People v. Gordon

24 Misc. 3d 462, 875 N.Y.S.2d 872
CourtCriminal Court of the City of New York
DecidedMarch 27, 2009
StatusPublished

This text of 24 Misc. 3d 462 (People v. Gordon) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Criminal Court of the City 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. Gordon, 24 Misc. 3d 462, 875 N.Y.S.2d 872 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 2009).

Opinion

[463]*463OPINION OF THE COURT

Ruth E. Smith, J.

Defendant moves to dismiss the accusatory instrument filed against her in the above-entitled action pursuant to CPL 30.30 (1) (a). For the reasons that follow, defendant’s motion is granted.

Procedural History

Defendant was arraigned November 13, 2007 on a criminal court complaint charging her with assault in the second degree (in violation of Penal Law § 120.05 [3]), a class D felony, and two class A misdemeanors, obstructing governmental administration in the second degree (Penal Law § 195.05) and resisting arrest (Penal Law § 205.30). The case was adjourned to December 12 for grand jury action. On December 12, 2007, as the grand jury had taken no action, the case was adjourned to January 16, 2008, for reduction.

On January 16, 2008, the People stated that the case was “on for reduction” and served and filed what purported to be a “superseding information and two supporting depositions” (tr at 2). The People failed to proffer any reasons for the reduction, nor did they explain the resulting reduced charge (id.). Furthermore, the minutes of the proceedings reveal that defendant was never arraigned on this purported information (id.).

Rather than filing a superseding information, however, the People instead filed a copy of the previously filed criminal court complaint, dated November 12, 2007, charging the same violations of law, including the felony assault. The only difference from the complaint on which defendant had previously been arraigned was that the face of the new document was marked “superseded complaint.” (Emphasis added.)

Furthermore, the two supporting depositions served and filed in conjunction with the purported superseding information— both signed and dated November 16, 2007 — both make reference to an accusatory instrument also dated November 16, 2007. Each supporting deposition attests that the named affiant had “read the accusatory instrument dated November 16, 2007, in this action” and that “[t]he facts in that instrument stated to be on information furnished by me are true to my personal knowledge” (see November 16, 2007 corroborating affidavits of Police Officers Eric Ruiz and Ewa Lapinska). Despite these irregularities in the reduction the matter was adjourned to March 11, 2008, for discovery by stipulation (DBS).

[464]*464On March 11, 2008, the People served and filed DBS. Defendant was absent due to having recently given birth. The case was adjourned to April 10th for hearings and trial.

On April 10, 2008, both the People and defendant announced their readiness for trial, and the case was adjourned to April 18th.

On April 18, 2008, the People answered ready, but defendant sought additional discovery, and the case was adjourned to April 24th.

On April 24, 2008, the People said they were not ready due to the unavailability of the arresting officer and requested two weeks, and the case was adjourned to May 19th.

On May 19, 2008, the People answered ready for trial and served additional DBS on defendant. Defendant requested an adjournment to review the newly disclosed material.

On June 11, 2008, both parties answered ready but no court parts were available.

On July 17, 2008, the People were not ready because the assigned Assistant District Attorney was on trial. The People requested one week, and the case was adjourned to September 4, 2008.

On September 4, 2008, the People were not ready due to the unavailability of the arresting officer and requested one week. The case was adjourned to September 16th.

On September 16, 2008, the People had no file in court. The case was adjourned to October 28, and the court indicated that the People would be charged until they served and filed a statement of readiness. The People filed a statement of readiness off calendar on September 30, 2008.

On October 28, 2008, both sides were ready for trial, but no parts were available. The case was adjourned to December 2nd.

On December 2, 2008, after having initially announced their readiness for trial, the People were not ready to proceed at an afternoon second call. The case was adjourned to January 7, 2009, and the court indicated that the People would be charged until they served and filed a statement of readiness. No statement of readiness was served thereafter.

On January 7, 2009, the People answered ready, and defendant interposed the instant motion.

Discussion

Defendant maintains that the People’s assertions of readiness were illusory since they never properly converted even the mis[465]*465demeanor charges in this case. The People claim that they properly converted the instrument, at least with respect to the misdemeanors. They assert further that the fact that the felony was not properly reduced has no impact on the propriety of their announcements of readiness with respect to the misdemeanor charges. This court disagrees.

On January 16, 2008, when the case was on for reduction of the felony complaint, such reduction was not accomplished, as the filing of what purported to be a superseding information— but what turns out in fact to have been an identical copy of the original felony complaint marked “superseded complaint” — did not conform with CPL 180.50 (see People v Dion, 93 NY2d 893 [1999]; People v Stinson, 22 Misc 3d 136[A], 2008 NY Slip Op 52662[U] [App Term, 9th & 10th Jud Dists 2008]; People v Spooner, 22 Misc 3d 136[A], 2008 NY Slip Op 52664[U] [App Term, 9th & 10th Jud Dists 2008]).

Reduction could have been accomplished “by replacing the felony complaint with, or converting it to, another local criminal court accusatory instrument” (CPL 180.50 [3]). Had the court noted the dismissal of the felony assault charged under Penal Law § 120.05 (3) upon the face of the felony complaint, or a copy thereof, or in notations attached thereto, then the felony complaint would have effectively been reduced pursuant to CPL 180.50 (3) (a) (iii). In this case, however, there are three copies of the felony complaint present in the court file. There is no indication on or attached to any of the copies that the felony charge has ever been dismissed.

Furthermore, there is no indication in the court file that the People ever moved to dismiss the felony charge. Rather, the record indicates that the People intended to effect reduction of the felony complaint by replacing the felony complaint with an information (see CPL 180.50 [3] [d]) accompanied by two supporting depositions (tr of Jan. 16, 2008 proceedings at 2). Such reduction was ineffective, however, because what was filed in court on January 16, 2008 did not constitute “an information, a prosecutor’s information or a misdemeanor complaint” (see CPL 180.50 [3] [d]). The only accusatory instrument ever filed in this criminal action charges Penal Law § 120.05 (3), a class D felony. The statutory definitions of an “information” (CPL 100.10 [1]), a “prosecutor’s information” (CPL 100.10 [3]) and a “misdemeanor complaint” (CPL 100.10 [4]), however, each require that such accusatory instruments charge the commission of one or more offenses, “none of which is a felony.”

[466]

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People v. Dion
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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
24 Misc. 3d 462, 875 N.Y.S.2d 872, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-gordon-nycrimct-2009.