People v. Dabney

172 Misc. 2d 458, 659 N.Y.S.2d 717, 1997 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 203
CourtNew York Supreme Court
DecidedMay 14, 1997
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 172 Misc. 2d 458 (People v. Dabney) 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. Dabney, 172 Misc. 2d 458, 659 N.Y.S.2d 717, 1997 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 203 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 1997).

Opinion

OPINION OF THE COURT

Herbert J. Lipp, J.

Defendant is charged with criminal sale of controlled substance (Penal Law § 220.44) et al. Defendant filed a motion, pursuant to CPL 210.20 (1) (c) and 210.35 (4), seeking dismissal of the instant indictment, due to an alleged denial of his right to testify before the Grand Jury (CPL 190.50 [5]). The People filed an answer in opposition. This court issued a preliminary decision, dated March 27, 1997, ordering an evidentiary hearing to resolve certain questions of fact. Defendant subsequently filed a reply and supplemental affirmation in support of his motion to dismiss. A conference was held, in my chambers, on April 23, 1997, in which both attorneys stipulated to the underlying facts. Following said conference, the People filed a memorandum of law in support of their answer in opposition to defendant’s motion.

Findings of Fact

Defendant, a three-time felony offender and a State parolee, was arrested on December 4, 1996 and charged with several felony drug offenses. On December 5, 1996, defendant served a written reciprocal Grand Jury notice on the Kings County District Attorney, exercising his right to testify before the Grand Jury (see, CPL 190.50 [5] [a]). The Criminal Court Arraignment Judge set bail and adjourned defendant’s case until December 10, 1996, in accordance with CPL 180.80. On December 10, 1996, the Assistant District Attorney conducting the Grand Jury investigation produced his witnesses in anticipation of presenting his case to the Grand Jury. Defendant’s attorney, however, notified the Grand Jury Assistant that defendant was willing to waive the statutory requirements of CPL 180.80 until December 16, 1996, in order to engage in plea negotiations (see, CPL 180.80 [1]).

On December 16, 1996, defendant’s attorney telephoned the assigned Assistant and informed him that the defendant was interested in entering a drug program. The case was adjourned, on consent, until the following day to enable the defendant to be interviewed by representatives from the TASC drug treatment program. On December 17, 1996, the case was again [460]*460adjourned until December 26, 1996, for an eligibility determination by TASC. On December 19, 1996, defendant’s attorney informed the Grand Jury Assistant that defendant was ineligible for TASC based upon his prior violent felony conviction. The defendant was subsequently released on his own recognizance, over the People’s objection, pursuant to a writ of habeas corpus. On December 26, 1996, defendant appeared before the criminal court and received an additional adjournment, until January 15, 1997, to attempt to persuade the TASC program to accept him.

On January 8, 1997, a second Assistant District Attorney telephoned defendant’s attorney and left two messages on counsel’s voice mail informing him that the Grand Jury presentation against the defendant was set to begin and defendant was scheduled to testify on January 14, 1997, at 2:30 p.m. The prosecutor also sent the defendant and his attorney certified letters informing each of the scheduled time for defendant’s Grand Jury appearance. On January 9, 1997, defendant’s attorney requested and received an extension for defendant’s testimony until January 15, 1997.

On January 14, 1997, the defendant was arrested and incarcerated for violating the terms of his parole. A preliminary hearing was scheduled for January 23, 1997. Defendant requested that counsel be assigned to represent him at the preliminary hearing.

On January 15, 1997, at approximately 1:00 p.m., defendant’s attorney telephoned the Grand Jury Assistant and informed him that counsel was unable to locate his client, despite the fact that the defendant was scheduled to testify that afternoon. At approximately 2:00 p.m., the prosector informed defendant’s attorney that he would wait an additional two hours for the defendant and further requested defendant’s attorney contact him before 4:00 p.m. Defendant’s attorney did not return the prosecutor’s telephone call. At 6:34 p.m., the prosecutor telephoned defendant’s attorney and left a voice mail message informing counsel that despite the defendant’s nonappearance, the prosecutor had not instructed the Grand Jury on the charges. Defendant’s attorney did not return the prosecutor’s call. One week later, on January 22, 1997, the prosecutor instructed the Grand Jury on the charges and obtained a true bill.

Defendant did not testify before the Grand Jury and did not withdraw his written notice expressing his desire to testify before the Grand Jury.

[461]*461The pending indictment was filed with the court on January 28, 1997. A bench warrant was issued, on February 20, 1997, when defendant failed to appear for arraignment on the indictment. On March 6, 1997, the defendant was produced on an executed bench warrant and was arraigned on the pending indictment. Defendant filed the pending motion to dismiss on March 10, 1997.

Conclusions of Law

Pursuant to CPL 210.35 (4), a Grand Jury proceeding is defective and the indictment may be dismissed if "[t]he defendant is not accorded an opportunity to appear and testify before the grand jury in accordance with the provisions of section 190.50”. CPL 190.50 (5) (a) states, in part: "When a criminal charge against a person is being or is about to be or has been submitted to a grand jury, such person has a right to appear before such grand jury as a witness in his own behalf if, prior to the filing of any indictment * * * he serves upon the district attorney of the county a written notice making such request and stating an address to which communications may be sent * * * [T]he district attorney must notify the defendant or his attorney of the prospective or pending grand jury proceeding and accord the defendant a reasonable time to exercise his right to appear as a witness therein”.

It is undisputed that defendant filed and served written notice upon the District Attorney stating an address where communications may be sent. It is also undisputed that defendant was arraigned upon a currently undisposed of felony complaint. It is further undisputed that the Assistant District Attorney notified the defendant and his attorney of the prospective date of the Grand Jury proceeding.

What is left for the court to determine is whether the People accorded the defendant "a reasonable time to exercise his right to appear as a witness” (CPL 190.50 [5] [a]). "The concept of reasonableness is not a stagnant one and must be applied to the particular facts of any given case” (People v Taylor, 142 Misc 2d 349, 351; People v Johnson, 168 Misc 2d 798, 800). Notice provides a reasonable time for defendant to exercise his right to appear when it fairly apprises the defendant of the date he may testify and when it is provided sufficiently in advance of the scheduled date so as to afford the defendant a reasonable time to decide whether to testify (see, People v Greene, 195 AD2d 888 [rejecting defendant’s claim that notice was insufficient because it did not state "the precise time when [462]*462the case would be presented to the Grand Jury and a precise deadline within which to notify the prosecutor” of defendant’s intention to testify]; People v Abdullah, 189 AD2d 769 [defendant who received actual notice of Grand Jury proceedings was not deprived of right to testify]).

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274 A.D.2d 603 (Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, 2000)

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Bluebook (online)
172 Misc. 2d 458, 659 N.Y.S.2d 717, 1997 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 203, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-dabney-nysupct-1997.