People v. Bruno

2023 NY Slip Op 34730(U)
CourtNew York County Court, Westchester County
DecidedJanuary 31, 2023
DocketIndictment No. 72339-22/001
StatusUnpublished

This text of 2023 NY Slip Op 34730(U) (People v. Bruno) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New York County Court, Westchester County primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
People v. Bruno, 2023 NY Slip Op 34730(U) (N.Y. Super. Ct. 2023).

Opinion

People v Bruno 2023 NY Slip Op 34730(U) January 31, 2023 County Court, Westchester County Docket Number: Indictment No. 72339-22/001 Judge: Robert J. Prisco Cases posted with a "30000" identifier, i.e., 2013 NY Slip Op 30001(U), are republished from various New York State and local government sources, including the New York State Unified Court System's eCourts Service. This opinion is uncorrected and not selected for official publication. COUNTY COURT: ST ATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER ------------------------------------------------------------------x THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK

-against- DECISION & ORDER

FELIX BRUNO, Indictment No: 72339-22/001 Defendant. --------------------.---------------------------------------------x ROBERT J. PRISCO, J.

Defendant FELX BRUNO is charged by Indictment Number 72339-22/001 with one count of Burglary in the Second Degree pursuant to Penal Law [PL]§ 140.25 (2) [Count One], one count of Grand Larceny in the Third Degree pursuant to PL§ 155.35 (1) [Count Two], and one count of Criminal Possession of Stolen Property in the Third Degree pursuant to PL § 165 .50 [Count Three]. The charges pertain to Defendant allegedly aiding, abetting, and acting in concert with another person in unlawfully entering a dwelling located at 35 Echo-Lane, in the Town ofMamaroneck, and his alleged theft of property which had a value in excess of three-thousand dollars ($3,000.00). The offenses are alleged to have occurred_at approximately 7:10 p.m. on February 26, 2022. On October 7, 2022, Defendant was arraigned by this Court on the charges contained in Indictment Number 72339-22/001. Attached to the indictment are the People's Demand for a Notice of Alibi pursuant to Criminal Procedure Law [CPL] § 250.20 and two (2) CPL § 710.30 (1) (a) Notices regarding the People's intent to offer evidence of statements allegedly made by co- defendant Anthony Goodwine to a member of the Westchester County Police Department. 1 During the court appearance on October 7, 2022, the People served and filed a Certificate of Compliance pursuant to CPL§ 245.50 (1), with an attached "Discovery Disclosure Index" that identifies the items and materials that have reportedly been .disclosed or provided to defense counsel. Also attached to the Certificate of Compliance are Discovery Package Transmittal Notices from the Westchester County District Attorney's Office which delineate the dates, times

1 The two (2) CPL § 710.30 (1) (a) notices pertain to electronically recorded oral statements that were allegedly made

by co-defendant Goodwine in the vicinity of Nardozzi Place, in the Town of Mamaroneck, at approximately 8:00 p.m., on February 26, 2022.

·FILED 1 MAR O8 2023 TIMOTHY C. IOONI COUNTY CLERK . COUNTY Of WESTCHESTER [* 1] and methoc;ls of such disclosures. Within the People's Certificate of Compliance is a "Statement of Readiness," wherein the People state that they "confirm and announce their readiness for trial on all counts charged." Although the grand jury minutes were still outstanding, the People also verbally confirmed their readiness for trial when inquired of by this Court.

On November 17, 2022, the People served and filed a Notice of Motion for Buccal Swab, an Affirmation in Support, and a Memorandum of Law seeking ·an Order "requiring the defendant ... to permit the taking of DNA samples from his body via. a buccal cell swab," pursuant to CPL§ 245.40 (1) (e). On November 18, 2022, the Court received Defendant's Notice of Motion, Affirmation in Support, and a Memorandum of Law in Support of Defendant Felix Bruno's Pre-Trial Motions (hereinafter "Me!Ilorandum of Law") seeking various forms of judicial intervention and relief. Attached to Defendant's omnibus motion is Exhibit A, which is a copy of the Indictment and attachments thereto.

