In re Marcus B.

95 A.D.3d 15, 942 N.Y.S.2d 38
CourtAppellate Division of the Supreme Court of the State of New York
DecidedMarch 22, 2012
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 95 A.D.3d 15 (In re Marcus B.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of the State of New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In re Marcus B., 95 A.D.3d 15, 942 N.Y.S.2d 38 (N.Y. Ct. App. 2012).

Opinion

OPINION OF THE COURT

Catterson, J.

In this case arising from the adjudication of a petition for juvenile delinquency, the declaration of a mistrial due to the presiding judge’s transfer from Family Court to Civil Court was a matter of administrative convenience rather than “manifest necessity.” Therefore, the commencement of a new fact-finding hearing violated the appellant’s constitutional protection from double jeopardy.

The record reflects that on November 6, 2009, at 5:00 p.m., the appellant was apprehended and arrested for carrying what several detectives allegedly observed was a black semiautomatic [17]*17firearm. The gun was later discovered to be a BB gun. This case was commenced by the filing of a juvenile delinquency petition against the appellant on November 20, 2009, alleging unlawful possession of weapons by persons under 16 pursuant to Penal Law § 265.05, and an act that, if committed by an adult, would constitute unlawful possession or sale of a toy or imitation firearm pursuant to Administrative Code of City of NY § 10-131 (g). On the date the petition was filed, the Family Court assigned the appellant counsel and remanded him to the Commissioner of Juvenile Justice for detention.

A fact-finding hearing commenced on December 2, 2009. At some point in early January 2010, the judge presiding over the hearing advised the parties that he would soon be transferred to the Civil Court. On January 26, 2010, when the presentment agency rested its case, the trial transcript reflects that the appellant made a prima facie motion to dismiss the petition which was denied. The appellant then requested a continuance that was also denied. The court informed counsel that she risked a mistrial if she did not finish the case the next day.

The following day, the appellant moved to dismiss on the ground that the judge was forcing the completion of the trial at the expense of the appellant’s right to adequately prepare his defense. The appellant’s counsel argued that the witnesses could not be produced that day, and that forcing her to proceed without proper records or preparation was overreaching on the part of the court. The appellant’s counsel also argued that the relocation of the judge for administrative reasons did not constitute “manifest necessity” warranting a mistrial. The motion was denied, and the appellant’s attorney objected, but the court adhered to its decision and adjourned the matter to January 29, 2010 for the appellant’s counsel to complete presentation of the case.

However, on January 29th, attorneys who served on the 18-B panel with the appellant’s counsel advised the court that the appellant’s counsel had been hospitalized for a sudden illness. In the absence of the appellant’s counsel, the judge informed the parties that he was advised by the Supervising Judge of the Bronx Family Court to adjourn the matter for a general call on February 3rd.

On February 3, 2010, while the appellant’s counsel was still hospitalized, the Supervising Judge declared a mistrial and adjourned the matter for a new fact-finding hearing. On the day of the hearing, the appellant moved, before a new judge, to [18]*18dismiss the proceeding on the ground that a new fact-finding hearing subjected him to double jeopardy. The appellant argued that the transfer of the judge who originally heard the matter to the Civil Court was not a proper ground to declare a mistrial. The court denied the appellant’s motion, concluding that the transfer of a judge from one court to a new court established “manifest necessity,” assuming that everything possible was done to complete the trial while the judge was still presiding over the matter.

After further adjournments, on March 26, 2010, the appellant admitted to having an imitation gun in his possession in satisfaction of the petition. On January 26, 2011, after a series of hearings, the appellant was adjudicated a juvenile delinquent. The court found that the least restrictive alternative was placement with the Office of Children and Family Services for a period of 12 months, with no credit for time served.

On appeal, the appellant argues that the court erred in finding that there was “manifest necessity” for the declaration of a mistrial at the appellant’s first fact-finding hearing. Accordingly, the appellant argues that further prosecution violated his constitutional protection from double jeopardy and the petition should have been dismissed. For the reasons set forth below, we agree.

The Double Jeopardy Clauses in the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution and in article I, § 6 of the New York Constitution protect an accused against multiple prosecutions for the same offense. (People v Ferguson, 67 NY2d 383, 387 [1986].) This protection applies to respondents in juvenile delinquency cases. (See Breed v Jones, 421 US 519 [1975].) The Double Jeopardy Clause limits the instances in which a mistrial can be declared without a criminal defendant’s consent because the defendant possesses a “valued right to have his trial completed by a particular tribunal.” (Hall v Potoker, 49 NY2d 501, 505 [1980] [internal quotation marks omitted].)

Thus, when a mistrial is declared without the consent of the accused, the prohibition against double jeopardy precludes retrial for the same offense unless there is a “ ‘manifest necessity’ ” for the mistrial or “ ‘the ends of public justice would otherwise be defeated.’ ” (Matter of Enright v Siedlecki, 59 NY2d 195, 199 [1983], quoting United States v Perez, 9 Wheat (22 US) 579, 580 [1824].) Indeed, Criminal Procedure Law § 280.10 (3) allows a court to declare a mistrial only when it is “physically impossible to proceed with the trial in conformity [19]*19with law.” Such instances include when the judge or other essential court personnel are unavailable due to death or serious illness. (People v Goldfarb, 152 App Div 870, 874 [1st Dept 1912], affd 213 NY 664 [1914]; see e.g. People v Mason, 233 AD2d 271 [1st Dept 1996], lv denied 89 NY2d 944 [1997] [a mistrial was correctly declared when a juror was disqualified due to wife’s illness and no alternate juror was available].)

Although great deference is accorded a trial court’s declaration of a mistrial, a trial court abuses its discretion when the declaration of a mistrial is based solely upon the convenience of the court. (People v Michael, 48 NY2d 1, 9 [1979].) Furthermore, the declaration of a mistrial based upon the mere reassignment of a judge for administrative purposes, without more, is an abuse of discretion. (See e.g. Matter of Kim v Criminal Ct. of City of N.Y., 77 Misc 2d 740 [Sup Ct, NY County 1974], affd 47 AD2d 715 [1st Dept 1975] [trial judge abused his discretion in declaring a mistrial on the ground that the case could not be concluded that day and that the judge was to be assigned to another court part the following week].)

In this case, the Supervising Judge declared a mistrial due to the presiding judge’s reassignment from Family Court to Civil Court. The Supervising Judge stated that “the matter cannot be continued either because the judge who was hearing the matter is no longer in Family Court and additionally at this time Part 4, [the judge who was hearing the matter], was trying to finish the matter but [appellant’s counsel] was hospitalized.” However, the court failed to explain how the transfer was an impediment to the original presiding judge’s completion of the case.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
95 A.D.3d 15, 942 N.Y.S.2d 38, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-marcus-b-nyappdiv-2012.