In re Ojore F.

176 Misc. 2d 796, 673 N.Y.S.2d 993, 1998 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 197
CourtNew York City Family Court
DecidedMarch 10, 1998
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 176 Misc. 2d 796 (In re Ojore F.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New York City Family Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In re Ojore F., 176 Misc. 2d 796, 673 N.Y.S.2d 993, 1998 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 197 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 1998).

Opinion

OPINION OF THE COURT

Ralph J. Porzio, J.

The respondent in this juvenile delinquency proceeding is charged with attempted assault in the first and second degrees and assault in the second and third degrees. Respondent has moved to suppress statements made by him to the police. This court held a pretrial Huntley hearing and this decision sets forth the court’s findings of fact and conclusions of law.

FINDINGS OF FACT

On September 4, 1997, at approximately 3 o’clock in the morning, detectives from the Brooklyn Child Abuse Squad went to respondent’s home as part of an investigation into injuries sustained by a nine-month-old child. The focus of the investigation at that point was the victim’s baby-sitter, Monica Perry, who was already in custody as the primary suspect. Respondent was also cared for by Ms. Perry, and the police were contacting the homes of all children that were present in her apartment that evening, when the incident occurred. There was substantial concern that the children, including the respondent, might have also been victims, or potential witnesses to the incident.

Upon the detectives’ arrival in the apartment, respondent was brought into the kitchen by his mother and asked what had happened to the baby. Respondent replied that the baby had fallen and hit her face. Due to the late hour, and to avoid disturbing other people in the apartment, the respondent’s mother was then asked if she and respondent would accompany [798]*798the detectives to the Brooklyn Children’s Advocacy Center (hereinafter Center). Respondent’s mother agreed.

Respondent and his mother arrived at the Center at approximately 3:30 a.m. They were seated in a small interview room, and were asked by the detectives to wait until a larger interview room became available. The respondent and his mother waited for about an hour before they were transferred to a larger interview room. Respondent’s mother testified that she and the respondent took naps on the couch while waiting to speak with the police. Additionally, the mother testified that although she wanted to leave the Center, she did not do so because she wanted to know what happened to the baby.

What occurred next is in dispute. The respondent’s mother testified that after she and her son were transferred to the larger interview room, they were separated for about 20 minutes by Detective Alonzo Hobbs who spoke with her outside of the room. She further testified that when she returned to the room, she observed Sergeant Lorraine McKenna and Detective Sheila Almond sitting at a table with the respondent, who was sobbing. Respondent was then asked to tell his mother what happened to the baby, whereupon he made an inculpatory statement.

Detective Hobbs, however, testified that he did not recall ever separating respondent from his mother. Sergeant Mc-Kenna and Detective Almond concurred that respondent and his mother were never separated. Detective Almond further testified that she commenced an interview with respondent at approximately 4:50 a.m.

When asked how the baby was injured, respondent again stated that the baby had fallen and hit her face. Detective Almond then told respondent that the baby could not have sustained her injuries by falling on the floor. Respondent then made the first of two inculpatory statements. Respondent stated that the baby was lying on the floor and he hit the baby in the face with a ball. Respondent also stated that he hit the baby with his hand and the head of a toy doll, bit the baby on the stomach, and poked the baby in the eye. The interview lasted for approximately 45 minutes.

Detective Almond then left the interview room for about 10 to 15 minutes, conferred with Sergeant McKenna, and telephoned the victim’s treating physician, Dr. D’Pasquali, at Kings County Hospital. From this conversation with Dr. D’Pasquali, Detective Almond learned that the victim’s injuries were caused by actions consistent with those offered by respondent’s [799]*799statement. After this conversation, Detective Almond returned to resume the interview with respondent.

Sergeant McKenna testified that she was concerned because respondent had made conflicting statements about how the baby’s injuries occurred. She was not sure if respondent may have been trying to cover up something for the baby-sitter out of fear, was trying to please the detective, or was confused. She told respondent that they needed to know which was the real story, and that the room they were in contains a “magic chair” that beeps when a child tells a lie. She then told respondent that she was going to leave the room and turn the chair on, and that he should think about what he was going to say. She told respondent to just tell the detective what had happened, and then left the room.

Detective Almond then asked respondent if there was anything else he had done to the baby. Respondent replied that he stood on the baby’s stomach, and repeated that he hit the baby in the head with a ball, and hit her with his hands and a doll’s head. Respondent was arrested at 6:50 a.m. At no time during either interview, or while the detectives were in respondent’s home, was respondent given Miranda warnings.

CONCLUSIONS OF LAW

It is conceded that respondent was never given his Miranda warnings. The issue before this court, therefore, is whether the statements made by respondent were the result of a custodial interrogation.

The Presentment Agency, at a Huntley hearing, has the burden of proving beyond a reasonable doubt that statements sought to be admitted into evidence were made voluntarily. (People v Witherspoon, 66 NY2d 973, 974 [1985].) Any person subjected to a custodial interrogation must be given Miranda warnings regardless of the severity of the act. (Berkemer v McCarty, 468 US 420, 434 [1984].)

The standard used to determine if a person is in custody is whether a reasonable person, in respondent’s position, innocent of any crime, would have believed that his or her freedom had been restricted in any way. (People v Yukl, 25 NY2d 585, 589 [1969], cert denied 400 US 851 [1970].) Factors to consider in determining whether an individual is in custody include, but are not limited to, the amount of time spent with the police, whether his or her freedom of action was restricted, the location and atmosphere under which the questioning took place, the degree of cooperation exhibited, whether Miranda warn[800]*800ings were given, and whether the questioning was investigatory or accusatory in nature. (People v Centano, 76 NY2d 837, 838 [1990]; People v Bailey, 140 AD2d 356, 358 [2d Dept 1988].) Additionally, when dealing with juveniles, special care must be taken to ensure that their rights are protected. (Haley v Ohio, 332 US 596, 599-600 [1948]; Matter of Gregory W., 19 NY2d 55, 63-64 [1966].)

In this case, respondent made three separate statements to the police. The first was in the kitchen of his home, where he told the detectives that the baby fell and hit her face. The second and third statements were made at the Brooklyn Children’s Advocacy Center. Both of these statements were inculpatory, the respondent having described in detail how he injured the child.

Applying the above standard, and considering the factors listed, the court finds that the first two statements made by respondent were not the result of a custodial interrogation.

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Bluebook (online)
176 Misc. 2d 796, 673 N.Y.S.2d 993, 1998 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 197, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-ojore-f-nycfamct-1998.