People v. Lucas

161 Misc. 2d 954, 615 N.Y.S.2d 838, 1994 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 328
CourtSuffolk County District Court
DecidedJune 2, 1994
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 161 Misc. 2d 954 (People v. Lucas) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Suffolk County District Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
People v. Lucas, 161 Misc. 2d 954, 615 N.Y.S.2d 838, 1994 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 328 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 1994).

Opinion

[955]*955OPINION OF THE COURT

Ralph T. Gazzillo, J.

After a collision between his vehicle and another, the defendant was accused of the misdemeanor operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol in violation of Vehicle and Traffic Law § 1192 (3). While a number of issues were combined for a hearing and determination, they were resolved in one, omnibus, decision. The instant decision addresses but one issue, viz., the admissibility of a statement that he made whereby he admitted the consumption of an alcoholic beverage, specifically, that he had "had a couple of Colt 45V\ That prearrest statement was initially given to the arresting officer at the scene during a routine portion of the accident’s investigation. While the Huntley aspect of the statement’s admissibility was resolved in the prosecution’s favor, a remaining and more intriguing issue arises from the fact that while the statement is contained within the narrative portion of the misdemeanor information as well as within the "Alcoholic/Drug Influence Report” (hereinafter AIR) it is not contained — verbatim nor in sum nor substance — on the face of the CPL 710.30 statement. The question presented, therefore, is whether that omission is fatal to the statement’s admission.

With respect to this issue, however, neither the court nor counsel for either side has found case or statute which is singularly and sufficiently controlling so as to supply a simple resolution to the issue. The analysis, therefore, begins with the facts, specifically the preprinted CPL 710.30 notice form supplied by the People, which begins as follows:

"please take notice that the People intend to offer at a trial of the above entitled action [check appropriate boxes]:
"[ ] Evidence of oral statement(s) made by the Defendant to a public servant(s) the sum and substance of statement(s) is hereby set forth as follows.”

That "box” is checked and the following typewritten information is added:

"See AIR attached. Defendant stated he was driving the 1976 Ford involved in the motor vehicle accident at Mastic Rd & Riverside Dr., Mastic.” (Emphasis supplied.)

With respect to the AIR, that form and the handwritten inserted matter indicate that the defendant admitted operating the vehicle, where he was coming from and his destination, a number of other questions and answers and, in response to the following preprinted questions, the following [956]*956answers which were handwritten by the officer: "Have you been drinking alcoholic beverages? Yes. If so, what? 3 beers 45 Colt.” Similarly, the misdemeanor complaint also includes a specific reference to the statement.

Focusing on the respective attorneys’ arguments, the prosecutor initially and essentially urges that the statement is admissible since the narrative portion of the accusatory instrument bears the statement and the defense, therefore, had sufficient notice so as to anticipate its inclusion as a part of the People’s case-in-chief. Similar arguments have, however, been rejected. (See, People v Ziskin, 158 Misc 2d 447 [Crim Ct, NY County 1993].) The People also suggest that the statement is "pedigree” and, following the rule in such cases (see, People v Miller, 123 AD2d 721 [2d Dept 1986]), they further contend that the statement is not subject to a CPL 710.30 notice. The court, of course, agrees with the referenced rule; nonetheless, it does not find the rule controlling as the statement is not within the embrace of the definition of "pedigree”. (See, Richardson, Evidence § 319, at 294 [Prince 10th ed]; cf., People v Hester, 161 AD2d 665 [2d Dept 1990] [pedigree exception limited to those admissions and answers necessary to process a defendant’s arrest or to provide for his physical needs].)

Similarly, and with respect to the defense’s counterarguments, their thrust is not grounded upon a definitive and controlling case; rather, it primarily relies on People v O’Doherty (70 NY2d 479 [1987]) and the well-settled but general rule that prejudice — or a lack thereof — is not the determining factor. That case is not, of course, so multifaceted as to be a universal guide in any given fact pattern; moreover, when juxtaposed to the matter at bar, the court is disinclined to view that citation as either a sufficient or satisfying end to the analysis. While the defendant may have been "prejudiced” by anticipating that the statement would not be introduced on the People’s case-in-chief, the analysis of the facts of this matter as well as the evolution of the law in this area (addressed in more detail below) reveals that any such reliance was misplaced and somewhat less than reasonable. Again, and as with the prosecution’s arguments, the court declines to adopt the proffered rationale.

In view of this absence of appropriate and controlling authority, the analysis is perhaps best founded upon a review of a number of concepts, facts, and statutory law and these factors, individually and collectively, appear instructive and determinative.

[957]*957For example, and beginning with the concepts involved, an outline of the so-called "primary function” of a CPL 710.30 notice is found in People v Bennett (80 AD2d 68, 71 [3d Dept 1981], affd 56 NY2d 837 [1982]), where that function was delineated to be "to afford the defendant a reasonable time to contest the voluntariness of admissions in an orderly procedural fashion * * * it has been suggested that considerations of fair play are also advanced by the notice requirements for it allows the facts of the purported statement to be investigated before trial [citations omitted].” Somewhat more recently, it has been noted that "at a minimum” notice must be given of the " ' "sum and substance” ’ of a defendant’s oral statement and the person to whom it was given * * * Similarly, the People [are] required to attach a copy of defendant’s written statement” (People v Lopez, 194 AD2d 62, 64 [3d Dept 1993]). Belatedly, CPL 710.30 does not require the prosecution to furnish the defense with a verbatim report containing the complete oral statement in their 710.30 notice and it has been held that the purpose of the statute is served when the defendant is afforded the opportunity to challenge the statement’s admissibility. (People v LaPorte, 184 AD2d 803 [3d Dept 1992].) Stated otherwise, a notice containing the sum and substance of an alleged statement adequately provides the defendant with an opportunity to contest its voluntariness. (People v Holmes, 170 AD2d 534 [2d Dept 1991].)

Clearly, therefore, there can be no question that the defendant and his counsel had "notice” of the sum and substance of the statements; simultaneously, this also provided the defense with the earliest opportunity to both investigate the statement as well as to contest its admissibility.

In similar fashion, these facts also undermine the defendant’s claim of prejudice and the related question of whether he unreasonably relied upon the omission of the statement from the CPL 710.30 notice. Moreover, any such claims cannot be easily harmonized with the evolving law in this area, especially some of the decisions which have been issued in the relatively short history and limited progeny of People v O'Doherty (supra). For example, in People v Schoendorf

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Related

People v. Brown
168 Misc. 2d 923 (Rochester City Court, 1996)
People v. Centeno
168 Misc. 2d 172 (New York Supreme Court, 1995)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
161 Misc. 2d 954, 615 N.Y.S.2d 838, 1994 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 328, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-lucas-nydistctsuffolk-1994.