People v. Cardona

106 Misc. 2d 1094, 432 N.Y.S.2d 978, 1980 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 2815
CourtNew York Supreme Court
DecidedJune 11, 1980
StatusPublished

This text of 106 Misc. 2d 1094 (People v. Cardona) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New York Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
People v. Cardona, 106 Misc. 2d 1094, 432 N.Y.S.2d 978, 1980 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 2815 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 1980).

Opinion

OPINION OF THE COURT

Stanley L. Sklar, J.

The issue is whether a murder confession must be suppressed when the police and the District Attorney investigating the murder were unaware that the defendant had absconded from the earlier trial of an unrelated criminal matter and still had counsel representing him on the unrelated matter.

The defendant, Wilfredo Cardona, is charged with the crime of murder in the second degree. He is accused of stabbing Nelson Perez and causing his death.

Cardona has moved for an order suppressing statements made by him to Detective Carlos Toulon and Assistant District Attorney Richard Girgenti on January 16, 1980.

The defendant urges that the statements must be suppressed because of the broad rule that he argues was enunciated in People v Rogers (48 NY2d 167). He argues [1095]*1095that Rogers prohibits custodial interrogation of a defendant on one criminal matter, despite Miranda warnings and the waiver of rights, unless his attorney is present, if he is represented by that attorney on any pending criminal matter and if the police have any knowledge, whether actual, “should have known”, or imputed knowledge of that representation.

FACTS

Nelson Perez was murdered on December 27,1979. Detective Carlos Toulon, of the 25th Precinct Detective Unit was assigned to the investigation of the murder.

In the course of his investigation, he learned that the suspected murderer was known by the nicknames of “rag-picker” and the “clothing salesman”. He also received a description of the alleged perpetrator, which, however, did not set forth any unique features.

Toulon’s investigation included inquiry of individuals in the area around 110th Street between Lexington and Third Avénues. He did not, however, obtain the perpetrator’s name or any further description.

Detective Emerson assisted in the initial investigation on the day of the murder. He learned from Hector Ayala that the suspect had frequently stated that he had killed a man and was on parole for the killing. Emerson gave Toulon that information. Toulon had no other information concerning the Perez murder suspect’s prior criminal background.

On January 16, 1980, Detective Toulon received a telephone call. As a result of that call, he went to 103rd Street between Lexington Avenue and Park Avenue in New York County. Toulon found the defendant there and arrested him at about 5:00 p.m. He first learned of the defendant’s actual name at the stationhouse.

Toulon ascertained that Cardona understood English. He then read Cardona full Miranda warnings from the New York City Police Department’s standard arrest form. Car-dona expressed his understanding of the warnings and he affirmatively waived his rights.

[1096]*1096Toulon then questioned Cardona, who gave a signed statement confessing to the murder.

Toulon then called the District Attorney’s office and asked that an Assistant District Attorney be sent to question Cardona.

Cardona testified that he asked Toulon to get a message to a neighbor, to convey to his wife, Edith Marsala. He claimed that Toulon called the 23rd Precinct at about 6:00 p.m. to request the delivery of the message, and that while on the phone, Toulon learned that Cardona had a warrant outstanding. He claimed that he and Toulon discussed the warrant. I do not credit the defendant’s testimony on this point for several reasons, including Cardona’s own testimony that his wife had arrived at the precinct prior to the time when he claimed that Toulon placed his call.

Assistant District Attorney Richard Girgenti came to the precinct and conducted a videotaped interview of Cardona. The taping started just before 10:00 p.m. Girgenti gave full Miranda warnings to Cardona, who said that he understood the warnings and agreed to be questioned. Cardona made inculpatory statements regarding the killing of Nelson Perez. The videotape was played during the suppression hearing.

The next morning, January 17, 1980, Toulon obtained Cardona’s NYSIS report and first learned that Cardona was wanted on a Bench warrant in connection with an attempted murder. Toulon asked Cardona what it was about. Cardona said it had already been taken care of.

The Bench warrant is explained as follows.

Cardona was tried in New York County in June, 1979 on a charge of attempted murder. He absconded during the trial. A Bench warrant was issued and the trial continued in his absence. He was convicted. The case was presented on behalf of the People by Herculano Izquierdo. Cardona was represented at the trial by Leon Polsky, Esq., by Robert Stein and Juan Campos. Since Cardona had absconded, sentence was not pronounced. Also, an application by defense counsel for a mistrial was continued and not ruled on until May, 1980. Assistant District Attorney Izquierdo [1097]*1097advised detectives involved in that case, and the warrant squad, that a Bench warrant ha<¿ been issued. Counsel stipulated that the fact that a Bench warrant is outstanding is available to all detectives in the City of New York and that any police officer in the City of New York could have obtained such information.

CONCLUSIONS OF LAW

Right to Counsel

The defendant urges that the statements made by him to Officer Toulon and to Assistant District Attorney Girgenti must be suppressed because he was still represented by an attorney in the unrelated attempted murder case in which he had absconded during the trial. As noted above, his argument is based upon his interpretation of the decision of the Court of Appeals in People v Rogers (48 NY2d 167, supra). He claims that Rogers mandates suppression when the questioning officer: (1) has actual knowledge of the defendant’s representation by counsel in an unrelated criminal proceeding, or (2) would have, with the exercise of due diligence, acquired such knowledge, or (3) when the knowledge of others in the law enforcement system of such representation must be imputed to the questioner.

Actual Knowledge

Although Rogers held that the police are barred from questioning a defendant who is known to be represented on an unrelated matter, unless that counsel is present,1 that holding does not govern this case. Toulon did not have actual knowledge, prior to the questioning on January 16, 1980, of the defendant’s representation by counsel in the other pending criminal matter, or indeed, of the pendency of any other criminal matter. Cardona conceded, and the court also finds, that Assistant District Attorney Girgenti likewise had no actual knowledge, prior to the videotape session, either of such representation or of the pendency of such other criminal matter.

[1098]*1098Due Diligence Knowledge

There is, likewise, noiactual basis for applying Cardona’s second point to this case. This “should have known” or in the exercise of due diligence, “would have known” argument of defendant was made with respect to Toulon only.

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Bluebook (online)
106 Misc. 2d 1094, 432 N.Y.S.2d 978, 1980 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 2815, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-cardona-nysupct-1980.