The Court of Appeals, over an extensive dissent by Judge Rivera, determined whether entry into defendant’s home was justified by exigent circumstances is a mixed question of facts and law that cannot be addressed by the Court of Appeals:
The order of the Appellate Division should be affirmed. The conclusion that the warrantless entry by police into defendant’s home was justified by exigent circumstances is a mixed question of law and fact. Where, as here, there is support in the record for the Appellate Division’s conclusion, the issue is beyond our further review … . “The rule applies ‘where the facts are disputed . . . or where reasonable minds may differ as to the inference to be drawn [from the established facts]'”… . The dissent’s conclusion to the contrary is based on a narrative derived from the suppression hearing record that unduly emphasizes the testimony and resulting inferences that are favorable to defendant. …
RIVERA, J. (dissenting):
As a matter of law, there is no record evidence to support the trial court’s ruling that exigent circumstances justified the warrantless entry into defendant’s home … . Therefore, the Appellate Division should be reversed and a new trial ordered. I dissent. People v Sivertson, 2017 NY Slip Op 04320, CtApp 6-1-17
CRIMINAL LAW (APPEALS, COURT OF APPEALS, WHETHER THE POLICE ENTRY INTO DEFENDANT’S home WAS JUSTIFIED BY EXIGENT CIRCUMSTANCES IS A MIXED QUESTION OF LAW AND FACT AND IS THEREFORE NOT REVIEWABLE BY THE THE COURT OF APPEALS)/APPEALS (CRIMINAL LAW, COURT OF APPEALS, WHETHER THE POLICE ENTRY INTO DEFENDANT’S HOME WAS JUSTIFIED BY EXIGENT CIRCUMSTANCES IS A MIXED QUESTION OF LAW AND FACT AND IS THEREFORE NOT REVIEWABLE BY THE THE COURT OF APPEALS)/SUPPRESS, MOTION TO (CRIMINAL LAW, APPEALS, COURT OF APPEALS, WHETHER THE POLICE ENTRY INTO DEFENDANT’S HOME WAS JUSTIFIED BY EXIGENT CIRCUMSTANCES IS A MIXED QUESTION OF LAW AND FACT AND IS THEREFORE NOT REVIEWABLE BY THE THE COURT OF APPEALS)/EXIGENT CIRCUMSTANCES (CRIMINAL LAW, SUPPRESSION, APPEALS, COURT OF APPEALS, WHETHER THE POLICE ENTRY INTO DEFENDANT’S HOME WAS JUSTIFIED BY EXIGENT CIRCUMSTANCES IS A MIXED QUESTION OF LAW AND FACT AND IS THEREFORE NOT REVIEWABLE BY THE THE COURT OF APPEALS)
