People v. Doe

103 Misc. 2d 524, 426 N.Y.S.2d 426, 1980 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 2170
CourtNew York Supreme Court
DecidedMarch 21, 1980
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 103 Misc. 2d 524 (People v. Doe) 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. Doe, 103 Misc. 2d 524, 426 N.Y.S.2d 426, 1980 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 2170 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 1980).

Opinion

OPINION OF THE COURT

Ernst H. Rosenberger, J.

A Grand Jury of the Extraordinary Special and Trial Term [525]*525conducted an investigation into the negotiation and execution of an amended lease for certain real property owned by the City of New York. "The investigation sought to determine whether a bribe, in the form of a campaign contribution, was paid by the principals of the lessee corporation to the campaign committee of a public official to influence negotiations to cover the terms of the proposed amended lease. Fifteen witnesses testified and forty documents and exhibits were introduced into evidence during the course of the proceeding.” (Report of the January, 1977 Grand Jury, p 2.)

In June of 1978, the Grand Jury submitted a report pursuant to CPL 190.85 (subd 1, par [c]) setting forth its findings and proposals. The report stated at page 4 "the evidence does call for a reappraisal of the law and procedure governing lease negotiations as well as the establishment of rules controlling campaign contributions by persons doing business with city agencies.” Specific recommendations for legislative, executive and administrative action were made. No indictments were voted.

The New York State Select Committee on Crime has applied for an order pursuant to section 325 of the Judiciary Law authorizing the furnishing to it of a full copy of the Grand Jury minutes and the exhibits which were before the jury. The application arises from an investigation by the committee into practices of public officials of the City and State of New York concerned with the purchase, sale and leasing of public properties. The Special State Prosecutor has opposed the motion. The court directed that certain persons who were witnesses before the Grand Jury or who were mentioned in testimony be given notice of the application. Certain of them have joined, in various forms, in opposition to the motion.

In Matter of Wood v Hughes (9 NY2d 144, 154) the court, in holding that Grand Juries did not have the power to issue reports based upon their investigations, in the absence of a clear grant of legislative authority stated: "In the public mind, accusation by report is indistinguishable from accusation by indictment and subjects those against whom it is directed to the same public condemnation and opprobrium as if they had been indicted. An indictment charges a violation of a known and certain public law and is but the first step in a long process in which the accused may seek vindication through exercise of the right to a public trial, to a jury, to counsel, to confrontation of witnesses against him and, if convicted, to an [526]*526appeal. A report, on the contrary, based as it is upon the grand jury’s own criteria of public or private morals, charges the violation of subjective and unexpressed standards of morality and is the first and last step of the judicial process. It is at once an accusation and a final condemnation, and, emanating from a judicial body occupying a position of respect and importance in the community, its potential for harm is incalculable. A grand jury report — which as a judicial document obviously differs radically from newspaper charges of misconduct — carries the same sense of authoritative condemnation as an indictment does, without, however, according the accused the benefit of the protections accorded to one who is indicted.”

Apparently in response to the holding in Matter of Wood v Hughes (supra) the Legislature in 1964, enacted the predecessor (Code Crim Pro, § 253-a) of CPL 190.85. This section authorizes reports by Grand Juries under carefully restricted circumstances.

A report may be filed: "[cjoncerning misconduct, non-feasance or neglect in public office by a public servant as the basis for a recommendation of removal or disciplinary action” (CPL 190.85, subd 1, par [a]). Before such a report may be accepted by the court it must appear "that each person named therein was afforded an opportunity to testify before the grand jury prior to the filing of such report” (CPL 190.85, subd 2, par [b]). The statute further provides in subdivision 3, the method by which the persons named may respond to it.

It is also provided that a Grand Jury may file a report of a very different character: "Proposing recommendations for legislative, executive or administrative action in the public interest based upon stated findings” (CPL 190.85, subd 1, par [c]). Such a report may not be "critical of an identified or identifiable person” (CPL 190.85, subd 2, par [b]). The report giving rise to the instant motion is of the latter type. The members of the Grand Jury and their legal adviser took care to see that this report complied with the requirements of statute.

The combination in one Grand Jury report of the types specified in CPL 190.85 (subd 1, par [a]) (concerning misconduct, nonfeasance or neglect in public office by a public servant) and paragraph (c) of subdivision 1 (recommendation for legislative, executive or administrative action) is improper and requires the sealing of the report. (People v Doe, 25 AD2d 906; Matter of October 1975 Grand Jury of Supreme Ct. of Ulster County, 55 AD2d 707.) Granting the motion to release [527]*527the minutes would have the indirect effect of combining the two types of reports. The minutes would reveal speculation and surmise which the Grand Jurors did not find to warrant an indictment of anyone or a recommendation for removal or discipline of anyone. The fact that the Grand Jury found the testimony insufficient to warrant either of these actions does not lessen the prejudicial impact which the release of such testimony would have upon the people mentioned. This would be all the more unacceptable when the persons mentioned did not have the statutory protections referred to in CPL 190.85 (subd 2, par [b]; subd 3) for those who are the subject of critical reports under paragraph (a) of subdivision 1.

The movant and those opposed to the application cite People v Di Napoli (27 NY2d 229, 235) which discusses: "the reasons for maintaining the secrecy or confidentiality of grand jury minutes. Those most frequently mentioned by courts and commentators are these: (1) prevention of flight by a defendant who is about to be indicted; (2) protection of the grand jurors from interference from those under investigation; (3) prevention of subornation of perjury and tampering with prospective witnesses at the trial to be held as a result of any indictment the grand jury returns; (4) protection of an innocent accused from unfounded accusations if in fact no indictment is returned; and (5) assurance to prospective witnesses that their testimony will be kept secret so that they will be willing to testify freely. (See, e.g., People ex rel. Hirschberg v. Board of Supervisors, 251 N. Y. 156, 165; Matter of Temporary State Comm, of Investigation, 47 Misc. 2d 11,14, supra; Matter of Attorney General of U. S., 160 Misc. 533, 534; People v. Ewald, 144 Misc. 657, 660; United States v. Amazon Ind. Chem. Corp., 55 F. 2d 254, 261; see, also, 8 Wigmore, Evidence [McNaughton Rev., 1961] §§ 2350-2362.)” (Emphasis supplied.)

The movant maintains that none of the foregoing criteria apply. It is argued, insofar as protection of innocent accused persons are concerned, that there is no need "because no indictments were returned.” This position is irreconcilable with the clear intent of the court in Di Napoli (supra). In that case people were indicted and pleaded guilty. Here there were people accused.

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Related

People v. Lester
135 Misc. 2d 205 (New York Supreme Court, 1987)

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Bluebook (online)
103 Misc. 2d 524, 426 N.Y.S.2d 426, 1980 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 2170, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-doe-nysupct-1980.