People v. Kleiner

170 Misc. 2d 850, 652 N.Y.S.2d 934, 1996 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 470
CourtNew York Supreme Court
DecidedNovember 8, 1996
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 170 Misc. 2d 850 (People v. Kleiner) 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. Kleiner, 170 Misc. 2d 850, 652 N.Y.S.2d 934, 1996 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 470 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 1996).

Opinion

OPINION OF THE COURT

Leonard P. Rienzi, J.

On July 1, 1996 the court rendered an oral decision on defendant’s motion to inspect Grand Jury minutes on indictment 93/96. Motion to dismiss counts 1-11 was denied. Motion to dismiss count 12 was granted. The People were granted leave to re-present count 12.

Upon re-presentation of count 12, indictment 319/96 was filed. The court has inspected the Grand Jury minutes relating to indictment 319/96. Defendant’s motion to dismiss is denied. Upon the motion of the People and with no objection by defendant, indictment 319/96 is consolidated with indictment 93/96.

The date in count 9 of indictment 93/96 is amended on motion of the People to read January 25, 1995 rather than January 1, 1995. This amendment is supported by the evidence presented to the Grand Jury.

Motion to preclude identification evidence is denied based on the People’s representation that no out-of-court identification was conducted in this matter.

Motion to preclude statements allegedly made on December 6, 1995 is denied in part and is granted in part. Statements allegedly made during the res gestae and prior to arrest on December 6, 1995 require no notice. (People v Wells, 133 AD2d 385, lv denied 70 NY2d 939 [1987].) Statements allegedly made after the defendant was placed under arrest are precluded. No notice or voluntary disclosure form was filed within 15 days of defendant’s arraignment on the indictment in Supreme Court. The notice of postarrest statements served and filed at [852]*852defendant’s Criminal Court arraignment is insufficient. The notice which alleges that defendant stated: "I’m only trying to help People [sic]”; "I have a valid registration”; "I’m suing you people over this” is bereft of details delineating the date, time, place and party to whom the statements were allegedly made. The People are required to inform defendant not only of the sum and substance of defendant’s oral statements, but also of the time and place that the statements were made. (People v Lopez, 84 NY2d 425, 428 [1994].)

Thus, the tape recording made on the date of arrest and turned over to defendant on April 25, 1996 is admissible until such point in the recording where defendant is arrested. The balance of the tape recording is precluded.

Motion to preclude from use by the People in their direct case statements made by defendant in his Federal pro se civil rights lawsuit against various New York State officials is granted. Defendant has brought suit alleging that New York State employees have violated his constitutional rights. Just as in a criminal case where defendant’s statements at a hearing on a motion to suppress are not admissible if offered by the People in their direct case, likewise defendant’s civil case statements in a pro se lawsuit alleging constitutional violations ought not be introduced against him at a criminal trial on related issues. (See, e.g., Simmons v United States, 390 US 377 [1968].) There is, however, no basis for asserting that statements from defendant’s Federal case were involuntarily made. Thus, the People may use such statements from defendant’s civil lawsuit if relevant to impeach the credibility of defendant. (See, Harris v New York, 401 US 222 [1971].)

Whether and to what extent the existence of the Federal lawsuit is admissible in defendant’s criminal trial is referred to the discretion of the Trial Judge. Likewise, issues relating to the admissibility of prescriptions allegedly issued by defendant is respectfully referred to the Trial Judge.

Defendant’s motion to preclude the New York State Attorney-General from prosecuting this case is denied.

On December 27, 1994 defendant’s license to practice medicine in New York State was revoked. On April 12, 1995 defendant filed a pro se lawsuit in United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York challenging the revocation of his license and seeking damages in the amount of $40 million. Defendant named as defendants in his Federal civil action approximately 30 individuals who were associated with the investigation and administrative proceedings which [853]*853resulted, in the revocation of his license. Among the public officials named were the New York State Commissioner of Health, the New York State Commissioner of Education and the New York State Board of Regents. Defendant also named the New York State Attorney-General as a defendant in his Federal civil action. Defendant’s Federal lawsuit (as amended May 8, 1995) also sought to enjoin the New York State Attorney-General (and all the other Federal civil lawsuit defendants) from participation in any "administrative action and/or criminal prosecution” based on any allegation of practicing medicine without the appropriate license.

In late 1995 the New York State Department of Education Office of Professional Discipline investigated a complaint that defendant was practicing medicine without a license. On December 6, 1995 defendant was arrested in Richmond County for the unauthorized practice of medicine. Evidence was presented to a Richmond County Grand Jury by the New York State Attorney-General and the Grand Jury voted the instant indictment which was filed on February 22, 1996. In the consolidated indictment (number 93/96) defendant is charged with 12 counts of unauthorized practice of medicine (class E felonies). The indictment charges that defendant engaged in the unauthorized practice of medicine in Richmond County on 12 dates in 1995. Many of the dates predate the filing of defendant’s Federal lawsuit. Civilian witnesses testified in the Richmond County Grand Jury concerning each incident alleged in the indictment. The Grand Jury minutes have been inspected. The evidence supporting each count is legally sufficient.

While the indictment was pending in New York State Supreme Court, defendant (who had originally sought in his Federal lawsuit to enjoin the New York State Attorney-General from prosecuting him for unauthorized practice of medicine) filed a motion in Federal court for a preliminary injunction to enjoin the New York State Attorney-General, the New York State Commissioner of Health, the New York State Commissioner of Education and the 27 others he sued in Federal court from participating in the instant prosecution of this indictment. This motion was filed in Federal court on January 17, 1996. No injunction has been issued by Federal court.

On August 20, 1996 defendant filed the instant motion before this court seeking to remove the New York State Attorney-General from this case.

[854]*854In sum there are two distinct lawsuits. First, there is a civil case in Federal court in which defendant is suing New York State officials (including the New York State Attorney-General) for allegedly violating his constitutional rights in proceedings which culminated in the revocation of his license to practice medicine. Second, there is the instant criminal prosecution in New York State Supreme Court in which the New York State Attorney-General is prosecuting defendant for the unauthorized practice of medicine after his license was revoked, on specific dates both before and after the filing of defendant’s Federal lawsuit.

The Legislature has very clearly outlined the duties of the New York State Attorney-General in Executive Law § 63:

"§ 63. General duties

"The attorney-general shall:

"1.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
170 Misc. 2d 850, 652 N.Y.S.2d 934, 1996 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 470, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-kleiner-nysupct-1996.