On November 30, 2022, this Court received the People's Affirmation in Opposition and Memorandum ofLaw in response to Defendant's motion for omnibus relief. The Court is also in receipt of an unredacted certified copy of the stenographic transcript of the Grand Jury proceeding dated September 26, 2022, an unredacted certified copy of the stenographic transcript of the instructions on the law dated September 28, 2022, and copies of the Grand Jury exhibits that were received in evidence, which are contained on a flash drive. The Court has further been provided with Search Warrant Applications and Orders dated February 8, February 27, and May 6, 2022. On December 2;3, 2022, the Court received Defendant's Memorandum of Law in Reply and in Further Support of Defendant Felix Bruno's Pre-Trial Motions (hereinafter "M~morandum of Law in Reply"). On December 27, 2022, the People served and filed a Supplemental Certificate of Compliance, which includes a '.'Statement of Readiness," wherein "[t]he· People confirm and announce their readiness for trial on all counts charged in this matter." Attached to the Supplemental Certificate of Compliance is a copy of the People's Discovery Disclosure Index and a Discovery Package Transmittal Notice from the Westchester County District Attorney's Office

[* 2] which identify the additional items and information that have been disclosed to Defendant and delineate the dates, times and methods of such disclosure. After consideration of the above referenced submissions · and the aforementioned unredacted certified stenographic transcripts, the Court decides Defendant's Motion as follows:

1. MOTION FOR RELEASE OF THE GRAND JURY MINUTES TO DEFENDANT,· INSPECTION THEREOF, AND DISMISSAL OR REDUCTION OF THE CHARGES CONTAINED IN INDICTMENT NUMBER 72339-22/001 DUE TO THE LEGAL INSUFFICIENCY OF THE EVIDENCE PRESENTED AND THE INSTRUCTIONS PROVIDED.

Citing CPL Article 210, Defendant moves for inspection of the Grand Jury minutes by the Court and for the dismissal of Indictment Number 72339-22/001, or reduction of the counts thereof, on the grounds that the evidence before the Grand Jury was not legally sufficient and the Grand Jurors were not properlyinstructed on the applicable law (see Point 1, Page 1, and Point 5, Page 3, of Defendant's Notice of Motion, Pages 10-16 of Defendant's Affirmation in Support, and Pages 1-8 of Defendant's Memorandum of Law). Specifically, "Defendant seeks to dismiss the charges of Grand larceny in the third degree and Criminal possession of stolen property in the third degree on [the] basis that the evidence before the grand jury was not legally sufficient to establish that the market value of the property allegedly stolen by the Defendant exceeded three thousand ($3,000)" (see Page 11, Paragraph 12, of Defendant Affirmation in Support, Point II, Page 8, of Defendant's Memorandum of Law, and Point I, Pages 2-3, of Defendant's Memorandum of Law_ in Reply).

Defendant further claims that "should the People rely on any statements. or evidence obtained through improper and/or constitutionally impermissible contact with the police, ... and the Defendant is successful in suppressing such evidence and/or statements, the People will have insufficient evidence to establish every element of the offenses charged and [Defendant's] commission thereof' (see Page 12, Paragraph 14, of Defendant's· Affirmation in Support). Defendant also moves for dismissal of the Indictment "should it appear that [the] Grand Jury received any hearsay testimony before voting the indictment" (see Page 12, Paragraph 13, of Defendant's Affirmation in Support). Lastly, citing CPL § 210.30, Defendant moves to inspect the Grand Jury minutes and for- dismissal of the indictment or any counts thereof, on the grounds

[* 3] that the evidence before the Grand Jury was not legally sufficient (see Point 5, Page 3, of Defendant's Notice of Motion).

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Bluebook (online)
2023 NY Slip Op 34730(U), Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-bruno-nywestchcty-2023.