People v. Bostic

97 Misc. 2d 1039, 412 N.Y.S.2d 948, 1978 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 2868
CourtNew York District Court
DecidedDecember 8, 1978
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 97 Misc. 2d 1039 (People v. Bostic) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New York District Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
People v. Bostic, 97 Misc. 2d 1039, 412 N.Y.S.2d 948, 1978 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 2868 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 1978).

Opinion

OPINION OF THE COURT

Harold Fertig, J.

On September 29, 1978 defendant made an omnibus motion for a bill of particulars, an order of discovery, names of trial witnesses and for Brady material. He also included in that motion a request that certain evidence seized be suppressed and, in effect, requested a suppression hearing.

The People, on October 11, opposed the defendant’s motion by submitting an affidavit in opposition, setting forth a bill of particulars stating that there was no scientific tests conducted and arguing that the names of the witnesses were not discoverable. The People also indicated that they had no knowledge of any material exculpatory in nature which would be subject to the rule set forth in Brady v Maryland (373 US 83).

The People consent to a suppression hearing on the basis of probable cause and further state that the defendant had made no motion for a Huntley hearing, although a notice of a statement made by the defendant had been served on him. They allege, however, that the defendant had made a spontaneous declaration, "All this for two coats?” They argue that because of the spontaneous nature of this statement a Huntley hearing is not required to determine the voluntariness of that statement.

The defendant has moved for an order precluding the People from using the aforesaid statement on the grounds that the notice that was given to the defendant at the time of arraignment on September 19, 1978 was a general form of notice and did not comply with the requirements of CPL 710.30, in that it did not specify the evidence intended to be offered.

The questions remaining to be decided by the court are: first, is a hearing necessary where a statement is claimed to be res gestae and is notice required for such a statement; and second, whether or not the statement was part of the res gestae, was the general notice given to the defendant sufficient to comply with the requirements of CPL 710.30.

In 1964, in the case of People v Quarles (44 Misc 2d 955, 960-961), the court determined that a defendant as a matter of right was entitled to obtain a copy of the transcribed state[1041]*1041ment made by the defendant to the police or District Attorney at the time of his arrest in order for the defendant to properly enable him to prepare a defense in accordance with the dictates of a fair trial. The Supreme Court in that same year, in Jackson v Denno (378 US 368, 380), determined that a defendant is entitled to a fair hearing — "in which both the underlying factual issues and the voluntariness of the confession are actually and reliably determined.”

The following year, the Court of Appeals in People v Huntley (15 NY2d 72, 78) provided that "[t]he prosecutor must, within a reasonable time before trial, notify the defense as to whether any alleged confession or admission will be offered in evidence at trial. If such notice be given by the People the defense, if it intends to attack the confession or admission as involuntary, must, in turn, notify the prosecutor of a desire by the defense of a preliminary hearing on such issue (cf. Code Grim. Pro., § 813-c).”

In determining the meaning of the statute, it is important that the court review the over-all intent and purpose of the notice and the procedures following the notice. In People v Mirenda (23 NY2d 439, 448-449), the Court of Appeals stated: "As we said in People v. Ross (21 N Y 2d 258) 'the obvious purpose of the statute is to give a defendant adequate time to prepare his case for questioning the voluntariness of a confession or admission’ ”. Then, in People v Chirico (61 Misc 2d 157, 158-159), also decided in 1969, the court determined that there are "no statutory provision^] * * * in effect permitting a copy of the alleged confession or admission to be given to defendant or his counsel * * *. It is the opinion of this court, however * * * that the People are compelled to furnish a defendant or his counsel, prior to trial, of a copy of any statement, confessions, or admission made by a defendant at the time of his arrest in the absence of counsel, whenever the defendant or his counsel requests a copy thereof.” (Emphasis supplied.)

Also, in 1969, it was decided in People v Bach (33 AD2d 560), that several Trial Judges had written well-reasoned opinions which concluded that a defendant upon demand was entitled to obtain a copy of any confession or statement made by him in order to insure a fair hearing and a fair trial.

The very purpose of the statutory requirement for notice is to offer a defendant an opportunity for a hearing to determine [1042]*1042the voluntariness of his confession or admission and it is not intended as a discovery device (People v Harris, 25 NY2d 175).

In the following year, 1970, in the case of People v Remaley (26 NY2d 427), the defendant was given a copy of his confession during the course of a Huntley hearing and it was held that the defendant was entitled to inspect any statement which he may have made to the police or law enforcement officers, in order for him to intelligently prepare his defense. In that case there was a motion made by the defendant prior to the hearing for an inspection of his statement, which was denied. The court held that that denial, although it should have been granted, may not be said to have been prejudicial since the defendant’s lawyer was furnished a copy of his statement on the day before the trial began.

Then, in a decision by the County Court of this county (People v Utley, 77 Misc 2d 86, 94), decided in 1974, the court declared: "The public policy of this State abhors the use of incriminating statements without first giving sufficient notice to the defendant and granting him an opportunity prior to litigation, to investigate and plan his defense accordingly”. The case involved a demand by the defendant for an order of discovery as to any oral or written statements made by the defendant. The defendant was served with a general notice that pursuant to CPL 710.30 the People intended to offer evidence of an oral and/or written statement made to a public servant. There were no specifics set forth. The language, although not identical, was substantially the same as that set forth in the notice presented to the defendant in this case. The statute (CPL 710.30) at that time did not require that the notice be served within 15 days after arraignment but rather that the notice be served "before trial”. It did, however, contain the same language in subdivision 1 of that section as in the present statute: "[T]hey must serve upon the defendant a notice of such intention, specifying the evidence intended to be offered.” The court held that the generalized form of notice must be supplemented where the defendant demands disclosure of his statements and further went on to state that the defendant is entitled to the substance of his oral statements and the particulars as to when, where and to whom they were made. The court reasoned that the statute codified the doctrine laid down in People v Remaley (supra), that defendant upon request is entitled to pre-Huntley disclosure.

The Court of Appeals, in People v Briggs (38 NY2d 319, [1043]*1043323), cited People v Utley (supra)

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

People v. Wells
133 A.D.2d 385 (Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, 1987)
People v. Weeks
123 Misc. 2d 540 (Criminal Court of the City of New York, 1984)
People v. Coleman
114 Misc. 2d 685 (New York Supreme Court, 1982)
State v. Amorin
604 P.2d 45 (Hawaii Supreme Court, 1979)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
97 Misc. 2d 1039, 412 N.Y.S.2d 948, 1978 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 2868, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-bostic-nydistct-1978.