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Warrantless Entry Into Defendant’s Home Justified by Exigent Circumstances—Juror’s Temporary Absence from the Trial (During Which the Trial Was Adjourned) and the Juror’s Inaccurate Statement He Had Discussed His Absence with the Judge Did Not Warrant a “Buford” Hearing or Disqualification

The First Department, in a full-fledged opinion by Justice Degrasse, affirmed defendant’s conviction, finding that the warrantless entry into defendant’s home to arrest him was justified by exigent circumstances and did not, therefore, constitute a “Payton” violation. The First Department further found that a juror’s temporary absence from the trial (during which the trial was adjourned), and the juror’s inaccurate statement he had discussed his absence with the judge, did not reveal juror bias and did not therefore warrant a “Buford” hearing or disqualification of the juror:

…[T]he motion court resolved the Payton issue, finding the detectives’ entry into defendant’s home justified by exigent circumstances.

Factors to be considered in determining whether exigent circumstances are present include “(1) the gravity or violent nature of the offense with which the suspect is to be charged; (2) whether the suspect is reasonably believed to be armed; (3) a clear showing of probable cause … to believe that the suspect committed the crime; (4) strong reason to believe that the suspect is in the premises being entered; (5) a likelihood that the suspect will escape if not swiftly apprehended; and (6) the peaceful circumstances of the entry” … .

This list of factors is illustrative and not exhaustive … . The court’s finding of exigent circumstances is supported by evidence in the record that defendant had been identified by name and from a photograph as the assailant who shot the two men at the bar only hours before. Accordingly, there was probable cause for defendant’s arrest. Moreover, the Nissan Armada was traced to defendant’s nearby address where there was reason to believe he could be found. There was reason to believe defendant was armed inasmuch as he was said to have left the bar with his weapon. The record also supports the court’s conclusion that the circumstances of the Police Department’s entry into the apartment were peaceful. * * *

Defendant next argues that the court erred in failing to conduct an inquiry pursuant to People v Buford (69 NY2d 290 [1987]) with respect to a juror’s absence on a trial day. On February 7, 2012, during the third week of trial, juror number nine failed to appear at court and could not be reached by court personnel. With the consent of counsel, the court adjourned the trial for two days in order to enable a court officer to check on the juror at his home. On the adjourned date, the court officer reported that she met with juror number nine who told her that he wasn’t feeling well and that he had told Justice Webber that he would return to court on February 9, 2012. It was undisputed that no such conversation between the court and the juror occurred. The court decided to continue with the trial and address the juror’s conduct at its conclusion. Defense counsel stated that he was concerned about the juror’s fitness to continue with the trial. The court declined to conduct the requested inquiry and the trial continued to verdict. Defendant argues that the court erred in denying his request for a Buford inquiry. We disagree.

To the extent applicable, CPL 270.35(1) provides that a court must discharge a sworn juror where “the court finds, from facts unknown at the time of the selection of the jury, that a juror is grossly unqualified to serve in the case or has engaged in misconduct of a substantial nature, but not warranting the declaration of a mistrial . . .” Defendant does not argue on appeal that the juror was grossly unqualified or that his apparent misconduct was substantial. Defendant’s only claim of error stems from the court’s refusal to conduct a Buford inquiry. Viewed in light of the request made before the trial court, defendant’s argument is based on a misconstruction of Buford. As stated by the Court of Appeals, the purpose of Buford was the creation of “a framework by which trial courts could evaluate sworn jurors who, for some reason during the trial, may possess[] a state of mind which would prevent the rendering of an impartial verdict'” … . A juror with such a state of mind would be “grossly unqualified” … . * * *

… [I]t cannot be seriously argued in this case that juror number nine’s temporary absence from the trial and his inaccurate statement to the court officer indicated bias one way or the other. People v Paulino, 2015 NY Slip Op 05898, 1st Dept 7-7-15

 

Warrantless Arrest in Doorway of Defendant’s Apartment Did Not Violate the Payton Rule

The Second Department determined the warrantless arrest of the defendant in the doorway of his apartment did not violate the “Payton” rule which prohibits warrantless arrests in the home:

Contrary to the defendant’s contention, his arrest did not violate his rights under Payton v New York (445 US 573) and People v Levan (62 NY2d 139, 144). “The rule announced in Payton and applied in Levan is clear and easily understood: a person enjoys enhanced constitutional protection from a warrantless arrest in the interior of the home, but not on the threshold itself or the exterior” … . As pertinent to this case, where the defendant lived in the upstairs apartment of a building containing two separate apartments, there is clearly a “distinction between homes and common areas such as halls and lobbies . . . which are not within an individual tenant’s zone of privacy” … .

