You are here: / Criminal Law
,

ALTHOUGH THE ARRESTING OFFICER OBSERVED SOME INTERACTIONS WITH OTHERS BY THE DEFENDANT AT A LOCATION KNOWN FOR DRUG ACTIVITY, THE OFFICER DID NOT SEE ANY PROPERTY OR CURRENCY CHANGE HANDS AND DID NOT FIND ANY DRUGS OR CURRENCY ON THE DEFENDANT OR THE TWO MEN WITH HIM ON THE STREET; THERE WAS NO PROBABLE CAUSE FOR DEFENDANT’S ARREST; THE HEROIN SUBSEQUENTLY FOUND IN THE POLICE CAR AND DEFENDANT’S STATEMENT HE HAD “DITCHED” THE DRUGS IN THE CAR SHOULD HAVE BEEN SUPPRESSED (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department determined defendant’s motion to suppress the heroin found in back seat of a police car and his statement that he had “ditched” the drugs in the car should have been suppressed because the arresting officer did not have probable cause at the time of defendant’s arrest. The officer had observed defendant engage in what appeared to the officer to be drug transactions on the street. But when the officer approached the defendant and two others on the street no drugs or currency were found. The defendant had been handcuffed and was subsequently arrested for loitering:

Detective Petrucci did not have probable cause to reasonably believe that the defendant was committing, or had committed, a crime, at any point prior to the defendant’s arrest (see id.). Detective Petrucci testified that he arrested the defendant on the basis of the defendant’s purported commission of loitering in the first degree, which is defined as “loiter[ing] or remain[ing] in any place with one or more persons for the purpose of unlawfully using or possessing a controlled substance” (Penal Law § 240.36). However, there was no testimony at the suppression hearing that the defendant had “remained” in any place with the other individuals with whom he interacted. The interactions between the defendant and the other individuals were described at the hearing as “quick,” “fluid,” and lasting approximately one minute. * * *

Detective Petrucci did not observe any physical property or currency being handled by the defendant or exchanged between the defendant and either Flores or Mugaburu prior to approaching the defendant, and did not otherwise recover any drugs or currency from the defendant, Flores, or Mugaburu prior to the defendant’s arrest. Contrary to the People’s contention, the observations that Detective Petrucci did make—several brief, nondescript interactions involving the defendant at an address known to the police for past drug activity—were not a sufficient basis for Detective Petrucci to form a reasonable belief that a narcotics offense was occurring or had been committed. People v Jones, 2022 NY Slip Op 00878, Second Dept 2-9-22

 

,

IN THIS CASE INVOLVING A FATAL CAR ACCIDENT WHEN DEFENDANT WAS APPARENTLY “RACING” THE OTHER DRIVER, THE EVIDENCE PRESENTED TO THE GRAND JURY WAS LEGALLY SUFFICIENT TO SUPPORT THE MANSLAUGHTER SECOND DEGREE CHARGE; THE INDICTMENT SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN DISMISSED (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, reversing County Court’s dismissal of the indictment, determined the evidence of manslaughter second degree presented to the grand jury was legally sufficient:

… [V]iewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the People, we find that it was legally sufficient to support the charges of manslaughter in the second degree … . The evidence before the grand jury, if accepted as true, established that in addition to traveling at the excessive rate of speed of approximately 80 to 90 miles per hour, the defendant’s vehicle and the Porsche were weaving in and out of traffic, without braking or signaling. As the Porsche and the defendant’s vehicle approached a sharp bend in the roadway, they were traveling side-by-side, with the Porsche in the left lane. The defendant’s vehicle struck the Porsche while attempting to enter the left lane, which caused the Porsche to hit the left hand curb of the roadway and fly “at least a couple of hundred feet” in the air before coming to rest “at the bottom of the highway.” Two passengers riding in the Porsche were killed. Although the defendant told a police sergeant at the scene that he did not see the Porsche when he attempted to maneuver his vehicle into the left lane and believed that the Porsche was in his blind spot, he also stated that he was “kind of racing” with the Porsche … . People v Castro, 2022 NY Slip Op 00874, Second Dept 2-9-22

 

, ,

PETITIONER SOUGHT RECORDS FROM THE NYC TAXI AND LIMOUSINE COMMISSION (TLC) TO DETERMINE HOW THE COMMISSION WAS HANDLING LICENSE APPLICANTS WITH CRIMINAL CONVICTIONS; THE REQUEST SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN DENIED; MATTER REMITTED FOR IN CAMERA REVIEW (FIRST DEPT).

