You are here: / / Burden Upon Police to Determine Whether Defendant Represented by Counsel...
,

Burden Upon Police to Determine Whether Defendant Represented by Counsel Explained

In affirming the denial of a motion to vacate a conviction after a hearing (over a substantial dissent), the Third Department explained the burden upon the police to determine whether a defendant is represented by counsel before questioning him. In this case the question was whether defendant’s attorney, who represented defendant in a robbery case resolved by a cooperation agreement and who initially was involved a homicide case in 2003, was still representing the defendant in the homicide case when the defendant was questioned about it in 2006:

Although [defendant’s attorney] clearly participated in the homicide investigation in 2003 and the police were well aware that he had entered into it as defendant’s counsel, the parties agree that there was a genuine lack of clarity …surrounding the question of whether that representation was limited to the cooperation agreement and had terminated once defendant was sentenced in the robbery case.

It is well settled that where, as here, there is any ambiguity as to whether the defendant is represented by counsel, the burden rests squarely on the police to resolve that ambiguity prior to questioning … .  Here, before questioning defendant in 2006, [the police] met with [defendant’s attorney], who told them unequivocally that he no longer represented defendant.  Inasmuch as the police fulfilled their obligation to resolve the ambiguity by determining that [the attorney’s] representation of defendant had terminated prior to questioning him, County Court did not err in concluding that defendant’s right to counsel had not been violated … .  People v McLean, 104691, 3rd Dept, 8-8-13

 

You might also like
POLICE OFFICER ENTITLED TO ACCIDENTAL DISABILITY RETIREMENT BENEFITS FOR INJURIES CAUSED BY STEPPING IN A SNOW-COVERED POTHOLE AS HE RESPONDED TO A SERIES OF VEHICLE ACCIDENTS DURING A SNOWSTORM (THIRD DEPT).
Claimant Not Entitled to Benefits For Time Spent Working Out of House 
PETITIONER HAD AN EXTRAMARITAL AFFAIR WITH MOTHER WHO REMAINS MARRIED, PETITION FOR GENETIC TESTING PROPERLY DENIED BASED UPON THE PRESUMPTION OF LEGITIMACY AND THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE CHILD (THIRD DEPT).
SEXUAL BEHAVIOR IN FRONT OF THE CHILD AND SHOWING PORNOGRAPHY TO THE CHILD CONSTITUTED NEGLECT (THIRD DEPT).
Under the Facts, the Merger Doctrine Precluded Convictions on Both Kidnapping and Burglary Counts/Statements and Lineup Identification Made after Defendant Invoked His Right to Counsel Should Have Been Suppressed
Initial Detention at Gun-Point Was Not an Illegal Arrest
MANY (BUT NOT ALL) CAUSES OF ACTION ALLOWED TO GO FORWARD IN AN ACTION AGAINST ADMINISTRATORS AND TRUSTEES OF A WORKERS’ COMPENSATION TRUST FOUND TO BE $188 MILLION IN DEBT.
ITHACA’S FEE SCHEDULE FOR PERMITS ALLOWING THE CLOSURE OF STREETS AND SIDEWALKS FOR CONSTRUCTION ON PRIVATE PROPERTY IS VALID, SUPREME COURT REVERSED (THIRD DEPT).

Categories

Sign Up for the Mailing List to Be Notified When the Site Is Updated.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Copyright © 2026 New York Appellate Digest, Inc.
Site by CurlyHost | Privacy Policy

Courts Have Discretion to Grant Affirmative Relief in Absence of a Formal C... Motion for Summary Judgment in Lieu of Complaint Should Have Been Denied—Question...