Here, the hearing evidence demonstrated that the police entered the building the defendant lived in through the front door. Thereafter, they passed through a vestibule before climbing the stairs to the defendant’s upstairs apartment. One of the officers knocked on the closed apartment door, the defendant opened it, and the officer effectuated the arrest in the doorway. The arresting officer did not go inside the defendant’s apartment …, or reach in to pull the defendant out … . Since the defendant was arrested at the threshold of his apartment, after he “voluntarily emerged [and thereby] surrendered the enhanced constitutional protection of the home” …, his warrantless arrest did not violate Payton and Levan … . People v Garvin, 2015 NY Slip Op 05695, 2nd Dept 7-1-15

 

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Pulling Defendant from Inside His Home for Warrantless Arrest Violated the Fourth Amendment

The Second Department determined that a new trial was required because defendant’s statement should have been suppressed.  The police pulled the defendant from inside his home to arrest him without a warrant, a violation of the Fourth Amendment.  The Second Department noted, however, that the trial court did not err in refusing the suppress evidence of a post-arrest lineup identification:

Here, the police knocked on the defendant’s door at approximately 6:50 a.m. When the defendant answered the door he appeared to be “half asleep,” and was naked from the waist down. He only partially opened the door, was never in full view of the police, and never crossed the threshold of his apartment. When the police directed the defendant to step fully into view, the defendant instead attempted to shut the door, trapping a detective’s arm as the detective tried to keep the door from closing. After law enforcement officials successfully pushed the door open, they pulled the defendant from the area behind the door into the public hallway, where he was then arrested.

Under the discrete circumstances of this case, where the police officers crossed the threshold into the defendant’s apartment, pulled him into the hallway, and arrested him without a warrant, the defendant’s Fourth Amendment rights were violated … . People v Riffas, 2014 NY Slip Op 06333, 2nd Dept 9-24-14

 

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Police Violated Defendant’s Constitutional Rights by Pushing Door Open and Entering Apartment When Defendant Answered the Door—The “Payton” Violation (a Warrantless Arrest Inside Home) Mandated Suppression of Defendant’s Statement

Over a two-justice dissent, the Second Department determined defendant was arrested pursuant to a Payton violation (a warrantless arrest inside defendant’s home) and his subsequent statement should have been suppressed. The police were at defendant’s door with the complainant who told the police defendant had assaulted her.  When defendant opened the door, the complainant identified him as the assailant.  The defendant tried to shut the door, but the police pushed their way in and arrested him. The trial court felt there was no Payton violation the defendant’s attempt to shut the door after the identification was akin to “fleeing” or “exigent circumstances.”  The Second Department, in a full-fledged opinion by Justice Balkin, disagreed and wrote:

In Payton v New York (445 US 573), the United States Supreme Court announced a clear and easily applied rule with respect to warrantless arrests in the home: “the Fourth Amendment has drawn a firm line at the entrance to the house. Absent exigent circumstances, that threshold may not reasonably be crossed without a warrant” (Payton v New York, 445 US at 590). The rule under the New York Constitution is the same (see NY Const, art 1, § 12; People v Levan, 62 NY2d 139, 144). Payton and Levan require suppression of the defendant’s statement under the clear, undisputed facts of this case.

Certainly, if the defendant’s encounter with the police had begun outside his home, or even on the threshold of it, the defendant could not have avoided arrest by fleeing into his home (see United States v Santana, 427 US 38, 43). But, contrary to the hearing court’s characterization, the defendant’s attempt to close his door was not “akin” to “fleeing”; he had never left the constitutionally protected interior of his home in the first place, even partially, so he did not flee “into” his home … . People v Gonzales, 2013 NY Slip Op 06381, 2nd Dept 10-2-13

 

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Warrantless Arrest in Home in Absence of Exigent Circumstances Mandated Suppression; Package from Paraguay Addressed to Defendant Properly Opened as a “Border Search”

The Fourth Department determined drugs seized from defendant’s person incident to his arrest should have been suppressed because defendant’s warrantless arrest took place in his home in the absence of exigent circumstances. The court also noted that the search and seizure of a package from Paraguay addressed to defendant did not violate defendant’s constitutional rights because opening the package “constituted a border search … which may be conducted ‘without probable cause or a warrant, in order to regulate the collection of duties and to prevent the introduction of contraband into this country’ “… . People v Boyson, KA 11-01343, 229, 4th Dept, 4-26-13

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