People v. Garrett

43 A.D.2d 503, 352 N.Y.S.2d 713, 1974 N.Y. App. Div. LEXIS 5561
CourtAppellate Division of the Supreme Court of the State of New York
DecidedMarch 4, 1974
StatusPublished
Cited by11 cases

This text of 43 A.D.2d 503 (People v. Garrett) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of the State of New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
People v. Garrett, 43 A.D.2d 503, 352 N.Y.S.2d 713, 1974 N.Y. App. Div. LEXIS 5561 (N.Y. Ct. App. 1974).

Opinion

Del Vecchio, J.

Defendant appeals from a judgment of conviction on a plea of guilty to a charge of robbery in the third degree, a class D felony; he argues that the County Court erred in refusing to permit him to withdraw his plea when defendant sought to do so at the time of sentence. The dissenting Justice departs from our affirmance of the conviction on the ground that, after his request to withdraw his plea, defendant was not accorded a proper hearing before the denial of his motion to withdraw, citing People v. McClain (32 N Y 2d 697). In the circumstances of this case we think the procedure employed by County Court satisfied the requirements of McClain, in which the Court of Appeals noted: “ we do not say a hearing is always necessary ” (32 N Y 2d at p. 698; People v. Goldman, 34 N Y 2d 539). If a hearing was necessary in this case, the proceedings which followed defendant’s request to withdraw his plea constituted an adequate hearing.

On January 14, 1972 defendant was jointly indicted with one James Bell charged with robbery in the first degree (a class B felony) in that the defendant, intentionally aided by Bell, on or about the 25th day of October 1971 in this county forcibly stole a sum of money and a quantity of keys from Joe W. Dukes, and in the course of the commission of the crime displayed what PTYnofivarí Tto o -fivoo-pw

[505]*505On February 29, 1972 the codefendant Bell pleaded guilty to robbery third degree. Because of another charge of robbery lodged against him on February 7, 1972, defendant was not arraigned on the January, 1972 indictment until February 15, 1973, when counsel was assigned to him and in the presence of counsel he entered a plea of not guilty.

On March 8, 1973, after pretrial conferences at which there had been unsuccessful attempts on behalf of defendant to negotiate a plea to a class E felony, the case was set down for trial on April 2, 1973. When the People moved the indictment for trial on that date, defendant requested that new counsel be assigned. The court then permitted the first assigned attorney to withdraw, assigned a second attorney and adjourned the matter for one week, with the attorney to let the court know when he would be ready to proceed.

, On April 11, 1973 defendant appeared in court with his counsel and requested and entered a plea of guilty to the reduced charge of robbery in the third degree (a class D felony). The minutes of those proceedings show that defendant, 22 years of age, stated at that time that no promise or other inducement had been made by his attorney or by anyone connected with the court; that no one had promised what sentence would be imposed; that he had discussed with his attorney the matter of withdrawing his former plea of not guilty and entering a plea of guilty to the reduced charge; that he understood that his plea would have the same effect as if a jury found him guilty; that he waived his right to a jury trial, his right against self incrimination and his right to be confronted by witnesses against him; that he understood the proceedings; that no force' had been used by anyone to compel him to plead guilty and that he understood that he could be imprisoned up to seven years. Further, he admitted that he was the same person named in the indictment who forcibly stole a sum of money and keys from Joe Dulces on October 25, 1971. His attorney then stated that defendant’s plea was being made by him after the attorney had informed him of the possibilities and the alternatives involved in the case, following a discussion with the District Attorney, and that defendant had been fully apprised by him of the alternatives involved. The court then accepted the plea of guilty to the reduced charge, ordered a probation investigation and report and fixed May 3, 1973 as the time of sentence.

The probation report, received by the court on April 25,1973, showed that between July, 1962 and April 19, 1973 defendant had been charged with PINS, juvenile delinquency (extortion), [506]*506disorderly conduct, petit larceny, sexual misconduct, robbery second degree, harassment, assault second degree, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and possession of a loaded rifle in. a car, assault third degree and harassment; that he had been convicted of assault third degree and criminal mischief, and that on April 19, 1973 he had been indicted on a charge of robbery second degree on which he was then awaiting trial. It also stated that defendant claimed no mental difficulties either at the time he was interviewed by the probation officer or in the past.

The probation report based on “ Information on present offense secured from: D. A. file complainant and defendant ” revealed that “ the complainant states that at about 2:30 a.m. on October 25, 1971 at 198 William Street, he was pushed back into the bathroom by the defendant. At this time, the co-defendant passed the defendant a revolver which he aimed at the complainant’s head, taking $30.00 and a quantity of keys from the complainant. The complainant stated that the defendant threatened to kill him but was discouraged from doing so by the co-defendant. The complainant stated that the defendant further threatened his life at the police station ”. Additionally, the report indicated that, after being placed under arrest at the scene of the crime the defendant was found to have in his possession the keys and $30.00 allegedly stolen from the complainant.” There is nothing in the report to indicate that defendant ever told the probation officer that he was innocent of the crime charged in the indictment.

On May 3,1973 — the date set for sentence — before sentence was imposed, defendant’s attorney stated that- defendant was going to request a hearing with respect to an application to withdraw his plea of guilty. At that point the court said, Very well, let’s proceed with the hearing.” The court then reviewed the events which had occurred before it when the plea was entered, reading into the record the minutes of the proceedings that had taken place at the time the plea was received on April 11 which, summarized above, included an admission by defendant of his identity as the person who committed the Dukes robbery on October 25, 1971, a waiver of his rights, an acknowledgment of discussion with his attorney of the plea and its effect and of his understanding of the proceedings, and a disclaimer of any coercion or promise as a motivation of the plea. Following the reading of the transcript the court invited defendant’s counsel to indicate the basis on which he wished to have his" client withdraw his plea.

[507]*507The attorney then stated that, although the possibility of a plea had been discussed with defendant for several weeks prior to April 11, and although “ he did understand, as the record has indicated, what he was doing ”, he “ had not time to contemplate it, to review it in his mind as fully as he would liked to ”; that defendant subsequently thought he should not be taking a plea because he had not committed the crime, did not want to go to prison and wanted a jury trial.

After the District Attorney stated his opposition to the withdrawal the court inquired of defendant’s counsel whether he had anything further to offer and counsel said that he did not.

The court then articulated the fact of defendant’s representation by two attorneys and of the plea negotiations, recited defendant’s admission of his participation in the crime charged and stated his conclusion that, without any question, defendant knew “what was going on”.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

People v. Suba
130 A.D.2d 526 (Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, 1987)
People v. Stubbs
110 A.D.2d 725 (Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, 1985)
People v. Greve
109 A.D.2d 751 (Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, 1985)
People v. Johnson
103 A.D.2d 755 (Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, 1984)
People v. Matta
103 A.D.2d 756 (Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, 1984)
People v. Buckley
59 A.D.2d 786 (Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, 1977)
People v. Seminara
58 A.D.2d 841 (Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, 1977)
People v. Jones
87 Misc. 2d 931 (New York Supreme Court, 1976)
People v. Hill
53 A.D.2d 796 (Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, 1976)
People v. Hardy
53 A.D.2d 647 (Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, 1976)
People v. Dillahunt
53 A.D.2d 633 (Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, 1976)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
43 A.D.2d 503, 352 N.Y.S.2d 713, 1974 N.Y. App. Div. LEXIS 5561, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-garrett-nyappdiv-1974.