Court Must Make a Youthful Offender Determination Even When Defendant Waives It

The First Department noted that the sentencing court must consider youthful offender treatment for every eligible youth even where the defendant waives the youthful offender determination as part of a negotiated plea:

…[T]he Court of Appeals in People v Rudolph (21 NY3d 497 [2013]) that CPL 720.20(1) requires “that there be a youthful offender determination in every case where the defendant is eligible, even where the defendant fails to request it, or agrees to forgo it as part of a plea bargain” requires a new sentencing proceeding. Although defendant pleaded guilty to an armed felony, he was potentially eligible under CPL 720.10(3), and he was thus entitled to a determination … . This issue survives defendant’s waiver of his right to appeal … . People v Malcolm, 2014 NY Slip Op 04050, 1st Dept 6-5-14