The First Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined petitioner’s request for records from the NYC Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC), including fitness interview decisions (FID”s) should not have been denied. The matter was remitted to Supreme Court for an in camera review of the records:

The Driver’s Privacy Protection Act (DPPA) (18 USC § 2721 et seq.) does not impose a blanket prohibition on disclosure of all motor vehicle records. Instead, the law restricts disclosure of “personal information,” which includes personal identifiers of the type that petitioner agrees should be redacted. Moreover, even as to such personal information, the DPPA still expressly provides for disclosure in various circumstances, such as for research purposes, where the personal information will not be further disclosed … . Motor vehicle records under the DPPA are thus not the kind of records as to which production is absolutely prohibited, as long as they are redacted … .

The record is not clear as to what extent it is possible to anonymize production of the TLC fitness interview decisions (FIDs), which petitioner seeks in order to assess whether the TLC has been applying fair standards in its decision making on licensing determinations with respect to people with one or more criminal convictions … . Matter of Brooklyn Legal Servs. v New York City Taxi & Limousine Commn., 2022 NY Slip Op 00809, First Dept 2-8-22

 

, ,

THE FALSE IMPRISONMENT CAUSE OF ACTION WAS UNTIMELY BECAUSE IT ACCRUED WHEN DEFENDANT WAS RELEASED UPON ARRAIGNMENT, NOT WHEN HE WAS RELEASED UPON COMPLETION OF HIS SENTENCE (FIRST DEPT). ​

The First Department, reversing (modifying) Supreme Court, determined that the false imprisonment cause of action was untimely because it accrued when plaintiff was released upon arraignment, not when he was released after completing his sentence:

Contrary to the motion court’s finding, the statute of limitations began to run not on the date on which plaintiff was released from incarceration, having completed his sentence, but on the date of his arraignment, when he was released on his own recognizance … . False imprisonment consists of detention without legal process and ends once the accused is held pursuant to legal process, such as arraignment … . Plaintiff’s incarceration following his conviction is not part of his false imprisonment claim and thus is not relevant to determining the date of expiration of the limitations period for the claim. Butler v City of New York, 2022 NY Slip Op 00810, First Dept 2-8-22

 

THE SECOND DEGREE MURDER COUNTS SHOULD HAVE BEEN DISMISSED AS INCLUSORY CONCURRENT COUNTS OF THE FIRST DEGREE MURDER COUNTS (FIRST DEPT).

The First Department noted that the second-degree murder counts must be dismissed as inclusory concurrent counts of the first-degree murder counts:

As the People concede, the second-degree murder counts should be dismissed as inclusory concurrent counts of the first-degree murder counts (see CPL 300.40[3][b]). People v Ortega, 2022 NY Slip Op 00828, First Dept 2-8-22

 

,

THE PRESENCE OF DEFENDANT’S VEHICLE IN A HIGH CRIME AREA AND FURTIVE MOVEMENTS INSIDE THE VEHICLE DID NOT JUSTIFY THE SEIZURE OF DEFENDANT’S VEHICLE BY BLOCKING IT WITH THE POLICE CAR (FOURTH DEPT).

The Fourth Department, reversing County Court, determined the police did not have the requisite “reasonable suspicion” to justify the seizure of defendant’s vehicle by blocking it with the police car:

… [T]he police lacked reasonable suspicion to justify the seizure of the vehicle, and therefore County Court erred in refusing to suppress both the physical property seized from defendant and the vehicle, as well as inculpatory statements made by defendant during booking following his arrest. … [W]e conclude that the police officers effectively seized defendant’s vehicle when they parked their patrol vehicle in such a manner that, for all practical purposes, prevented defendant from driving his vehicle away … . Furthermore, we conclude that the People did not have “reasonable suspicion that defendant had committed, was committing, or was about to commit a crime” to justify their seizure of the vehicle inasmuch as the seizure was based only on defendant’s presence in a vehicle parked in a high crime area, and on the police officers’ observation of furtive movements inside the vehicle … . People v Jennings, 2022 NY Slip Op 00755, Fourth Dept 2-4-22

 

CONSECUTIVE SENTENCES WHICH AMOUNTED TO A LIFE SENTENCE WITHOUT PAROLE WERE NOT WARRANTED (FOURTH DEPT).

The Fourth Department, ordering the consecutive sentences to run concurrently, determined a de facto life sentence without parole was not warranted:

Defendant’s conviction stems from his conduct in firing a shotgun at police officers while inside his girlfriend’s home and not allowing the girlfriend’s daughter to leave the home. * * *

… [T]he sentence is unduly harsh and severe. Although defendant’s crimes were undoubtedly serious and could easily have resulted in death or injury to the officers, no one was injured or killed during the shootout. We conclude that the de facto life sentence without parole is not warranted here. We therefore modify the judgment as a matter of discretion in the interest of justice by directing that the sentences on the counts of attempted aggravated murder shall run concurrently with each other … . People v Youngblood, 2022 NY Slip Op 00751, Fourth Dept 2-4-22

