People v. Makwana

17 Misc. 3d 296
CourtCriminal Court of the City of New York
DecidedJuly 20, 2007
StatusPublished

This text of 17 Misc. 3d 296 (People v. Makwana) 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. Makwana, 17 Misc. 3d 296 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 2007).

Opinion

OPINION OF THE COURT

Alex J. Zigman, J.

The defendant is charged with the following: (1) criminal impersonation in the second degree (Penal Law § 190.25); (2) criminal possession of a forged instrument in the third degree (Penal Law § 170.20); and (3) driving by unlicensed driver (Vehicle and Traffic Law § 509 [1]).

The defendant moves by omnibus motion for the following: (1) dismissal of the accusatory instrument; (2) a bill of particulars; (3) discovery; (4) preclusion of identification evidence; (5) suppression of physical evidence; (6) suppression of statement evidence; (7) a Sandoval motion; and (8) reservation of rights. The motion is decided as follows:

Dismissal of the Accusatory Instrument

A legally sufficient information must contain nonhearsay allegations establishing, if true, every element of the offense charged and the defendant’s commission thereof. An information that fails to satisfy these requirements is jurisdictionally defective (CPL 100.40 [1]; 100.15 [3]; People v Alejandro, 70 NY2d 133 [1987]; People v Dumas, 68 NY2d 729 [1986]).

[298]*298In reviewing an accusatory instrument for facial sufficiency, *‘[s]o long as the factual allegations of an information give the accused notice sufficient to prepare a defense and are adequately detailed to prevent a defendant from being tried twice for the same offense,” the court should give it “a fair and not overly restrictive or technical reading” (People v Casey, 95 NY2d 354, 360 [2000]). Furthermore, the Court of Appeals in People v Allen (92 NY2d 378 [1998]) held that at the pleading stage, all that is needed is that the factual allegations are sufficiently evidentiary in character and tend to support the charges.

The relevant section of the complaint is as follows:

“Deponent states that at the above mentioned date, time and place of occurrence he observed the defendant, Jay Makwana, driving a 2007 Grand Am automobile, and observed the defendant operating said automobile in an unsafe manner in that he was backing up said vehicle around a corner.
“Deponent states that when he stopped the defendant and requested the defendant’s license, registration, and insurance, the defendant produced a wallet, opened it up, and displayed a shield resembling a Detective shield with the imprint ‘Police Department City of New York Detective — DEA’ at which point the defendant stated that he was with the DEA.
“Deponent further states that the defendant then admitted that he works at a Verizon store.
“Deponent further states that he searched the defendant’s name on the New York City Police Department system, which revealed that the defendant does not and has never worked for the New York City Police Department.
“Deponent further states that the defendant failed to produce a valid drivers license and deponent obtained a read a [sic] teletype printout which indicated that the defendant does not have a valid drivers license . . . .”

Count one: Penal Law § 190.25 (3) states that

“[a] person is guilty of criminal impersonation in the second degree when he . . .
“3. (a) Pretends to be a public servant, or wears or displays without authority any uniform, badge, insignia or facsimile thereof by which such public servant is lawfully distinguished, or falsely expresses [299]*299by his words or actions that he is a public servant or is acting with approval or authority of a public agency or department; and (b) so acts with intent to induce another to act in reliance upon that pretense.”

The complaint alleges that the defendant, during a routine traffic stop and in response to the police officer’s request for identification, “displayed a shield resembling a detective shield with the imprint ‘Police Department City of New York Detective — DEA.’ ” The defendant initially told the police officer he was with the DEA and then retracted that statement and admitted he was employed at a “Verizon” store. A search of New York City Police records confirmed that the defendant was not employed by the department.

The defendant argues that count one is facially insufficient because the complaint fails to allege facts to establish that the defendant intended to induce the police officer to act in reliance upon his pretense. It is well settled that intent may be inferred from the defendant’s actions. The factfinder could infer from the defendant’s actions that he intended to use his deception as a means of gaining favorable treatment from the police officer. As such, count one is legally sufficient for pleading purposes in that it alleges facts that tend to establish that the defendant committed the offense charged. Accordingly, with regard to count one, the defendant’s motion is denied.

Count two: Penal Law § 170.20 states that “A person is guilty of criminal possession of a forged instrument in the third degree when, with knowledge that it is forged and with intent to defraud, deceive or injure another, he utters or possesses a forged instrument” (emphasis added). “Forged instrument” is defined as “a written instrument which has been falsely made, completed or altered” (Penal Law § 170.00 [7] [emphasis added]).

‘Written instrument’ means any instrument or article, including computer data or a computer program, containing written or printed matter or the equivalent thereof, used for the purpose of reciting, embodying, conveying or recording information, or constituting a symbol or evidence of value, right, privilege or identification, which is capable of being used to the advantage or disadvantage of some person” (Penal Law § 170.00 [1] [emphasis added]).

The defendant argues that count two is facially insufficient because the complaint fails to allege facts to establish that the [300]*300defendant possessed a forged instrument. In support of his argument, he relies on the case of People v Simmons (2 Misc 3d 728 [Crim Ct, NY County 2003]), which held that the definition of forged instrument (Penal Law § 170.00 [7]) does not encompass possession of a facsimile police badge. The People argue that the facts in this case can be distinguished from Simmons and that, as such, it does not apply.

The Simmons court held that the definition of a forged instrument “does not encompass possession of a facsimile of a police badge” (2 Misc 3d at 731). The complaint in Simmons, however, failed to allege that the defendant identified himself as a police officer, showed the fake shield to anyone, or that the shield itself contained written matter identifying a particular law enforcement agency or municipality.

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Related

People v. Casey
740 N.E.2d 233 (New York Court of Appeals, 2000)
People v. Allen
703 N.E.2d 1229 (New York Court of Appeals, 1998)
People v. Gilbert Gottlieb & 220 Crescent, Inc.
331 N.E.2d 670 (New York Court of Appeals, 1975)
People v. Dumas
497 N.E.2d 686 (New York Court of Appeals, 1986)
People v. Alejandro
511 N.E.2d 71 (New York Court of Appeals, 1987)
People v. Simmons
2 Misc. 3d 728 (Criminal Court of the City of New York, 2003)

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Bluebook (online)
17 Misc. 3d 296, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-makwana-nycrimct-2007.