People v. Butts

131 A.D.2d 244, 520 N.Y.S.2d 564, 1987 N.Y. App. Div. LEXIS 49499
Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of the State of New York·Decided November 10, 1987·Published·Cited by 1 cases

Opinion

OPINION OF THE COURT

Ross, J.

The question presented by this appeal is whether Trial Term erred in denying defendant’s request to instruct the jury on the defense of entrapment, where the defendant has testified and denied participating in the narcotic transaction? The attorneys have informed the court that this is an appellate issue of first impression.

On or about May 16, 1985, a New York County Grand Jury filed an indictment against defendant, which charged him with four counts of the crime of criminal sale of a controlled substance in the third degree (Penal Law § 220.39), four counts of the crime of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree (Penal Law § 220.16), and four counts of the crime of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree (Penal Law § 220.03).

The charges contained in the indictment pertain to four sales of cocaine allegedly made by defendant to two undercover New York City police officers. These sales occurred between May 7 and May 9, 1985, and took place in Public School I.S. 88, a junior high school located at 114th Street between Seventh and Eighth Avenues in Manhattan, where defendant was employed as a security guard.

At the jury trial, the People’s case against defendant, in substance, consisted of the testimony of Detective Robert Donawa (Detective Donawa) and Police Officer Deborah Lewis (Officer Lewis).

Detective Donawa testified that in April 1985, he was assigned to the Manhattan North Narcotics Unit of the police department as an undercover police officer; and, in late April 1985, he was instructed to conduct an investigation inside I.S. 88. This investigation was done with the knowledge of the Board of Education (Board), whose representatives provided him with bogus credentials, which identified him as Robert Jenkins, a staff analyst for the Board. According to Detective Donawa’s testimony, during the first few days at the school he became acquainted with staff members; initiated conversations about the subject of drugs with some staff members, who were under age 40, since persons of that age were "more likely to [246]*246be involved in drugs”; and he first spoke to defendant, who the witness knew to be a security guard, on April 30th, and, then the witness next spoke to the defendant on May 2nd, but, on neither one of those occasions did they discuss the subject of drugs.

In pertinent part, Detective Donawa testified, about the circumstance of defendant’s first drug sale to him, as follows: On or about May 6th, a female in the school told the witness "she was going to introduce [him] to somebody * * * that could turn [the witness] on to drugs”. Thereafter, at approximately 1:20 p.m., the next afternoon, May 7th, the subject female, the defendant, and the witness met inside room 210 of the school; at that time, "[t]he female advised [defendant] * * * I was interested in copping [sic], which is buying some cocaine * * * I [the witness] used the word 'blow’. It’s a street terminology used for cocaine”. In response, defendant, in substance, informed the witness that he had available to sell "20” (which meant $20 worth of cocaine), "25” (which meant $25 worth of cocaine), "50” (which meant $50 worth of cocaine), and "half grams and grams” (which meant $100 worth of cocaine). After defendant finished reciting his cocaine inventory and its prices, Detective Donawa stated "I told him [defendant] that I wanted two twenty fives. This is in the presence of * * * the same female. At this time, myself and [defendant], we proceeded up to the third floor Program Office. [Defendant] opened the door with the key. Myself and [defendant] proceeded inside this room. Inside the room was a desk and one locker, the only locker in there. [Defendant] opened up the locker”. Detective Donawa testified that, after opening the locker, defendant removed from its top shelf a brown paper bag, which "[defendant] turned * * * over on the * * * desk and * * * out [came] numerous tin foils [of] different sizes * * * At this time [defendant] removed from that group two tin foils and gave them to me [the witness]. He [defendant] said they were twenty fives, they cost $25 apiece. I [the witness] gave [defendant] $50 of pre-recorded buy money”.

The second drug transaction between Detective Donawa and the defendant took place two days later on May 9th. In pertinent part, Detective Donawa testified about the circumstances of defendant’s second drug sale to him, as follows. At about 1:00 p.m. on May 9th, Detective Donawa approached the defendant on the first floor lobby of the school, and told defendant "I was interested in coping [sic] some blow”. Defendant replied that he only had a "25” left, in view of the fact [247]*247that earlier that day "he had sold a few * * * in the basement of the [school]”. Detective Donawa told the defendant he would buy the $25 worth of cocaine. Subsequently, the defendant once again escorted the witness to the third-floor Program Office, mentioned supra, where defendant opened the locker, mentioned supra, removed a tinfoil packet from the top shelf, placed it inside a matchbook, and handed that matchbook to the witness.

As mentioned supra, the defendant allegedly made two more cocaine sales to Officer Lewis. This officer, who was also assigned to Manhattan North Narcotics as an undercover police officer, was conducting, at the same time as Detective Donawa, a separate investigation inside I.S. 88. She testified that representatives of the Board provided her with bogus credentials, which identified her as a school lunch helper.

In pertinent part, Officer Lewis testified, about the defendant’s two drug sales to her, as follows: On May 2, 1985, the witness spoke with defendant and asked him where she could get drugs, and "he [defendant] said he would bring me some blow, which, in street terminology, blow means cocaine. At the time I told him okay [sic] and he also told me that in about two weeks he would be having a business of his own which I took him to mean that he was selling cocaine”.

Thereafter, at approximately 1:45 p.m., on May 7, 1985, inside the school, defendant approached Officer Lewis, and told her "I [defendant] have something today”, however, she responded that she did not have any money; but, the defendant answered "I [defendant] will take care of you, which I [the witness] took to mean that he would give me the cocaine and I would pay him at a later date”. Furthermore, the witness asked defendant if he now had his own business, and they, in substance, had a conversation, as follows: "At this time [defendant] answered * * * me, [defendant] and [his] cousin are doing it together. I [the witness] then asked [defendant] what he had, meaning how much stuff he was selling * * * [H]e told me twenty fives, which is $25 worth of drugs. I then said to [defendant], okay [sic] let me [the witness] get one and I will pay you [the defendant] tomorrow”. Sometime later that afternoon, in the kitchen area of the school, defendant, after making sure no one else was present, gave the witness a tinfoil containing cocaine.

During the morning of the next day, May 8, 1985, the witness testified that she saw defendant in the school, paid [248]*248him for the cocaine she had received on May 7th, and told him "I might want to get a little something later on that day”.

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People v. Butts, 131 A.D.2d 244, 520 N.Y.S.2d 564, 1987 N.Y. App. Div. LEXIS 49499 (N.Y. Ct. App. 1987).

131 A.D.2d 244 (People v. Butts) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

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