 

,

COUNTY COURT COULD NOT CORRECT AN ILLEGAL SENTENCE WITHOUT FORMALLY RESENTENCING THE DEFENDANT (FOURTH DEPT). ​

The Fourth Department, vacating the sentence on one count of the indictment, determined County Court should not have corrected a sentencing mistake without formally resentencing the defendant:

… [T]he sentence originally imposed on the count of criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree was illegal and the court erred in attempting to correct it without formally resentencing defendant at a proceeding at which he was present or securing defendant’s waiver of the right to be present at such a proceeding … . We therefore modify the judgment by vacating the sentence imposed on count two of the indictment, and we remit the matter to County Court for resentencing on that count, at which time defendant must be permitted to appear. People v Abergut, 2022 NY Slip Op 00791, Fourth Dept 2-4-22

 

,

THE SEARCH OF DEFEFNDANT’S VEHICLE BY PAROLE OFFICERS WAS NOT COMPLETELY UNRELATED TO AN ILLEGAL FRISK BY A POLICE OFFICER WHICH REVEALED THE CAR KEYS; COCAINE FOUND IN THE VEHICLE SHOULD HAVE BEEN SUPPRESSED; INDICTMENT DISMISSED (FOURTH DEPT).

The Fourth Department, reversing County Court’s denial of a suppression motion and dismissing the indictment, determined the search of defendant parolee’s vehicle after an illegal frisk revealed the keys was not justified. Parole officers accompanied a police investigator to a health facility where defendant was known to be as part of a police, not a parole, investigation. The illegal frisk occurred when defendant left the health facility and before the parole officers learned defendant had driven there in violation of his parole terms. Therefore the search of defendant’s vehicle could not be justified as a distinct and completely unrelated “parole” investigation:

The testimony further establishes that the parole officers’ suspicion of a parole violation and their investigation thereof arose only after defendant’s parole officer requested that the police investigator hand over the fruit of the unlawful search and seizure, i.e., the keys, and the police investigator left the scene. The parole officers began their investigation—pressing the fob, questioning defendant, waiting for the purported owner of the vehicle to emerge from the building, and viewing surveillance footage—as a direct result of the unlawful seizure of the keys from defendant’s person. Indeed, defendant’s parole officer did not learn of defendant’s possible connection to the vehicle until he pressed the fob, which activated the lights of the vehicle. Inasmuch as the investigation by the parole officers was precipitated by the police investigator’s unlawful seizure of the keys from defendant, the subsequent discovery of the contraband in the vehicle was not “based solely on information obtained prior to and independent of the illegal [search and seizure]” … . Thus, the court’s determination that the parole officers’ investigation was independent of the unlawful seizure of the keys is not supported by the record. People v Smith, 2022 NY Slip Op 00790, Fourth Dept 2-4-22

 

, ,

DEFENSE COUNSEL INEFFECTIVE; IN THIS MURDER CASE IN WHICH THE EXTREME EMOTIONAL DISTURBANCE (EED) DEFENSE WAS RAISED, DEFENDANT’S MILITARY SERVICE RECORDS, SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY RECORDS AND PTSD DIAGNOSIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN PRESENTED AND A PSYCHIATRIC EXPERT SHOULD HAVE BEEN CONSULTED; NEW TRIAL ORDERED (FOURTH DEPT). ​

The Fourth Department, reversing County Court and ordering a new trial, determined defendant’s motion to vacate his conviction on ineffective assistance grounds should have been granted. Defendant presented an extreme emotional disturbance (EED) defense in this murder case. But the defense consisted only of his and his girlfriend’s testimony. Defense counsel did not request defendant’s Social Security disability records which showed a post-traumatic-stress-disorder (PTSD) diagnosis related to three tours of duty in Iraq and did not consult an expert about defendant’s PTSD:

Defense counsel testified at the CPL article 440 hearing that, in preparing for trial, she requested and received defendant’s military records, which indicated that defendant had been diagnosed with PTSD, but she did not request or review records relating to defendant’s Social Security disability benefits, even though defendant informed her that he received such benefits. She also accompanied defendant to an interview conducted by the People’s expert, who concluded that defendant was not “suffering from active PTSD symptoms during the shooting,” but she did not seek an independent expert opinion. Rather than introducing expert or medical evidence, defense counsel attempted to establish an EED defense through the testimony of defendant and his girlfriend. Although defense counsel did not clearly recall the details of the case, and her file had been destroyed, she thought that she might have opted not to introduce defendant’s military records at trial because she was uncertain how to lay a foundation for their admissibility.

We conclude on this record that defendant met his burden of establishing that he received less than meaningful representation. People v Jackson, 2022 NY Slip Op 00785, Fourth Dept 2-4-22

 

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