW TRIAL ORDERED (FOURTH DEPT).
The Fourth Department, reversing defendant’s convictions and ordering a new trial, determined defendant was erroneously deprived of his right to be present for the Sandoval hearing:
Where a defendant is denied the right to be present during a Sandoval hearing, reversal of defendant’s conviction is required (… see … CPL 260.20), unless “defendant’s presence at the hearing would have been superfluous” … . Here, it cannot be said that defendant’s presence at the hearing would have been superfluous because the court’s ruling was a compromise and thus, it was not “wholly favorable to defendant” … . People v Anderson, 2024 NY Slip Op 04042, Fourth Dept 7-26-24
Practice Point: Defendant was erroneously denied his right to be present at the Sandoval hearing, new trial ordered.